Finance Manager

Job Title: Finance Manager

Location: Waterlooville, Hampshire

Salary: G1 - G5 50,564 - 56,219 per annum

Job Type: Permanent, Full-time, 37 hours a week, 52 weeks a year

Hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm, Fridays 8.30am to 4pm (30-minute daily unpaid lunch break)

The Directors of the Edith Stein Catholic Academy Trust (ESCAT) are seeking to appoint a Finance Manager to join our hardworking, committed and enthusiastic team. This role will require the successful candidate to lead a small team to ensure the smooth running of the finance function at Oaklands Catholic School and of the Trust.

The Directors are looking for someone who has a Level 4 AAT qualification or above, or who can demonstrate their qualification through experience in Finance Accounting. Previous experience working in a finance department of an academy school would be highly considered.

If you are a Catholic, you will understand the distinctiveness of Catholic schools such as Oaklands and Corpus Christi and this will be attractive to you. You do not have to be a Catholic to work at Oaklands; the Directors welcome applications from candidates of differing faith backgrounds or none who can be supportive of the school ethos.

The principal responsibilities of the ESCAT Finance Manager are:

Financial Management:

• To lead the month-end and year-end processes within the Trust in line with the organisation's deadlines and financial procedures, ensuring schedules and reconciliations are in place
• Ensure that the Trust's financial policies and procedures are consistent with the requirements of the DfE, ESFA, Companies House, auditors and trustees
• Lead the monthly financial reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, including management accounts and variance analysis, balance sheet and forecasts
• Preparation of a variety of regular, standard financial accounting reports for the Chief Financial Officer for monitoring purposes
• Oversee the Purchase Ledger, ensuring policies and procedures are followed, value for money is achieved and the timely payment of invoices
• Assist with tendering exercises and make recommendations on which contractors to engage, ensuring value for money
• To be responsible for all matters relating to the administration of the academy trust finances, ensuring the day-to-day running of finance follows sound financial procedures, consistency between schools and improvements are made where identified
• Preparation of statutory returns as required, including monthly VAT returns
• Oversee the Sales Ledger, ensuring policies and procedures are followed, income is collected and reconciled, outstanding debt is managed, and charges are appropriate
• Manage the processes and procedures for the financial elements of payroll
• Manage cash flow and reporting, including outturn forecast and the transfer of monies as required. Make recommendations on the investment of funds
• Support senior leaders in bid writing to generate income, including submission of bids for capital funding
• Support the Chief Financial Officer in the financial elements of academy conversions, including training programmes for new schools, systems are implemented and schedules and reports are developed
• Any other duties commensurate with the position as directed by the CEO or CFO

• Line management of finance, including performance management
• Plan and ensure delivery of training for all finance staff, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer
• Identify and drive improvements within finance on processes, reporting and procedures
• Lead administration of the Trust's finance systems, including developing the systems to ensure they remain fit for purpose
• Oversee the management and administration of banking, including setting up new accounts, Governors and gift aid returns
• Administer the budgeting tool, following updates and developments
• Ensure financial processes and procedures are followed and maintained with non-financial departments, including Business Support and Sixth Form

• Budgeting tasks
• Line Management & Admin tasks
• Audit Preparation & related tasks
• Tasks relating to the Trust/School Policies and Regulations

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and a full job description is available on our website.

Essential:

• Sound technical Finance knowledge
• Educated to A Level standard
• In possession of an L4 AAT (or above) qualification in Finance Accounting, or can demonstrate qualification through experience in Finance Accounting
• Sound…