Trust Finance Officer

The Merchant Taylors’ Oxfordshire Academy Trust is a multi-academy trust currently consisting of Wallingford School, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Primary School and Aylesbury UTC. The schools are successful, popular and are rooted at the heart of their local communities.

We are privileged to carry the Merchant Taylors’ name and value our relationship with the Company. Their interest, benevolence and engagement with education resonate with our ethos as a Trust.

Our schools are about academic achievement but also personal development and opportunity so that our young people leave us equipped with the skills and experiences which will enable them to thrive. This vision is understood by all members of our school communities and lies at the heart of our ethos.

Our function as a multi-academy trust is to encourage collaboration, innovation and professional development within structures which ensure that our focus is on ensuring that the young people in our schools have the very best possible provision. We work across and within our schools, recognising that the best school-to-school support is deep, embedded and impactful.

Our vision and values are rooted within a belief that every young person is capable of being successful regardless of background, prior attainment or previous school experience.

We believe that schools should serve their local communities and be able to offer the breadth and depth of educational experience which young people deserve in the 21st Century. For us school is about achievement and progress but it is also about supporting our young people to become rounded, well-adjusted young adults ready to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives and to play their part in society.

The approach taken by Merchant Taylors’ Oxfordshire Academy Trust (MTOAT) is to focus on delivering a high quality of education in a small number of academies. This strategy enables the MTOAT leadership team to place the maximum possible focus on each academy as it joins the MAT and is, we believe, particularly well-suited to helping struggling schools to address the issues they face.

**Main Purpose and Object**:
The Finance Officer:

- Works with the finance team on all aspects of the development and effective operation of the finance function within the Trust.
- Completing a range of financial and administrative routines relating to purchasing, sales and banking.
- Undertaking general office, reception and administrative duties as required.
- The main place of work will be Wallingford School. However, the role relates to finance across the Trust so travel to other schools in the Trust will be required from time to time.

**Specific Duties**:
Operational
- Establish and maintain good relationships with all students, parents/carers, colleagues, suppliers and contractors of the Trust.
- Provide efficient finance and administration assistance to her/his line manager.
- Place orders and enter approved Purchase orders in the accounts system.
- Perform credit card reconciliations.
- Make bank account entries from ParentPay statements.
- Generate Purchase ledger payment runs.
- Perform supplier statement reconciliations.
- Perform Trips accounting and ordering foreign currency.
- Accept deliveries, arranging distribution to departments & ensuring retention of delivery notes for matching.
- Raise manual cheques.
- Assist in counting monies received and banking procedures.
- Assist in the setting up and maintaining of finance files and archiving, both electronic and physical.
- Assist with document scanning.
- Liaise with suppliers, customers, contractors, other schools and organisations, budget holders and attend to queries as required by line manager.
- Contribute to the evaluation and development of financial systems and procedures.
- Report technical faults relating to the Trust’s database system/s and equipment to the IT Technician/s or software support services in accordance with reporting procedures

**Administrative**
- Ensure that all administrative duties, checks and documentation are completed to the required level of accuracy including returns and reports.
- Process, input and extract data held on the Trust’s database systems.
- Maintain both manual and computerised record and filing systems in line with audit requirements.
- Deal with correspondence promptly and as required including distribution of invoices received, payment queries, communications received from suppliers and customers, contractors and the bank.
- Answer incoming and internal switchboard calls, dealing with requests and enquiries and taking messages as required.

**General**
- Assist in school emergencies as required, including locating relevant staff, contacting emergency services and completing necessary documentation.
- Keep abreast of developments and changes in fields relevant to role and communicate to staff as required.
- Comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and d