Finance Assistant (Regional)

Reports to: Finance Manager

Location: South London

Contract: Permanent

Pattern: Full Time (standard hours 9am – 5.30pm)

Closing date: We will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this advert may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response

Interviews: Ongoing

Salary: £23,500 to £27,500 (depending on experience)

Start date: ASAP

About the role:

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity where you can be part of a strong team?  Do you have a passion for finance processes and embedding best practice?  Do you have a head for numbers?  If so, this might just be the perfect role for you!

This is an exciting opportunity to join Ark Schools’ Regional finance team, in a full-time, permanent role, supporting Ark’s secondary academies in South London.

As Finance Assistant your role is an integral part of the schools in the region, responsible for ensuring high standards of financial integrity. Based in Southwark, you will manage the daily and monthly financial processes in the school, ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Academies Financial Handbook.

Key Responsibilities:

• Working closely with the Finance Manager and other finance leads to ensure the continuing financial stability of the school
• Placing orders, receiving goods, and maintaining a professional relationship with suppliers
• Ensuring accurate and timely processing of purchase invoices and other documents using Concur and PS Financials accounting software, reconciling supplier statements, and preparing payment runs for authorisation

Key Requirements:

• Experience of running effective administrative and financial systems, ideally within a school environment
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel. PSF financials and SAP Concur desirable
• Experience using financial databases and confidence and interest in learning new technologies
• Ability to manage own time to enable multi-school regional working
• Works productively in a high-pressure environment

Your duties in each school may vary slightly to support the current Finance team(s) in place.

View the full job description and person specification here

About Ark

We’re an international charity, transforming lives through education. We exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, we’re a network of 39 schools, educating around 28,500 pupils in areas where we can make the biggest difference and we’re recognised as one of the highest achieving academy groups in the country. We want to change the lives of children everywhere, not just in our own schools. So, we create and incubate Ventures designed not only to help pupils in Ark schools, but also to improve education systems.

You’ll be joining a group of like-minded, ambitious individuals who work collaboratively and are all committed to our core mission, that every child has the potential to succeed. Having just celebrated our 20^th anniversary, we are shaping our goals for the next 20 and there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service and full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work life balance and personal commitments
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; all successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Ark Schools is committed to attracting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce, with a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Please click here to learn more.