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BURSARY ASSISTANT / PURCHASE LEDGER CLERK Job Description

REPORTS TO: Finance Manager and Bursar

POST DETAILS 20 – 30 hours per week, to be worked Monday to Friday between 8.30am – 5.00pm (one hour unpaid lunch break)

This is a part time, all year round position with 6 weeks’ paid holiday (+ bank holidays)

Overview

We are looking for a friendly, enthusiastic and hardworking Purchase Ledger Clerk to join our Bursary team.

Ballard School

Ballard is a thriving co-educational day school from Nursery to GCSE, set in 34 acres on the Dorset/Hampshire border. Ballard’s dynamic leadership has turned ‘excellent & outstanding’ (ISI) into exceptional. Putting families first, Ballard offers wrap around care and has been helping families with the VAT on school fees - paying it all in 2025 and paying 14% this academic year. With lots of exciting plans in place, there has never been a better time to join.

Ballard is a multi-award winning school - crowned Co-educational School of the Year Award 2024/25 in the Independent School of the Year Awards, having reached the finals for Sport in 2023 and Performing Arts in 2022. In 2025, we won the ISA Award for Fine Arts and Design, were awarded the coveted Eco Schools Green Flag with Distinction, retained our School Games Mark Gold status, and were finalists for the MTI Award for Musical Theatre Provision. We have recently passed our latest ISI inspection with flying colours.

Ballard offers an all-round education within a nurturing and supportive environment. We believe that children flourish and achieve if kept happy, fulfilled and stretched through a wide range of activities including sport and the performing arts.

Job Purpose

To support the busy finance team with the purchase ledger using iSAMS

Monitor invoices and process for payment

Administrative support to the Bursary department

Job Description

Opening and maintaining supplier accounts ensuring accuracy of records

Raising and processing orders

• Investigating and answering supplier queries and processing any subsequent account amendments

Monitoring and reconciling supplier statements

Registering supplier invoices, gain authorisation and allocate the nominal codes

Recording the receipt of goods and services, checking accuracy against original order

Post authorised supplier invoices on purchase ledger

• Processing purchase ledger payment reports

Dealing with enquiries from suppliers and developing good relationships with them

• Dealing with all external accounts enquiries and referring as required to the Bursar or other colleagues as relevant

Liasing with staff members concerning ordering supplies for the School and dealing with

• Process staff expenses

Managing BACS payments

• Monitoring department budgets and issuing regular budget reports

Petty Cash Management

Additional duties

• Fulfilling general administrative duties including filing, photocopying etc. to contribute to the efficient smoothrunning of the department

• To perform any reasonable administrative tasks as assigned by the Bursary and Finance Manager

• Becoming an integral member of the Bursary team; this will mean becoming familiar with other duties to be able to cover in absence or assist during particularly busy periods

Supporting the School

Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

• Adhere to all School policies

Be aware of School procedures

Attend relevant INSET training

Ensure all matters concerning pupils, other staff and the school remain confidential

• To be aware of employee responsibilities for Health and Safety of themselves and others in a safe and secure manner with due care towards the health and safety of oneself, other staff and pupils

Person Specification

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills including the ability to relate well to people on all levels with sensitivity, tact and diplomacy – Essential

Self-starter – ability to prioritise workload and suggest and implement new/improved processes with the Finance Manager’s approval - Essential

First class organisational and administrative skills, with the ability to remain calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines; systematic in approach to tasks, with attention to detail - Essential

Evidence of a pro-active approach to planning and prioritising work, with the ability to use initiative appropriately and to work with minimal supervision - Essential

• Excellent ICT skills e.g. confident and adept in use of Microsoft applications e.g. Word, Outlook, TEAMS - Essential

Good Excel skills including standard formulae and functions - Essential

Experience of school MIS – preferably ISAMS - Desirable

Excellent command of written and spoken English - Essential

This job description is current at the date shown, but in consultation with you, may be changed by the Headteacher to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the grade and job title.

Working Hours and Rate of Pay

• The hours for this position are 20 – 30 hours per week, to be worked across 4 - 5 days per week, all year round, with one hour unpaid lunchbreak

Discounted school fees

• Annual salary up to £29,250 FTE per annum dependent on experience. (Hourly rate of £15)

• Defined contribution pension scheme – employer contribution of 10.5%

• Staff are welcome to have a school lunch and refreshments in term time and parking is available on site

Applications

How to apply:

Applicants are asked to fully complete a Support Staff application form, and send it, along with their letter of application addressed to the Bursar to recruitment@ballardschool.co.uk.

Application deadline: 9.00am Monday 1st June 2026

Interviews: Flexible by mutual agreement

Start Date: ASAP

Early applications are encouraged. We will be reviewing applications as they are received and reserve the right to appoint before the closing date.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to the School for interviews.

Ballard School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. The successful applicant must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (Enhanced Disclosure). As part of the referencing process, the School will undertake digital screening, including online searches of candidates and any potential matters of concern will be discussed with the candidate.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

The successful candidate will be required to complete and sign a medical form.

Ballard School is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

For further details and an application form, please visit: www.ballardschool.co.uk/vacancies