Finance Officer - Dunottar School

Finance Officer

Full time, all year round from January 2022 (or sooner)

Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm

37.5 hours per week

Competitive salary from £18,944 to £28,063 per annum

Dunottar is a co-educational school for pupils aged 11-18 set in extensive grounds of 15 acres on the outskirts of Reigate. The school is known for its outstanding pastoral care, for enabling pupils to be the best that they can be both inside and outside the classroom, and for its holistic approach to education.  

We are dynamic, innovative and creative in our ethos.  As a popular choice in the local area, we are experiencing rapid growth in pupil numbers (about 10% per annum).  To accommodate this growth, we have recently implemented an exciting £6.7 million capital investment programme.  Our new Sixth Form Centre opened in the summer term 2019, providing state-of-the-art learning and social spaces for pupils and our 520 seat Assembly Hall with music and drama classrooms was completed in September 2021.

Dunottar is a great place to work, with a team of highly professional and committed teachers and support staff.  We incorporate best practice from independent schools and academies from across the United Learning Group, whilst retaining our unique, friendly ethos in Reigate where pupils are nurtured to make significant personal progress at the same time as achieving excellent academic results.  United Learning is an outstanding organisation which prides itself on providing a working and learning environment which encourages ‘the best in everyone’.  You will join a network of staff belonging to over 90 other schools, with opportunities to engage with fellow professionals which far exceed what one school could achieve on its own.  Personal development and career opportunities are excellent.

Overview  

The post offers an exciting challenge for someone with excellent organisational skills and an eye for detail, who is flexible, adaptable and able to work on their own initiative but also as part of a team.  You will need to take responsibility to ensure that finances are managed with the highest degree of honesty, transparency and accuracy.  

The Finance Officer works within the Finance Department and reports to the Finance Manager.  This department is responsible for all aspects of school finance and payroll.  You will need to lead by example and promote the importance of adherence to financial procedures and regulations whilst still building and maintaining positive and effective working relationships with all staff, parents, suppliers and other stakeholders. 

You will be responsible for carrying out all aspects of the job description as detailed below although the duties will be shared with another Finance Officer. The two Finance Officers in the department will split the responsibilities of their job role between them, however it is imperative that both incumbents are able to deputise for each other during holidays and busy periods.

Key Responsibilities  include:

Purchase Ledger

• Open new accounts ensuring all relevant data is available

• Enter approved invoices and credit notes in time for bi-monthly BACs runs

• Maintain accounts and update for changes

• Process ad-hoc and urgent payment requests as required

• Check statements from suppliers and request copy invoices where necessary

• Process staff expenses ensuring all receipts are attached, claims are in line with the policy and authorisation has been given

• Monitor utilities invoices to ensure correct charging taking meter reads monthly 

• Place Purchase Orders on behalf of staff as required ensuring best value

• Oversee orders placed by other staff ensuring best value 

Nominal Ledger

• Prepare list of monthly accruals and prepayments

• Scrutinise monthly accounts in conjunction with Finance Manager to ensure all 

transactions have been correctly entered and prepare a list of journals if required

• Assist in preparation of accounts for the year end

• Perform weekly bank reconciliations 

• Reconcile recharge accounts in the nominal ledger

• Prepare month end reports for Finance Manager 

• Prepare list of accruals and prepayments at beginning of each month

Cash Handling

• Prepare cheques for manual payments

• Complete paying in slips and take cheques/cash to the bank

• Maintain petty cash records and reimburse staff as required

• Arrange cash/foreign currency/Caxton cards for school trips

Fee Billing

• Request new codes for trips and activities to enable fee billing

• Enter fee disbursements before the bills are raised

• Make detailed checks of fee bills to ensure accuracy before they are sent out

• Deal with parents billing queries as necessary

• Liaise with United Learning Fee department and chase debts as required

General

• Prepare monthly department budget reports 

• Assist the Finance Manager in annual budget preparation

• Recommend improvements to internal controls and systems in general

• Remind staff of finance policies and ensure deadlines are met

• Prepare business cases for capital spend as required

• Maintain files to satisfy audit requirements

• Oversee the raising of invoices in the Trading Account

• Deal with telephone enquiries and visitors as required

• Authorise costings for school trips

• Authorise catering requests and submit to Catering Manager

• Order and collect drinks for functions as required

• Any other work as agreed with the Finance Manager

 

In addition to a competitive salary, we can also offer you the opportunity to join our support staff pension scheme, flexible benefits through Perkbox and complimentary school lunches during term time. This role is all year round and offers 25 days annual leave per year plus statutory holidays.

Further information about our school can be found on our website www.dunottarschool.com 

Dunottar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young children, therefore all positions are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS).

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and the post holder may perform other duties reasonably required by the Headmaster.  The School reserves the right to make an appointment at any stage during the recruitment process.  

  

Dunottar School – Person Specification 

Finance Officer

Full time 

Professional Qualifications & skills

• Relevant experience in the role as a Finance Officer or similar is essential

• Excellent oral and written English

• AAT part qualified or qualified is desirable

Personal qualities

• High levels of personal and professional integrity

• High degree of self-confidence

• Personal warmth, good rapport with pupils, colleagues and parents

• Excellent organisational skills

• Appropriate levels of personal presentation

• Confident use of ICT, particularly spreadsheets

Philosophy and Ethos

• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people

• Commitment to best practice in all areas of finance