Location
Romford, London Borough of Havering

Hours
Full Time (hours not specified)

Salary
Grade 5 - £35,520 to £38,739 per annum

About the Role
Do you want to make a difference to people’s lives? Are you looking for a new challenge? The well-respected and long-established Education Finance team are seeking a Finance Officer to support SEN administration and allocation. Education Finance prides itself on providing high quality financial support to schools and academies in Havering and beyond, placing great emphasis on effective financial management and maintaining excellent working relationships with internal colleagues, external stakeholders, schools, and academies.

The role is varied and finance-focused, involving advising a range of stakeholders from parents applying for financial support to head teachers seeking financial advice. The successful candidate will have a broad understanding of accounting principles and processes related to local authority maintained schools, academies, free schools, and local authority accounting standards.

This position primarily supports the administration of SEN financial resources, which may also include Early Years and other education and central funds. Key responsibilities include coordinating and producing data affecting funding and statutory returns related to SEN, transport reimbursements, free school meal eligibility checks, school reconciliations, and other related tasks.

The role is pivotal in ensuring the distribution of ring-fenced education grants, working closely with Senior Finance Officers and supporting the Principal Finance Officer in operational, tactical, and strategic financial management within education. This demanding yet satisfying role requires adherence to national and local statutory regulations and upholding a high level of probity.

You will join an enthusiastic and professional team, supported by experienced management. The role is principally remote with occasional travel to schools and council offices.

Experience
- Minimum 2 years’ experience in a finance or similar role
- Experience working within deadlines
- Experience using MS Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

About you
- Excellent attention to detail
- Flexible and enthusiastic
- Ability to manage own work and that of others
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including public interaction
- Effective time and calendar management skills

Qualifications
- GCSE Grade 9-5 (or equivalent) in English and Maths
- Advanced level Microsoft Excel skills

Desirable
- Qualified or part-qualified accountant with commitment to continuing professional development (CPD)
- Experience with SIMS Financial Management System (FMS)
- Experience with Oracle software
- Experience with Synergy software
- Full UK driving licence