JOB DESCRIPTION
| Job Title: | Finance Assistant | Department: | Finance |
| Hours of Work: | 9am – 5pm, 52 weeks per year. | ||
| Responsible To: | Head of Finance | ResponsibleFor: | N/A |
Summary of Role:
The Finance Assistant reports directly to the Head of Finance for all accounts payable and purchasing functions for the School and its subsidiary entities, and assisting with payroll processing for the School. The Finance Assistant supports the budget holders to manage and report on their budgets.
This is a key role within the accounts department and is ideal for an all-round finance person who wishes to work within a small and friendly team.
Specific Responsibilities:
Accounts Payable
Responsible for the Accounts Payable process for the School and its subsidiaries (Marden Enterprises Ltd and Woldingham Vines Ltd).
Tasks include:
Maintaining purchase ledgers on the finance system (currently, iFinance).
• Creation and maintenance of new supplier accounts as required.
Monitoring the ‘Invoices’ email box and ensuring invoices are transferred electronically to the finance system.
Check the invoices uploaded to the system are correctly coded and sent to the relevant budget holder for approval.
Reconciling supplier statements regularly
Responsible for dealing with all supplier queries
Process the weekly supplier BACS run, ensuring suppliers are paid in a timely fashion, gaining required approval to process and liaise with Senior Finance Officer to ensure BACS payment in processed and paid.
Purchasing/Ordering
General responsibility for the timely and economic ordering of all supplies. Tasks include:
• Accepting of all supply orders from School and Marden Enterprises staff.
Ensuring all orders are properly authorised and coded.
Sourcing of the most economic suppliers.
Expediting orders and returning unwanted goods.
Main point of contact for staff and suppliers’ queries.
Review and update the purchasing / ordering processes at the school
Responsible for use and reconciliation of the Finance department credit card for ad-hoc purchasing and payments
Payroll
• Provide support to the Senior Finance Officer in payroll
• Processing time sheets in preparation for monthly payroll
• Provide cover for Senior Finance Officer on payroll processing as required.
Trips
• Support Trip organiser to produce a budget to establish cost and recharges
• The reconciliation of all receipts and expenditure on organised trips.
• Liaise with budget holders to ensure that trips are properly recorded on Evolve
Reconciliation of Trip Codes and closures at the end of each trip
Maintain expense cards and ensure that transactions are properly recorded, reconciled and coded on the finance system
General Finance Tasks;
The following general tasks to be undertaken:
The monthly analysis and reconciliation of allocated nominal ledger control accounts in preparation for the end of each monthly period.
Responsible for the reconciliation of the School’s Foundation bank account and transactions relating to the Foundation.
Staff expenses – processing and payment of all expenses via electronic fortnightly payment runs.
Monthly reconciliation and posting of all Credit Card payments to the appropriate departments.
Support the Senior Finance Officer in respect of ad hoc day to day financial matters.
Work with other members of the Finance team to understand relevant processes and provide support as and when required.
• To monitor expenditure in relation to budget and report to Head of Finance
To undertake any other accounting related tasks as may reasonably be requested by the Senior Finance Officer or Head of Finance.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
| Essential | Desirable |
| Operational Excellence | |
| • A good all-round finance knowledge.Experience of working in a busy financedepartment.Experience of working with finance systems(iFinance preferable)Good attention to detail and accuracy.Have excellent communication andinterpersonal skills and be able to mix easilywith teaching and non-teaching staff.Good ICT Skills including use of Excelspreadsheets. | Previous experience of working within aschool environmentExperience of working with payrollsystems (PASS or Every payroll,ifpossible)• Possess good all round accountingexperience. |
| Personal Behaviours | |
| Be self-motivated and enthusiastic.Possess integrity and initiative, be able tothink ahead and prioritise.Able to work accurately and calmly todeadlines.Team Player with a positive can-do attitude.Be able to work accurately and flexibly.●Strong planning and organisational skills. | |
| Ethos and Whole School Values | |
| ●Committed to operating as part of the Schoolcommunity.• Committed to the Sacred Heart Values. | |
| Safeguarding and Pastoral | |
| Committed to safeguarding and promotingthe welfare of children and young people.• A satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure from theDBS. |
Terms and Benefits
• Start Date: Late August 2026
Working hours. 9am – 5pm, 5 days a week, 52 weeks of the year although flexibility in these working hours will be required to meet the demands of the role.
• Salary. Competitive
Holiday. The holiday entitlement is 5 weeks per year plus public holidays (pro rata). It is expected that holiday will normally be taken in school holidays.
• Pension. Auto enrolled into the School’s pension scheme, which includes life assurance.
• Lunch. A free lunch is available in the dining room each working day when the kitchens are open.
• Parking. There is free parking on site.
• Gym and Pool. There are staff sessions for use of these facilities.