Finance and Administration Assistant

Join our success:

• Judged ‘Outstanding’ in all categories by Ofsted (Feb 2023), more information here: https://469/ofsted
• Progress 8 score from our first set of GCSE results (Aug 2023) of +1.10.
• In the top 10 non-selective comprehensive schools in England and Wales

We believe that a happy and settled staff body helps drive the very best performance from our students. We are committed to a high-quality professional development programme and can draw on expertise from across the Harris Federation. As a HASU member of staff at any level you will receive the training and support that you need to carry out your role effectively and develop at a pace that suits you.

We are committed to ensuring that our staff have the right level of balance between work and home life. Our policies and procedures are aimed at allowing our teaching staff to spend as much time as possible planning and delivering lessons.

We work in an award-winning building with excellent facilities. Our thriving staff association ensures all new members of staff soon feel part of the HASU community.

We run a broad and diverse curriculum to a fully comprehensive intake of students.

Our focus on the core value of Integrity means that our behaviour is excellent, with staff supported by a strong and highly visible Academy Leadership Group. Detentions are run centrally, allowing teaching staff to do what they do best: plan and teach amazing lessons.

Attendance and engagement with learning is high, and centrally planned tutor time resources ensure that our tutors can engage with students whilst delivering high-quality experiences.

We are located in Sutton, with good public transport and road links. Central London (Clapham, Victoria) is 25 minutes away. We are on the Surrey border, so journeys do not take long in fact journeys from Kent only take just over 30 minutes by car. We have safe and secure onsite parking with electric charging points.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Creating purchase orders
• Obtaining authorisation for, coding and posting purchase invoices
• Checking of all deliveries to the Academy, liaising with site staff as to distribution of order
• Raising cheques / BACS for purchase invoices
• Making payments
• Journal entries on accounting system
• Cash / bank reconciliation and reports
• Collecting money from students for educational visits
• Reconciling the petty cash on a monthly basis
• Reconciliation of academy credit card
• Liaison with cost centre budget holders
• Maintenance of Fixed Asset Register
• Academy banking
• Assisting Finance Business Partner in monthly balance sheet reconciliations
• Dealing with incoming and outgoing finance post
• To administer finances in relation to peripatetic music tuition, music subsidies and Food Technology consumable costs
• Raising sales invoices for lettings
• Banking of cash and cheques
• Supporting the Academy in finding ways to raise capital funding
• Creating a business plan for lettings and liaising with the Executive Principal to action
• Supporting any Academy training events that may raise capital
• Giving financial support for any capital spend projects
• Finding ways in which the Academy can get better value for money, through better procurement or other innovative ideas
• Working with Federation Business Partner and Principal in agreeing priorities for expenditure and monitoring the effectiveness of spending and usage of resources to ensure value for money
• Ensuring all matters regarding Academy insurance are dealt with in line with Federation procedures
• Ensuring the academy's financial procedures operate in accordance with statutory guidelines, Academies financial regulations and guidelines set out in the academy's policies and procedures
• Providing statistical information as required by the DCSF, other funding providers and Principal
• Familiarity with all the different funding streams that make up the academy budget and be aware of who has direct responsibility for each one
• Supporting the process of and responding to audit reports and implementation of recommendation
• Reading and understanding the Academies Financial handbook and check the Academies compliance reporting any concerns to the Finance Business Partner and the Principal
• Overseeing all contracts, register at the Academy, ensuring all information is kept up to date
• Monitoring financial and quality issues relating to academy meals contract
• Managing payroll, liaising with EPM as required
• Working with Federation Estates Managers, Projects Team and procurement to check best value for money when the Academy is considering new contracts or services
• Working with FBP when contracts are due for renewal and ascertain value for money and quality of service are in line with expectations
• Communicating any concerns regarding contracts with suppliers as required
• Supporting in any tendering process

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Qualifications to A level or equivalent
• Knowledge of school finance systems
• Knowledge of a variety of financial recording systems
• Knowledge of the budget setting process
• Understanding of the role and function of external audit
• At least three years’ experience working in a finance department
• Experience of working within financial controls
• Experience of assisting with budget setting and budget management

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.