Financial Controller - Education Salary £45,000 - £55,000
Based in Kew
Office-Based Role
A highly regarded group of Independent Schools is seeking an experienced School Financial Controller to join their finance team based in Kew. As the Financial Controller, you will take ownership of the full finance cycle, including financial reporting, budgeting, management accounts, fee billing, supplier payments, and compliance. While supported by a finance assistant for day-to-day processing, you must be confident in undertaking hands-on finance tasks as needed. This is a great opportunity for a qualified individual to oversee and manage the finance function for a division of schools within the Group.
Key Responsibilities Include:
Oversight of financial accounting and reporting across assigned schools
Preparation and review of monthly management accounts with budget commentary
Management of tuition fee billing cycles, direct debit collections and reconciliations
Communication with parents regarding fee payments, including resolution of queries
Monitoring and collection of school fees and management of debt recovery processes
Oversight of supplier payments, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and value for money
Monthly and year-end reconciliations of all control accounts
Preparation of VAT returns and ensuring compliance in income and expenditure treatment
Liaison with HR and payroll to ensure accurate financial reporting of employment costs
Preparation of financial forecasts and support of school leadership with budgeting
Line management of the finance assistant, reviewing work and providing guidance
Contribution to strategic planning, internal process improvement, and audit readiness
Assistance with the production of statutory accounts and liaison with external auditors
Monitoring of Early Years Funding claims (EYF) and coordination of related forms
Maintenance of fixed asset registers, accruals and prepayments schedules
Continuous review and development of financial policies and internal controlsExperience required:
ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified (or equivalent experience in a financial management role)
Experience in a finance or accountancy role, ideally at controller level
Experience in financial and management accounting, including budget setting and forecasting
Strong understanding of fee billing and income collection (education sector preferred)
Previous experience of managing staff and overseeing financial processes
Familiarity with accounting systems such as Sage 200; and Fee Master desirable
Excellent Excel skills and strong proficiency with Microsoft Office
Exceptional attention to detail, time management and organisational skills
Experience of preparing for audits and dealing with auditors
Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders including parents, staff and regulatory bodies
Desirable:
Experience working within an educational setting, particularly the Independent Schools sector
Familiarity with financial and MIS platforms used in schools such as ParentPay, Fee Master, or iSAMS
Experience implementing new financial systems or process improvementsBenefits:
20 days + 8 Bank Holidays + close at Christmas - Can be taken during term time
Contributory pension
Cycle to work scheme
Hours of work: 8.30 am -5.00 pm
Reduced hours during school holidays 9 am - 4 pmHuntress Search Ltd acts as a Recruitment Agency in relation to all Permanent roles and as a Recruitment Business in relation to all Temporary roles.
We practice a diverse and inclusive recruitment process that ensures equal opportunity for all we work with, irrespective of race, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age or gender. As an organisation, we encourage applications from all backgrounds and will ensure measures are met when required, to allow a fair process throughout.
PLEASE NOTE: We can only consider applications from candidates who have the right to work in the UK