Finance Assistant

Location: Havering, East/Outer London

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent (37 hours per week, Term-Time + 2 Weeks or All-Year-Round option)

Start Date: Immediate / ASAP

A highly regarded secondary school and Sixth Form in the London Borough of Havering is seeking a meticulous, proactive, and service-minded Finance Assistant to join their central Finance & Business Operations team. This is an exceptional opportunity for an accounting assistant, finance administrator, or AAT trainee/graduate to manage day-to-day school financial processing, maintain precise ledger accounts, and support the School Business Manager (SBM) in delivering robust fiscal control across the school campus.

About the Role

As the Finance Assistant, you will play a key operational role in running the school's day-to-day financial engine. Reporting to the Finance Manager / School Business Manager, you will handle purchase ordering, accounts payable and receivable, income collection, bank reconciliations, and petty cash administration, ensuring all transactions align with statutory financial regulations and school audit standards.

• Environment: A welcoming Outer London secondary school utilizing modern cloud accounting software (e.g., Access Financials, FMS, PS Financials/IRIS, Civica), online payment portals (e.g., ParentPay, SchoolGateway), and streamlined digital procurement tools

• Culture: A collaborative, detail-oriented business support team dedicated to financial integrity, operational efficiency, and supporting educational outcomes across the school community

Key Responsibilities

• Accounts Payable & Procurement: Process purchase orders, verify supplier invoices against delivery notes, batch payments, prepare BACS runs, and resolve supplier queries in a timely manner.

• Income & Accounts Receivable: Administer school income streams, including lettings, trip funds, caterings, and grants, issuing sales invoices, logging receipts, and reconciling online payment platforms (e.g., ParentPay).

• Banking & Reconciliations: Conduct weekly and monthly bank reconciliations, process petty cash claims, log credit card statements, and prepare cash/cheque deposits for banking.

• Audit & Compliance Support: Maintain organized audit trails, archive financial records, enforce internal financial controls, and assist the SBM with internal/external financial audits.

• Budgetary Monitoring & Reporting: Assist in monitoring department capitation budgets, running monthly ledger reports for Heads of Department, and resolving basic budget coding queries.

Requirements

• Relevant qualification in accounting or finance (e.g., AAT Level 2/3, NVQ in Business Administration/Finance) or equivalent demonstrable experience in a finance/bookkeeping environment.

• Practical experience working with accounting databases (e.g., SIMS FMS, PS Financials/IRIS, Access, Sage, or Xero) and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, formulas).

• Strong numerical accuracy, data entry precision, and a methodical approach to managing multiple financial deadlines.

• Excellent communication and customer service skills when liaising with suppliers, budget holders, parents, and external auditors.

• Understanding of school financial procedures, public sector procurement, or VAT in educational contexts is highly advantageous.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Outer London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with accounting qualifications and financial experience).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), study support/funding for relevant financial qualifications (e.g., AAT advancement), generous annual leave entitlement, and access to staff health and wellbeing programs.

How to Apply

If you are a detail-focused finance professional ready to contribute to the financial health and operational success of a thriving secondary school in Havering, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your application and CV as soon as possible for consideration.