Write a short description of your company, a boilerplate of the business, service or product that you offer. Include your business idea and the target audience. This text is primarily supposed to be descriptive, not selling.
A large and well-established secondary school in Greater Manchester is seeking an experienced and detail-focused School Finance Officer to join its central operations team. This is a key role within a busy 11–18 setting of over 1,200 students, supporting the School Business Manager in delivering robust financial management, compliance and reporting.
The school has a strong reputation locally for stability, clear leadership and sound financial governance. With a healthy budget and a structured finance system already in place, this role is about maintaining high standards, improving efficiency and ensuring transparency across all financial processes.
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The Role
You will oversee day-to-day financial administration while supporting wider budget monitoring and reporting functions.
Core Responsibilities
* Managing purchase ledger and sales ledger processes
* Processing invoices, purchase orders and supplier payments
* Reconciling bank statements and petty cash
* Monitoring departmental budgets and flagging variances
* Supporting monthly budget reporting
* Assisting with year-end procedures and audit preparation
* Ensuring compliance with ESFA and local authority regulations
The school operates through an established financial system (currently Arbor Finance and Access Education), and accuracy is essential in maintaining smooth operations.
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Budget & Financial Oversight
Working closely with the School Business Manager, you will:
* Monitor spending against allocated departmental budgets
* Prepare reports for senior leadership meetings
* Support forecast updates and cashflow tracking
* Liaise with heads of department regarding expenditure
* Ensure procurement procedures are followed consistently
The school places strong emphasis on value for money while maintaining high-quality resources for students and staff.
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The School Environment
This forward-thinking secondary school combines modern facilities with a well-established community ethos. The campus includes a sixth form centre, refurbished science labs and specialist vocational spaces. Financial management plays a significant role in sustaining these facilities and supporting strategic development.
The administration team is professional, organised and collaborative. Staff turnover within the operations team is low, reflecting a positive working culture and clear role definition.
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Systems & Compliance
You will be expected to:
* Maintain accurate financial records in line with audit requirements
* Ensure VAT is correctly processed and recorded
* Support internal and external audit requests
* Maintain secure document management procedures
* Uphold GDPR compliance within financial documentation
The school has undergone successful audits in recent years and expects high standards of financial control.
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About You
* Previous experience in school finance or public-sector finance
* Strong understanding of budgeting and reconciliation processes
* Confident using financial systems (Arbor, SIMS FMS, Access, Sage or similar)
* Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
* Professional, discreet and capable of handling sensitive financial data
Experience within a large secondary school or academy would be particularly beneficial.
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What’s on Offer
* Competitive salary aligned to experience
* Structured and supportive leadership team
* Clear systems and established procedures
* Term-time plus contract with flexibility options
* Ongoing professional development opportunities
This is an excellent opportunity for a capable finance professional seeking a stable and rewarding role within a well-managed secondary school environment.