Early Years Audit and Finance Officer

About The Job
Salary: £27,254– £29,540 a year pro rata pro rata
Hours per week: 18.5
Contract type: Permanent
Are you detail-oriented and passionate about supporting early years education? We're seeking an
Early Years Audit and Finance Officer
to ensure the effective and compliant delivery of free early education entitlements across our provider network.

In this pivotal role, you'll conduct audits and compliance checks on early years providers to ensure they meet the standards outlined in the Luton Council Provider Agreement. You'll play a key part in monitoring the accurate and timely distribution of funding, supporting both statutory data returns and day-to-day payment processes.

Working closely with colleagues in the early years and finance teams, you'll help maintain high standards by identifying improvements and providing valuable feedback to enhance systems and procedures. If you're experienced in financial administration, confident in data accuracy, and committed to ensuring children receive the best start in life, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.
About You
Do you enjoy working with numbers and making a real difference in children's early education?
If you're looking for a rewarding role where your attention to detail and organisational skills can have a positive impact, then this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

We're seeking a reliable and collaborative
Early Years Audit and Finance Officer
to support the delivery of free early years entitlements across Luton. You'll help ensure funding is managed accurately and fairly by maintaining precise records, carrying out audits, and working closely with both finance and early years colleagues.

You should be educated to at least GCSE level C (or equivalent) in Maths and be comfortable attending meetings and visiting early years settings across Luton to support service delivery. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, is essential, along with the ability to maintain accurate manual and digital records. A methodical approach, strong numeracy skills, and the ability to meet deadlines while managing your own workload are key to success in this role.

We're looking for someone approachable and professional, with strong communication skills and the ability to deal politely and effectively with a wide range of people. A good understanding of equality, diversity, and how discrimination can impact the workplace is also important.

This is a public facing role so you'll need to show off your fluency in speaking and writing English.
This is a part-time position, with the possibility of term-time-only working arrangements.
If you have a basic knowledge of accountancy or audit processes and are eager to make a meaningful contribution to early years services, we'd love to hear from you.

About Us
Our ambitious
Luton 2040 Vision
– that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough

Application Process
On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

Benefits
We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

• From 25 to 32 days' annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
• Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
• Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
• Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
• Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
• Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
• Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
• Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
• Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
• Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel

How To Apply
We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out

Our 'How to apply' page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply