Finance Officer - Forward-Thinking School in Hackney

Job Title: Finance Officer

Location: Hackney, Inner London

School Type: 11–18 Secondary School & Sixth Form

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Start Date: ASAP

Salary: Competitive (Inner London local authority pay scale, depending on experience)

Role Overview

A forward-thinking secondary school in Hackney is seeking an accurate, organized, and reliable Finance Officer to join their business operations team ASAP. In this key role, you will work alongside the Finance Manager and School Business Manager to oversee daily financial administration, maintain accurate accounting records, and ensure strict regulatory compliance. This is a brilliant opportunity for a detail-oriented finance professional looking to contribute to the effective operational running of a thriving Inner London school.

Key Responsibilities

• Process purchase orders, supplier invoices, sales ledger transactions, and petty cash reconciliations.

• Manage day-to-day banking tasks, income collection, and routine bank reconciliations using school finance systems (e.g., FMS, PS Financials, Civica).

• Assist with budget monitoring, month-end financial procedures, and variance reporting across academic departments.

• Oversee online parent payment portals (e.g., ParentPay, SchoolGateway) for catering, school trips, and resources.

• Maintain robust audit trails in compliance with financial regulations, internal controls, and procurement guidelines.

Key Requirements

• Relevant financial qualification (e.g., AAT Level 3/4 or equivalent) or practical finance experience in an education/public sector environment.

• Proven accounting or finance administration experience, ideally utilizing school finance software (SIMS FMS, PS Financials, Sage, or similar).

• High numerical accuracy, strong organizational skills, and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

• Excellent communication skills for liaising with budget holders, suppliers, and external auditors.

• Legal right to work in the UK.

School Highlights & Benefits

• Supportive senior leadership and a welcoming central administrative team.

• Structured professional development, including support for further finance and accounting accreditations.

• Vibrant Inner London location with excellent public transport links (London Overground and major bus routes).

• Local Government Pension Scheme enrolment, competitive Inner London salary, and staff wellbeing initiatives.

Application

To apply for this Finance Officer role at a forward-thinking school in Hackney, starting ASAP, please submit your updated CV as soon as possible.