Finance Assistant

Shaw Education Trust; Newcastle-under-Lyme; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Generous holiday entitlement

Medicash Health & Wellbeing

Discount for Teachers

Free Eye Tests

Cycle to work scheme

Institute of Education opportunities

Job summary

Shaw Education Trust is seeking an organised and proactive Finance professional to join our Finance Team. This busy role supports both the Trust and our academies, handling day-to-day financial operations and ensuring robust controls.

You will process purchase orders and invoices, set up suppliers, prepare payments and reconciliations, and support management accounts and financial reporting. Collaboration with academy finance teams is essential to maintain accurate records and procedures.

Qualifications

• Organised and proactive finance professional with strong attention to detail.
• Experience supporting day-to-day financial operations, preferably in education or trusts.
• Ability to manage a varied workload and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Process purchase orders and invoices, set up suppliers, prepare payments and reconciliations.
• Post journal entries and maintain accurate financial records.
• Prepare financial reports and returns, supporting management accounts.
• Collaborate with academy finance teams to ensure controls and procedures are followed.

Job description

We are looking for an organised and proactive Finance professional to join the Shaw Education Trust Finance Team. This is a busy and varied role at the heart of our day-to-day financial operations, supporting both the Trust and our academies.

You will be involved in a wide range of financial activities, including processing purchase orders and invoices, setting up suppliers, preparing payments, completing bank transfers and reconciliations, processing journal entries and helping to maintain accurate financial records.

A typical day could involve checking and processing invoices, responding to queries from academy colleagues and suppliers, preparing payments, reconciling accounts, reviewing financial information or supporting colleagues with budgets and financial procedures. You will also help prepare financial reports and returns, support the production of management accounts and work closely with academy finance teams to ensure financial processes and controls are being followed correctly.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys being involved in the detail, likes solving problems and is confident managing a varied workload, so if you are looking for a role where you can build your finance experience, take ownership of a varied workload and make a real difference to the smooth running of a growing education Trust, we would love to hear from you.

At Shaw Education Trust, we believe every role has the power to transform a life. Whether you’re supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, or leading with vision, you will be part of something truly meaningful.

Our values—opportunity, integrity, community, and equity—guide everything we do. Our vision is "Opening doors to the world through the power of learning." We bring this to life through our mission: working together to inspire communities where every school is valued, every voice matters, and every learner thrives.

We are a dynamic and growing family of primary, secondary, and special schools, proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury.

Our people are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their development through high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent development programmes, and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled, confident professionals. We champion wellbeing, value every voice, and foster a culture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a real difference.

You will join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and a strong professional community drive success. Every academy within our Trust has an equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital role in shaping tailored learning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.

If you have the passion, dedication, and drive to help shape lives and create futures filled with promise, we would love you to join our team.

Together, let’s make the remarkable happen.

We believe every child has the potential to be extraordinary.

Shaw Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or Support Staff employment:

• An excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers Pension (Teaching Staff)
• Support Staff only based on working full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your first day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’ service including Bank Holidays)
• Access to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to support your well-being.
• Free DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers from hundreds of the biggest brands.
• Free Eye Tests
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to our Institute of Education and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute and flourish in your role and in the Trust.

We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a rewarding one.