Assistant Finance Business Partner

ACHIEVING FOR CHILDREN COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY; Maidenhead; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization is seeking an Assistant Schools Finance Business Partner to join their Management Accounting Team. The role involves supporting financial processes related to the Dedicated Schools Grant, ensuring compliance, and collaborating with other finance professionals. Ideal candidates will have strong organizational skills, ability to manage statutory returns, and proficiency in ICT tools. This opportunity contributes significantly to the financial operations within the educational sector while providing a competitive salary and generous benefits.

Benefits

29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 and 35 after years

Local Government salary and pension scheme

Flexible working options

Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Track record in year-end close down for schools with timely completion.
• Proven experience with statutory returns and compliance.
• Ability to develop new reporting metrics.

Responsibilities

• Support year-end close process ensuring timely task completion.
• Administer and reconcile school grants accurately.
• Calculate and process top-up funding and payments.

Skills

Organisational skills

Problem-solving

Time management

Creative thinking

Education

Experience in managing year-end close-down processes

Experience with statutory returns

Proficiency in ICT and digital solutions

Job description

Recruiter ACHIEVING FOR CHILDREN COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

About the role

The Assistant Schools Finance Business Partner is a key role within our Management Accounting Team, focusing primarily on services funded by the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), with the opportunity to support management accountants across other areas. Working as part of a collaborative and supportive team, you will assist the Finance Business Partner and take the lead on various aspects of our Schools Finance functions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the Finance Business Partner in the year-end close down process with schools, ensuring all tasks are completed within agreed timeframes.
• Complete statutory grant returns, reporting, and other tasks to ensure AfC complies with all relevant rules and regulations.
• Administer and reconcile school grants, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Calculate and process top-up funding payments to schools to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
• Calculate and administer Early Years Funding Formula payments to nursery providers.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop expertise in school finance while contributing to key processes that support the effective delivery of educational services.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Louise Dutton on: [e-mail]

About you

In addition to the above responsibilities, the ideal candidate will have the following experience and skills:

• Experience of year-end close down: Proven track record in managing the year-end close-down process with schools, ensuring all necessary tasks are completed within agreed timeframes.
• Experience with statutory returns: Solid experience in completing statutory returns, reporting, and undertaking tasks to ensure compliance with rules and regulations.
• Strong organisational skills: Excellent time management, problem-solving, and creative thinking abilities, with the capability to manage competing demands and prioritise workloads effectively.
• Proficiency in ICT and digital solutions: Ability to use a range of ICT and digital tools, including financial modelling software, to support work efficiently.
• Support in developing new metrics: Assisting Finance Business Partners in developing new reporting metrics to ensure that operational managers have access to relevant and up-to-date data aligned with the organisation's needs.

About our benefits

We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

• 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month (Or for term-time workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract)
• Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
• Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
• Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• A range of staff benefits and discounts
• An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway

To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children click here . For our social work offer click here . For our Recruitment Journey, click here.

Important Information

Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.

Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

For more information about AfC: Drop in and meet Regina on the first Wednesday of every month at Civic Centre, Twickenham.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

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