Role: Finance Associate
Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus
Salary: Salary is £12.21 per hour
Hours/Weeks: Various – To be confirmed
Contract Type: Sessional – Hourly Paid
This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.
About the role:
We are currently seeking a Finance Associate to join our Finance department at The Bedford College Group.
As a Finance Associate, you play an important role in the success of our students through:
1. Bursary Assessment & Financial Processing – Assess student bursary applications during peak periods, process invoices accurately, reconcile financial data, and handle routine financial queries with clarity and professionalism.
2. Financial Data Management – Enter, update and maintain financial records and databases to ensure accuracy, data integrity and compliance with standards, contributing to smooth day‑to‑day financial operations.
3. Reporting & Compliance Support – Gather and organise financial information for reporting, support month‑end and year‑end processes, and ensure financial procedures, policies and audit requirements are followed consistently.
4. Project & Operational Support – Assist with finance projects assigned by the Accounts Manager and carry out additional duties as required, including supporting college‑wide events such as open evenings.
5. College Responsibilities & Compliance – Uphold safeguarding, EDI, and Health & Safety duties, participate in required training and development, and support wider College functions as part of the HR and organisational framework.
About you:
6. Foundational Qualifications & Accounting Knowledge – Studying AAT Level 3 or 4, GCSE‑level English and Maths (or willingness to achieve), with a basic understanding of accounting principles, financial concepts, debits/credits and a strong aptitude for working with numbers.
7. Digital & Technical Skills – Proficient in Microsoft Excel (including formulas and functions), familiar with financial software/data‑entry tools, and able to analyse and interpret financial information with growing confidence.
8. Accuracy, Organisation & Customer Service – Able to complete tasks accurately and on time, prioritise workloads, meet tight deadlines, provide good customer care, and communicate effectively across email, phone and face‑to‑face interactions.
9. Teamwork, Values & Professional Conduct – Positive team contributor who upholds organisational values (Caring, Continuous Improvement, Educational Excellence, Inclusive, Student Centred, Teamwork), represents the College professionally, and respects others’ expertise.
10. Safeguarding, Flexibility & Continuous Development – Committed to safeguarding and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, willing to travel between sites, adaptable to change, aware of H&S requirements, and motivated to update skills and take on new duties.
What is an Associate?
Associates work on a short-term basis as assigned. They teach or provide support services, and they work with and are supported by core staff. As an Associate you will be issued with an Associate Agreement, under this Agreement period you will be eligible to work on assignments offered to you.
For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.
Interviews to be held: TBC
Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:
11. Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
12. Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
13. Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
14. Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
15. Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
16. Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.
About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.
Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.