Finance Assistant

Linwood School; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 16,000; Part time

Job summary

A respected educational institution in Bournemouth is seeking a proactive part-time finance assistant to support its finance team. The role involves managing purchase orders, processing invoices, and performing clerical tasks. Candidates should have a GCSE education and some experience with financial systems. Good knowledge of Excel and effective communication skills are essential. This is an on-site position with 20 hours per week, requiring a vehicle for multi-campus work.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE level.
• Some experience of working with financial systems.
• Demonstrate a good working knowledge of Excel.
• Experience of undertaking administrative and clerical tasks including handling monies.
• Understanding of data protection processes.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and check purchase orders.
• Manage Purchase Ledger inbox and process invoices.
• Support payment processing and BACS transmissions.
• Conduct clerical support tasks like photocopying and filing.
• Act as first point of contact for enquiries.

Skills

Experience with financial systems

Good knowledge of Excel

Good knowledge of Office

Administrative and clerical skills

Data protection understanding

Effective communication

Task prioritization

Education

GCSE level education

Job description

BCP Council Salary - Band 3 - appointments will be made at the starting point of the salary range

Salary Range - Actual £14,272 - £15,212 (£26,403 - £28,142 FTE)

20 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, on‑site working

It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Linwood School is an Ofsted graded Outstanding SEND school. We are an outward facing centre of excellence in the area. Our values speak of respect, support, inclusivity, positivity, harmony, excellence and responsibility, all underpinned by our actions and personal accountability.

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and proactive individual to join our team as a finance assistant on a part‑time basis. The role will be to support our busy, friendly and supportive finance team with key, basic routine processing tasks to deliver an efficient, effective and compliant service.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor, review and check purchase orders placed on the school’s financial system
• Manage the Purchase Ledger inbox, process invoices as and when received and upload with accuracy in the finance system
• Ensure supplier records are maintained and stored accurately
• Support the processing of payments such as the transmission of BACS payments, processing batching, monitoring credit balances, and identifying returned or unpresented payments
• Undertake routine clerical support such as photocopying, filing, scanning, logging and distributing internal/external mail, reconciling information or ordering basic supplies to support the team
• Act as first point of contact for enquiries, efficiently passing the request through to the appropriate person or taking an accurate message, to ensure all enquiries are responded to in a timely manner

Knowledge / Skills / Experience Required

• Educated to GCSE level
• Some experience of working with financial systems
• Demonstrate a good working knowledge of Excel
• Demonstrate a good working knowledge of Office, producing letters and emails
• Experience of undertaking administrative and clerical tasks including handling monies
• Knowledge of a range of specific processes relating to financial processing
• Understanding of the importance of data protection and the processes relating to it
• Ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders in a polite and efficient manner
• Ability to prioritise tasks according to need and urgency

There is a genuine occupational requirement for the postholder to have access to a vehicle for work purposes due to the multi campus working requirement.

For any enquiries please contact Rachelle Burns, Finance Manager at [e-mail] or Anna Szabat, Business Manager at [e-mail]

Interview date: Thursday 5th February 2026

Only fully completed application forms will be accepted.

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and strive for our staff to be from diverse backgrounds. We positively encourage applications from individuals within under‑represented groups and welcome applications from individuals regardless of their protected characteristics.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date should suitable applications come through. Once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications, so please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and the successful applicant will be required to have an enhanced DBS check as well as an overseas criminal records check, if worked or lived outside the UK within the past 10 years. Offers of employment are also subject to satisfactory references, health, and right to work checks.

All Linwood School staff are expected to adhere to our policies and procedures in respect of safeguarding and child protection, including Keeping Children Safe in Education and Guidance for adults working with children and young people in an education setting.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. If the role is exempt, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed, and if they are disclosed we cannot take them into account.