Finance Manager - DSG & Schools

The Methodist Church in Britain; Enfield; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local government pension

32 days annual leave

Hybrid/remote work mix

Season ticket loan

Career development

Employee Assistance Programme

Health and leisure discounts

Sabbatical for Social Workers

Job summary

Enfield Council is seeking a Finance Manager within the Finance Business Partnering team to lead financial management, monitoring and forecasting of the Dedicated Schools Grant.

You will provide financial advice and challenge to senior stakeholders across Education and Schools, prepare complex reports for Schools Forum and governance boards, and support the MTFP, budgets and statutory accounts. Hybrid working includes regular office attendance.

Qualifications

• CCAB accountancy qualification or finalist.
• Expectation to become fully qualified within six months of joining.
• Significant experience of financial management, budgeting and financial reporting within a complex organisation.
• Local government experience preferred.
• Experience of influencing, advising and challenging senior managers, elected members and other senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial management, monitoring and forecasting of the Dedicated Schools Grant, ensuring compliance with DfE funding requirements and regulations.
• Oversee the key schools finance processes.
• Provide financial advice, support and challenge to senior stakeholders across Education and Schools services.
• Prepare and present complex financial information to Schools Forum, senior management teams, committees and governance boards.
• Lead the preparation of specialist education finance returns.
• Support development of the Medium Term Financial Plan, annual budgets, budget monitoring and statutory accounts.
• Work with education services and schools to support financial decision-making and deliver value for money.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Relationship management

Business partnering

Education

CCAB qualification or finalist

Job description

This Finance Manager post sits in the Finance Business Partnering team at Enfield Council, reporting to the Head of Finance for Education and Schools. The postholder leads financial management, monitoring and forecasting of the Dedicated Schools Grant while overseeing core schools finance processes and supporting wider education budgets. The work centres on senior briefings and challenge, including to Schools Forum, with hybrid working that requires regular office attendance. Applicants need a CCAB accountancy qualification or to be a finalist, with full qualification expected within six months of joining.

What the job involves

• Lead financial management, monitoring and forecasting of the Dedicated Schools Grant, ensuring compliance with DfE funding requirements and regulations
• Oversee the key schools finance processes
• Provide financial advice, support and challenge to senior stakeholders across Education and Schools services
• Prepare and present complex financial information to Schools Forum, senior management teams, committees and governance boards
• Lead the preparation of specialist education finance returns
• Support development of the Medium Term Financial Plan, annual budgets, budget monitoring and statutory accounts
• Work with education services and schools to support financial decision-making and deliver value for money

What’s required

Qualifications

• CCAB accountancy qualification or finalist
• Expectation to become fully qualified within six months of joining

Experience

• Significant experience of financial management, budgeting and financial reporting within a complex organisation
• Local government experience preferred
• Experience of influencing, advising and challenging senior managers, elected members and other senior stakeholders

Skills & knowledge

• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret and communicate complex financial information
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills
• Technical and business partnering skills

Nice to have

• Demonstrable experience of Dedicated Schools Grant funding

What’s offered

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Up to 32 days annual leave depending on grade and length of service, plus eight public holidays and an extra day at Christmas
• Blend of remote and office-based working
• Interest-free season ticket loan repayable over three or ten months
• Career development and training from a range of courses and learning methods
• Employee Assistance Programme with free, confidential advice and counselling for staff and family members
• Health and leisure discounts and tax-free bikes for work
• One month's paid sabbatical for registered Social Workers in Children's Social Care