Billing Assistant

**Billings Assistant**

**The School**

Founded in 1915, St Christopher School is an independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 3-18. We have 535 pupils and 199 teaching and support staff. We have no school uniform and everyone is called by their first name. We have no religious affiliation and welcome students and staff of all faiths and none.

**Our Ethos**

We treat our young people as individuals and aim for them to develop competence and resourcefulness, social conscience and moral courage, the capacity for friendship and a true zest for life.

**The Role**

Working with the Billings and Payroll Manager process the entire school’s billing function billing ledger - including the billing of fees and charges to parents’ accounts. Running credit control. To ensure a first class service to all stakeholders of the School

**Specific duties**:

- Remind staff and collecting details of any charges due.
- Liaise with admissions regarding new pupils/pupils leaving the school.

**Administer**:

- Pupil deposits and refund as appropriate.
- Staff fee scheme and monitor the winding down of the salary sacrifice scheme which may include checking calculations and be aware of changes in staff contracts which impact the scheme.
- Monitor and liaise with Heads PA and Registrar for details of school fee remissions including bursaries, scholarships, sibling discount and other discounts as awarded by the Head.
- Childcare voucher scheme as necessary, giving advice to parents of what they can use them for.
- Ensure that the Direct Debut Scheme is run according to the BACS rules and is processed in a timely manner.
- To oversee the operation and administration of the Fees in Advance Scheme.

**Credit Control**:

- To be responsible for credit control, in particular, ensuring the timely and accurate preparation of pupils’ fee bills and the collection of fees and extras. Process all routine correspondence with fee debtors and/or late payments, maintaining accurate records and provide debtor data on a regular basis to allow for structured follow-up.
- Run regular debtors lists and ensure monthly reconciliation between ledger and control accounts and present to School Accountant in a timely fashion.
- Maintain all necessary records within the finance office and ensure that the correct paperwork has been received from the Registrar.
- Follow and where needed, enhance, the school’s credit control process. This will include attending regular meeting with the Bursar and School Accountant on outstanding debtors. Bring any worrisome debtors to the attention of the School Accountant and/or Bursar.

**General Duties**:

- Filing as needed, which is to be completed in a timely manner. Ensure for the turn of the financial year that files are moved and files are securely shredded in line with the School’s record retention protocols.
- In a mutually supportive manner work with the School Accountant, the Billing and Payroll Manager, the Payroll Assistant and the Accounts Assistant and more widely the Bursar.
- Provide customer service in a friendly and courteous manner to all members of the school community.
- Provide cover for team members in busy times and absences.
- All other duties as can be responsibly expected.
- All other duties as can be responsibly requested, providing that such duties are appropriate to your role.

**Person Specification**
- Experience, knowledge and understanding of the specific job functions through significant experience in field.
- Experience of effective collaborative working with great communication skills.
- Ability to prioritise, plan and organise, direct and co-ordinate work.
- Ability to follow direction and refer decisions to others when appropriate.
- Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to sustain effective relationships on behalf of the School.
- Ability to work flexibly, adopt a “hands on” approach, respond to unplanned events, and to meet deadlines.
- Reliability, discretion and diplomatic manner.
- The ability to work harmoniously with others.

Qualifications / Experience:

- Experience, knowledge and understanding of the specific job functions through experience or/and recognised professional qualifications.
- Experience of effective collaborative working with good communication skills.
- Studying towards an accounting qualification or an Accounting Technician

**Hours of work**:
This is a full time role working hours are Monday to Friday 08:00 to 17:00 (40 hours per week) there are no variations to these days.

**Salary**:
The role is set on the Support Staff Pay scale between Point 21 - 24 Full Time Equivalent (FTE £25,448.78 - £27,751.99). Based on a 40-hour week.

**Holidays**:
Five weeks plus 8 bank / public holidays

**Benefits**
- The School operates health benefit and death-in-service schemes for staff.
- Employee Assistance Programme, an independent, free and confidential advice service that can offer both practical advice and emotional support.
- Free