Finance Assistant

We are an OFSTED outstanding school with a culture of high expectations based on our Swanlea Values. In Tower Hamlets, we are the top performing mixed school for progress at KS4, for all students’ progress at KS5 and have the best attendance and punctuality. Most of our students progress on to top universities including Oxford and Cambridge. Despite our successes, we are not complacent, and we believe that we have the capacity to further improve.

We are an over-subscribed school that has around 1300 children from Year 7 through to Year 13. Our students are proud of their school, and we have extremely supportive parents/carers and governors. We are highly committed to the development of all colleagues as evident in our comprehensive CPD programme.

Swanlea School is in one of the most deprived areas in the UK; almost 50% of our students receive the Pupil Premium. Our students may come from disadvantaged backgrounds, but they do not lack ambition for their futures, and neither do we as reflected in our no excuses culture. Our highly motivated and hard-working staff are driven by the moral imperative that our young people can achieve highly. We welcome students from all backgrounds. The school is inspired by the diversity and strength of its community, an inclusive approach to learning, excellence in education and varied, innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

We are excited to announce Swanlea School has entered the next phase of development, and we are the co-founders of ‘Weavers Federation’ with two local feeder primary schools from January 2024.

We are seeking to appoint a highly effective Head of Finance to provide strategic leadership and management of all aspects of finance across the federation, reporting to the School Business Manager and Director of Operations & HR. This is a senior role and you are expected to support the federation in attaining its aims and objectives by making important decisions to ensure the smooth running of all three schools.

As a Finance Assistant, you will support the efficient financial management of the school by assisting the finance team in day-to-day financial operations. Your role will involve processing transactions, maintaining accurate financial records, and providing administrative support to ensure smooth financial operations.

The ideal candidate should ideally have a background in finance, accounting, or bookkeeping, with strong attention to detail and excellent organisational skills. Previous experience in a finance-related role, particularly in the education sector, would be advantageous but is not essential. Strong communication and teamwork skills are also important for collaborating effectively with colleagues and stakeholders.

This role will involve contact with, and responsibility for, children and will amount to ‘regulated activity.’

We are looking for:

·     A proven track record of excellence in a finance team.

·     A candidate who sees the vision and values of the school as a good fit for their professional work.

·        Applicants who want to work as part of a collaborative team, building an exceptional federation.

·        An individual looking for a challenge and professional growth.

·        Someone who enjoys working hard and shows great resilience in a busy school environment

·        Someone open to new ideas and initiatives.

·        A highly professional, positive person who will strive for excellence and work to a high standard securing the best possible outcomes for the children and for the federation.

In return we can offer the following:

·        Working with a forward thinking, driven and experienced leadership team

·        A healthy financial outlook

·        A competitive salary with inner London weighting and local government pension scheme;

·        A vibrant, warm and engaged community of children, parents, staff and governors.

·        The opportunity to work in a creative and thoughtful environment with a strong and committed team.

·        Great CPD and work/life balance

·        Working with a forward thinking, driven and experienced leadership team

·        A central location within a vibrant, diverse London Borough, with excellent transport links;

·        Outstanding facilities and resources to support teaching and learning;

·        Supportive & collegiate staff;

·        A highly regarded middle & emergent leadership programme;

·        A friendly and diverse student and staff community;

·        Discount scheme that offers savings on purchases, including grocery, eating out, entertainment, etc;

·        Season ticket loan scheme;

·        Cycle to work scheme;

·        Free eye tests and discounted eye-care scheme;

·        Subsidised staff restaurant offering breakfast, break and lunch time hot and cold food.

·        Access to confidential emotional and practical advice support services.

Application Closing Date: 9am on 21st April 2025

Interviews: Friday 25th April 2025

Application form available at https://swanlea.co.uk/working-at-swanlea/vacancies

References will be taken up before interview.

For more information contact Naviya Azmin: recruitment@swanlea.co.uk

Swanlea School is committed to safer recruitment and the protection of children and vulnerable adults. All positions will require a satisfactory DBS & Social Media check. We are committed to promoting equality and challenging discrimination. We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. You can find our safeguarding policy on our school website https://swanlea.co.uk/ .