Finance Officer

**JOB DESCRIPTION**
**Finance Officer**

**Pay Range**: NJC points 26-32 (Full-time equivalent) dependent on qualifications and experience.

**Working hours**: 36 hours per week. We will consider full time or term-time only.

**Job Purpose**
The purpose of the Finance Officer role is to manage the school’s finance systems and finance team.

**Key responsibilities**
- Oversee, develop, and implement financial procedures and oversee all financial transactions/activity within the school (e.g., requisitions and/orders, invoicing, banking and cash and accounting entries).
- Work with the Headteacher / SLT to prepare the annual budgets and undertake financial planning.
- Ensure adherence to financial regulations and provide advice on these to other staff and the senior leadership team.
- Manage the financial management system.
- Undertake financial analysis on current and future variations in income, expenditure, and trends to inform school-wide decision-making.
- Responsible for producing annual and statutory returns, including VAT returns and liabilities.
- Manage procurement within the school, including contract management and compliance to contractual conditions.
- Manage all budgets, prepare regular management accounts, undertake variance analysis, and provide advice on options to improve over-under spends.
- Line management of Finance Assistant
- Post monthly reprographics journal.
- Monitor trip income and expenditure, working with the student support services.
- Run budget holder reports and send these out, being available to support with any queries.
- Monthly payroll including additional hours, review of monthly payroll and processing the monthly payroll journal in the finance management system.
- Prepare BACS runs.
- Support with audit queries.
- Bank reconciliation.
- Preparation and posting of monthly accruals.
- Monthly balance sheet reconciliations.
- Update fixed asset register, capital accounting on finance system including monthly depreciation.
- Preparation of VAT 126 report.
- Support preparation of year end and audit working papers.
- **Safeguarding **_
St Mark’s Catholic School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and all staff must ensure that the highest priority is given to following the guidance and regulations to safeguard children and young people. All staff are to have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to follow the child protection procedures adopted by the school. Any safeguarding or child protection issues must be acted upon immediately by informing the
Designated Safeguarding Lead.
- **The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust**_

St Mark’s Catholic School is part of The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust (DoWAT), a Catholic Multi-Academy Trust. All employees must support the Catholic aims and ethos of the trust.
- **The duties and responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present. The post holder is expected to accept any reasonable alterations that may from time to time be necessary.**_

**Person Specification**
**Finance Officer**

**Qualification and Experience**

1 Significant experience of working in a finance role. E
2 Experience of day-to-day financial administration, reporting and E budgeting.
3 Educated to A level or above. E
4 AAT level 3 (Minimum) financial qualification, equivalent accounting E qualification or substantial relevant experience

5 AAT level 5 financial qualification or equivalent accounting D qualification.

6 Staff management experience D
7 Experience of working in a school setting D

**Abilities, Skills, Knowledge**
8 Good understanding of account systems and processes. E
9 Knowledge of financial management regulations, procedures and E practices, development and implementation of financial systems and procedures.

10 Ability to develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues E and external organisations

11 Good communication skills, both verbally and in writing E
12 Excellent numeracy, literacy and attention to detail skills E
13 Good IT skills, including advanced skills in MS Excel E
14 Ability to gather information, analyse data and problem solve E
15 Ability to manage own time effectively and demonstrate initiative E including establish priorities
16 Ability to prioritise and mange workflow whilst maintaining a flexible E approach to respond to urgent requests
17 Display a conscientious and logical approach to the variety of tasks E necessary for the smooth running of the school
18 Ability to adapt to changing and conflicting demands E
19 Ability to be flexible and work as part of a team or individually as E required
20 Ability to demonstrate an understanding of children E
21 Ability to contribute to the life of the school E
22 Ability to adhere to the school’s policies and procedures and most E importantly the Equality and Diversity Policy and Safeguarding and
Child Protection Policy.

**Other Job Specific Requir