Finance Officer

Walsall Council; Walsall; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Walsall Council is seeking a Finance Officer on a fixed-term basis (6 months) to support Children's Services Finance Team. The role focuses on accurate and timely payments across foster carers, external placements, SEN and related activities.

You will work closely with social care colleagues and providers to maintain high standards of financial records. The successful candidate will have prior experience in finance/administration, strong numerical and communication skills, and be proficient in

Qualifications

• Experience in a financial or administrative environment.
• Strong numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Able to manage a varied workload and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication with carers, providers, schools and colleagues.
• Able to interpret financial information and validate payments.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

Responsibilities

• Support a range of financial processes across Children's Services.
• Ensure accurate and timely payments to foster carers, placements, SEN finance and related activities.
• Maintain financial records and ensure contractual obligations are met.

Skills

Numerical skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Interpreting financial data

Tools

Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

Finance Officer (Fixed Term for 6 Months) - Ref: CH06426

Grade: G5; £28,598 - £31,022

This is an exciting opportunity to join Walsall Council's Children's Services Finance Team. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Finance Officer to help deliver a high-quality financial administration service that supports some of our most vulnerable children and young people.

As part of a busy and supportive team, you will play a key role in ensuring accurate and timely payments across a range of Children's Services commissioned activity. This includes foster carers, external placements, supported accommodation, care leavers, direct payments and Special Educational Needs (SEN) related financial processes.

Working closely with social care colleagues, commissioning teams, corporate finance services, providers and carers, you will help ensure that payments are administered accurately, contractual obligations are met, and financial records are maintained to a high standard.

We're looking for someone who:

• Has experience of working within a financial or administrative environment.
• Possesses strong numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Can manage a varied workload and meet competing deadlines.
• Has excellent communication skills and is confident dealing with carers, providers, schools and internal colleagues.
• Is able to interpret financial information and validate payments accurately.
• Has experience using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Can work collaboratively across teams whilst maintaining high standards of confidentiality and professionalism.

The successful candidate will support a range of financial processes across Children's Services, including commissioned care services and SEN finance activity, helping to ensure children and young people receive the support they need through accurate and effective financial administration.

If you are organised, customer-focused and committed to delivering excellent service standards, we would like to hear from you.

Join us and help make a positive difference for children, young people and families across Walsall.

Closing Date: 7th September 2026

View: Job Description and Employee Specification

This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The post holder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English

We appreciate that AI can be a useful tool for ideas or guidance. However, we encourage you to make sure your application reflects your own voice and experiences. Over-reliance on AI can make responses feel less personal, and we really want to understand what makes you unique. Your experiences, skills, and perspective are what set you apart, so please ensure your application as a whole – particularly your ‘Supporting Information’ – reflects your own voice.

Walsall Council’s Children’s Services are the only Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ local authority in the Black Country. During a visit in May 2025, Inspectors described Walsall Council as a place where children were at the heart of. The council’s journey of continuous improvement started in 2017 and has since transformed into a service with a clear vision, clear priorities and a clear plan, all informed by the views of our staff and children. Staff are at the core of delivering great outcomes for children and young people in Walsall, which is underpinned by our Walsall Right 4 Children vision. The latest Ofsted inspection demonstrated that staff in children’s services are proud to work for Walsall Council and feel supported to do great work.