Finance Officer - Norwich - Part time

Job Title: Finance Officer

Location: Lakenham Primary School

Grade: Norfolk Grade E

Reports to: School Business Manager

Hours: 15 hours per week (5 mornings 8.30am – 11.30am) Term time + 2 weeks

Start date: As soon as possible

Type: Permanent

Lakenham Primary and Nursery School is a lovely school within easy reach of central Norwich. To be successful in gaining this post, we require someone who can become immersed in a ‘can-do culture’.

The success candidate will be working closely with the School Business Manager and Headteacher, where they will provide support across a range of areas in school financial administration. A large proportion of your role will include daily use of the county online finance system.

The position will begin as soon as possible and we are seeking application who can work mornings only if possible. For the right candidate, we would consider 3 days rather than 5 mornings.

As a finance officer, your role will include:

• To place orders for goods and equipment, ensuring value for money, checking deliveries and invoices in accordance with procedures and financial regulations
• To operate an effective and efficient educational trips system, supporting the school business manager from a financial element in relation to schedule of payments, ParentPay enquiries and debt collection
• To operate the school's financial systems, including processing and review of orders, deliveries and invoices in place, that expenditure is appropriate and that supporting invoices/receipts are in evidence
• To be responsible for all aspects of parental contributions, monitoring payments in ParentPay and dealing with enquiries from parents and other staff members regarding any payments and keeping a checklist of student payments and outstanding amounts
• To assist in preparing month end reconciliations and financial reports as required
• To undertake financial tasks in accordance with agreed policies, appropriate legislation and financial regulations and standing orders
• Assist in identifying and reporting major variances and the reasons for such variances.

·       Responsible for implementing the following and ensuring that each task is carried out as defined in corresponding procedures:

-         raising orders for goods, supplies and services;

-         producing open commitment reports;

-         raising online payments for approved payments;

-         ensuring that all payments are properly approved;

-         using LMS accounts financial systems;

-         maintaining all data records relating to income and expenditure;

-         budget reconciliation, as directed;

-         producing, as directed, ad hoc reports, including financial or management reports for the school’s governing body, in consultation with the school business manager;

-         accounting for all expenditure;

-         recording, accounting and banking unofficial funds;

-         accounting for all income, including dinner money collected (all online);

-         maintaining dinner registers.

Ensure that the central finance system is maintained and used to record all financial and accounting data.

Ensure that all properly authorised expenditure is routinely checked for accuracy and to safeguard against error.

Monitor, as directed, supplier delivery of goods, products and services and report inconsistency with agreed specification, cost or timescales.

Maintain, as directed, an inventory of assets so that the acquisition and disposal of assets is accounted for.

As directed, set up and maintain school accounts in accordance with operational and information systems procedures.

Ensure, as directed, that management or financial information is routinely produced at agreed intervals.

Maintain current awareness of relevant support service procedures.

Provide, as directed, administrative support appropriate to the needs of the school.

We can offer you an enthusiastic and committed team within a friendly school community, where we laugh every day!

If you are interested in this position and would like further information please discuss with Mrs Cassandra Williams, Headteacher. Visits are welcome.

Interested applicants should complete an NCC application form and send to head@lakenham.norfolk.sch.uk No CV’s will be considered.

Our school is strongly committed to the safeguarding of children and equality of opportunity. Any applicant must expect to comply fully with enhanced DBS checks. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and you will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced DBS check with barred list. If you have information to declare it may be protected under the Exceptions Orders and you may not be required to declare it. You will be asked to make a criminal conviction declaration if you are shortlisted for the post.

Successful candidates for interview will have an internet search completed about them, as required in Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Closing date for entries: 9am Monday 6th January 2024, shortlisting will occur that day.