Finance Officer – Secondary School – Croydon

Finance Officer – Secondary School – Croydon Start Date: As soon as possible Contract: Full-time, Permanent Salary: Paid to scale School Information A well-established Secondary School in Croydon is seeking an experienced and organised Finance Officer to join its busy finance and administration team. The school is committed to providing students with a high-quality education within an inclusive and supportive environment. It has high expectations for academic achievement and student behaviour while placing strong emphasis on personal development, wellbeing and preparing students for their next steps. The school's finance function plays an important role in supporting the effective operation of the school. Accurate financial administration is essential to ensuring that budgets are monitored effectively, suppliers are paid appropriately and senior leaders have reliable financial information available when making decisions. The successful Finance Officer will work closely with the Finance Manager, senior leadership team, budget holders, school administrators and external suppliers. The Role The Finance Officer will provide day-to-day financial and administrative support across the school. You will be responsible for processing financial transactions, maintaining accurate records, supporting reconciliations and dealing with finance-related queries. The successful candidate will need strong attention to detail and the ability to work accurately to deadlines. You should be comfortable managing confidential financial information and be able to communicate professionally with both internal colleagues and external organisations. Key Responsibilities Processing purchase invoices and financial transactions. Supporting accounts payable and receivable processes. Processing purchase orders. Checking invoices against purchase orders. Maintaining accurate financial records. Supporting supplier payment processes. Responding to supplier queries. Assisting with bank and financial reconciliations. Monitoring outstanding invoices. Supporting budget monitoring. Maintaining records of departmental expenditure. Processing staff expenses where required. Supporting month-end financial procedures. Preparing financial information and reports. Assisting with audit preparation. Maintaining organised financial documentation. Liaising with school departments regarding financial queries. Ensuring transactions are processed accurately and promptly. Maintaining confidentiality. Supporting the Finance Manager with wider financial administration. Budget Monitoring The successful candidate will support the monitoring of departmental budgets. You may be required to provide budget holders with information about expenditure and outstanding commitments. Accuracy is particularly important when dealing with financial data, so you will need to check information carefully and investigate discrepancies where necessary. You should be confident working with figures and comfortable identifying errors before they affect wider financial reporting. Purchase Orders and Invoices You will have regular responsibility for processing invoices and purchase orders. This will require careful checking of supplier information, amounts and supporting documentation. Where an invoice does not match the relevant purchase order or there is an issue with the information provided, you will need to raise the matter with the appropriate colleague or supplier. The ability to work methodically will be essential. Supplier Communication The Finance Officer will communicate regularly with external suppliers. You will respond to queries regarding invoices, payments and purchase orders while ensuring that the school's financial procedures are followed. A professional and helpful manner is required when dealing with external contacts. Working With Staff You will also communicate regularly with teachers, department heads, administrators and senior leaders. Staff may approach the finance team with questions regarding expenditure, invoices or purchasing procedures. The successful candidate should be able to explain financial processes clearly and provide appropriate support while maintaining the school's procedures. Financial Records Maintaining accurate and well-organised records will be a core responsibility. You will need to ensure documentation is filed appropriately and that financial information can be located quickly when required. You will also support the preparation of documentation for audits and internal financial reviews. Requirements Previous experience in finance or accounts administration. School finance experience is desirable. Experience processing invoices and purchase orders. Good numerical ability. Strong attention to detail. Excellent organisational skills. Good Microsoft Excel skills. Experience using finance or accounting systems. Strong written and verbal communication. Ability to maintain accurate financial records. Ability to work to deadlines. Ability to manage confidential information. Good problem-solving skills. Professional and reliable approach. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Personal Qualities The ideal candidate will be methodical, organised and dependable. You should take pride in producing accurate financial information and be confident checking transactions carefully. The successful candidate will also need to be proactive and willing to investigate discrepancies rather than allowing issues to remain unresolved. Why Join the School? This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established Secondary School in Croydon and become an important member of its finance and administration team. You will work alongside experienced colleagues and have the opportunity to develop your school finance experience while contributing to the effective running of the school. Application To apply for the Finance Officer position, please send your CV as soon as possible. Suitable candidates will be contacted promptly regarding interview arrangements.