Finance Officer

Moulton School and Science College; Northampton; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CPD training

Competitive salaries

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous pension scheme

Flexible working contracts

Supportive leadership team

Job summary

Moulton School and Science College in Northamptonshire is seeking a Finance Officer to oversee day-to-day school finance and payroll functions, ensuring compliance with statutory frameworks and the ATH handbook.

Working closely with a finance colleague, you will manage purchasing, vendor relations, payroll processing, bursary administration and annual audits, contributing to accurate financial reporting and safeguarding compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience in school/public sector finance is desirable.
• Knowledge of statutory financial frameworks and audits would be beneficial.
• Familiarity with GDPR and safeguarding policies is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Process end-to-end purchasing, including purchase orders, goods receipting, supplier invoices and payment runs.
• Set up supplier accounts and verify bank details to prevent fraud; manage vendor records.
• Administer income, debt collection, bursary payments and trip finance; reconcile accounts with the Assistant Business Manager.

Job description

MOULTON SCHOOL

AND SCIENCE COLLEGE

Pound Lane, Moulton, Northampton, NN3 7SD

01604 641600

www.moultonschool.co.uk

Finance Officer

Hours and weeks negotiable for the right candidate

Salary Range Grade G Point 8-12 (£26,824 - £28,598 FTE)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dedicated and proactive Finance Officer to join our dynamic team. Working collaboratively alongside a finance colleague, the post holder will manage day-to-day operational aspects of the school’s finance and payroll functions. The role ensures full compliance with statutory financial frameworks, the DfE Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), audit requirements, and internal financial regulations.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Processing & Procurement

Process end-to-end purchasing, including purchase orders, goods receipting, supplier invoice processing, and payment runs through our finance system, Iris

Set up new supplier accounts, maintain existing vendor database records, and carry out mandatory bank account verification checks to prevent fraud

Issue electronic BACS remittance advices to suppliers following payment runs

Manage the digital archiving and retention of all financial records (invoices, POs, bank statements) in line with statutory ESFA/DfE retention schedules and GDPR

Review purchase requisitions against department budget availability before raising official purchase orders, flagging potential overspends to budget holders

Reconcile business credit cards, petty cash, and cashless income streams

Handle day-to-day financial queries from staff, suppliers, and parents regarding payment queries, or cashless system balances

Income & Debtors Management

Raise sales invoices across all school income streams

Manage debt collection, pursue outstanding payments, and oversee secure banking procedures for any cash income

Monitor aged debtor reports, issue staged payment reminder letters, escalation persistent arrears to the Business Manager, and prepare bad debt documentation for governor write-off approvals when necessary

Educational Visits & Trips

Administer finances for school trips and extracurricular events via digital payment platforms

Reconcile trip accounts and coordinate with the Assistant Business Manager for final account closures

Payroll & Pensions Administration

Collate, check, and process staff expense claims, overtime, and monthly timesheets

Quality-assure draft payroll variations, resolve queries with external HR/Payroll providers (e.g., EPM), and process authorised payroll journals

When required liaise with pension agencies (Teachers' Pensions and LGPS) regarding employee data and contributions

Bursary & Student Support Administration

Receive and assess 16-19 Bursary Fund applications against set criteria for review and approval by the Business Manager

Arrange scheduled bursary payments and maintain accurate audit trails

Budget Monitoring & Financial Reporting

Assist the Assistant Business Manager with internal/external financial audits, month end and year-end closedown, and statutory returns.

Monitor open purchase orders and commitment accounting to ensure financial commitments are accurately reflected in monthly forecasts and cash flow tracking

Consult the chart of accounts guidance when allocating to nominal codes

Provide advice, system navigation support, and guidance to new Heads of Department and budget holders on how to interpret their monthly financial statements

Prepare transaction sampling files, balance sheet reconciliations, and supporting schedules ahead of internal and external audit visits

Safeguarding & School Ethos

Adhere to school safeguarding policies (Keeping Children Safe in Education) and maintain strict data privacy (GDPR).

Undertake any other reasonable duties commensurate with the grade as directed by school leadership

Closing Date: 9am on 21September 2026 Interviews: 25 September 2026

This job description reflects the major tasks to be carried out by the post holder and identifies a level of responsibility at which they will be required to work. In the interests of effective working, the major tasks may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changing needs and circumstances. Such reviews and any consequential changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.

All members of the school community are expected to support, both explicitly and implicitly, the school’s values and the ASPIRE ethos. The setting and achieving of the highest aspirations, striving for great things, is fundamental to all that we seek to be.

At MSSC, we know that our staff are our most valuable resource. We want you to flourish in your professional life and that’s why we put lots of time and energy into our positive culture and approach to well-being.

It’s not just a job, it’s a career - some of the benefits we offer you:

Enthusiastic and engaged students and a culture of high aspirations.

Extensive CPD training which provides a range of tailored and bespoke CPD opportunities

Competitive salaries and pay progression

A supportive leadership team who are engaged in your professional development and success

Employee Assistance Programme (Counselling, coaching, information and support)

Generous Pension Scheme

Flexible Working Contracts

Moulton School is a successful, popular and over-subscribed school on the northern boundary of Northampton. The school was graded Good in its last two Ofsted inspections, and there is a strong commitment to further improvement based on effective teaching and learning and high expectations of students. Whilst maintaining firm discipline, built around our ASPIRE ethos and school values, the school is deeply committed to supporting the development of whole child, and is one of very few schools to hold the Restorative Services Quality Mark. Our student leadership programme is also a significant strength of the school. As a member of staff at Moulton School, your on-going professional development is of crucial importance, and the school has an outstanding record of supporting colleagues into middle and senior leadership roles.

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to show this commitment. The successful applicant will be expected to undertake safeguarding checks, including a criminal record check via the Disclosure & Barring Service, the cost of which will be met by the school.

Please note, it is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

This post is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 and 2020), which requires you to disclose all spent convictions and cautions except those which are ‘protected’ under Police Act 1997 - Part V.

Please be aware that referees will be contacted prior to interview in accordance with accepted Child Protection Procedures.

We reserve the right to withdraw the advert if sufficient applications are received before the closing date.