Central Finance Officer

We are currently looking to appoint two Finance Officers to support our thriving Finance team at Harris Federation. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and progressive Multi Academy Trust in a role which has a sense of purpose and the chance to make an impact across the Federation, and to make a difference to the young people of London.

The role is part of the Federation's central team of Finance Officers, reporting to the Senior Finance Officer supervisor. There are several key areas of responsibility, including accurate and timely processing of academy purchase orders and invoices, regular reconciliations, preparation and review of Academy BACS draft payment runs.

The role is based at our head offices in Croydon, providing finance support to schools within the Federation. This may require occasional travel to school sites, all of which are located within London and Essex. It is important that applicants are confident using email and MS Teams to communicate remotely with staff, along with excellent attention to detail.

We are seeking a hard-working individual with an interest in the education sector, looking to begin or further a career in finance.

About Us

We are a pioneering education charity, and one of the leading multi-academy trusts in the country. We have a track record of taking on some of the most challenging schools in London, turning them into places where every young person can access a high-quality education and have opportunities to succeed.

Educating 1 in 41 young people in London, we now have 52 primary and secondary academies transforming the life chances and opportunities of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Harris Federation has a track record of accomplishment in achieving success through rapid school improvement and has built an unrivalled reputation for running outstanding academies in London.

Our central team comprises a dedicated, driven group of departments working centrally to provide support across the Federation and all of our academies. Across a multitude of key departments, we maintain expertise all integral to supporting central and academies in areas such as Finance, HR, Data, Estates Management, Talent and many more.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Supporting two or three academies, your responsibilities will include:

• Assisting with processing purchase orders
• Accurate coding and processing of invoices
• Preparing and reviewing BACS runs accurately as per scheduled timetable
• Processing of ad-hoc emergency payments
• Checking/processing of staff expense claims
• Raising sales invoices and credit control
• Assist with reconciliation of supplier statements
• Timely liaison with academy staff
• Resolving supplier queries and issues
• Supporting in submitting new supplier requests
• Assisting with academy credit card reconciliations
• Assisting with academy bank reconciliations
• Assisting academies with parent pay reconciliations
• Upholding Federation financial policies
• Management of the Central Finance Officer inbox
• Providing cover for central finance officer team members in their absence
• Other ad-hoc finance tasks

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Experience working in accounts payable
• Prior experience working in finance
• Experience of using financial systems
• Basic working knowledge of Excel
• Ability to work to deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail
• Good team working, communication and interpersonal skills
• Flexibility to help the rest of the team with other tasks
• Enthusiasm to learn about wider aspects of the finance function

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan including access to a virtual GP, electric car scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays) for staff who work across the full year, and many other benefits.

We offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days either with the team at our office in East Croydon or visiting one of our academies.

Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.