Finance Officer - Accounting Technician

The Methodist Church in Britain; Swindon; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Membership of Schools Mutual

Professional development and training

Career growth opportunities

Collaborative working environment

Work across diverse family of schools

Job summary

Corinium Education Trust is seeking a Finance Officer (Accounting Technician) to join the Central Finance Team, supporting its schools with financial records, reconciliations, and budget processes.

You will handle journals, VAT, fixed assets, month-end and year-end close, audit preparation, payroll reconciliation, and internal controls, with AAT Level 4 preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience in a finance, accounting or financial administration environment.
• Strong technical accounting skills and knowledge of financial controls.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Commitment to continuous improvement in processes.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate financial records and ledgers.
• Carry out financial accounting and reconciliations.
• Prepare journals and manage the ledger.
• Prepare VAT returns and administer fixed assets.
• Run month-end and year-end financial processes.
• Prepare for audit and support compliance.
• Reconcile payroll and other financial data.
• Support budget management and forecasting.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations.
• Support financial systems and process improvements.
• Contribute to financial governance and internal controls.
• Support Trust financial planning and forecasting
• Contribute to team and cross-school financial governance.

Skills

Strong technical accounting

Accounting principles & controls

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Continuous improvement

Education

AAT Level 4 or equivalent

Job description

The Finance Officer (Accounting Technician) sits in the Central Finance Team at Corinium Education Trust, supporting its schools with financial records and budget processes. Core work covers financial accounting and reconciliations, journal preparation, VAT returns, fixed asset administration, month-end and year-end close, and audit preparation. The post is for someone with strong technical accounting skills, working alongside the Finance Manager and wider Trust colleagues; an AAT Level 4 is preferred but significant finance experience also counts. Visa sponsorship is not available.

What the job involves

• Maintain accurate financial records
• Carry out financial accounting and reconciliations
• Prepare journals and manage the ledger
• Prepare VAT returns and administer fixed assets
• Run month-end and year-end financial processes
• Prepare for audit and ensure compliance
• Reconcile payroll and other financial data
• Support budget management processes
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations
• Support financial systems and process improvement
• Support Trust financial planning and forecasting
• Contribute to financial governance and internal controls

What’s required

Experience

• Experience in a finance, accounting or financial administration environment

Skills & knowledge

• Strong technical accounting skills
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial controls
• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Commitment to continuous improvement

Nice to have

• AAT Level 4 or equivalent, or significant relevant finance experience in its place

What’s offered

• Membership of Schools Mutual, providing health and wellbeing support
• Access to professional development and training
• Opportunities for professional growth and career development
• Positive, inclusive and collaborative working environment
• Opportunity to work across a diverse and successful family of schools