Finance Operations & Compliance Officer

The Bedford College Group; Kettering; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

People’s Pension

Retail & Leisure Discounts

Professional development via college课程

Job summary

The Bedford College Group is seeking a Finance Operations & Compliance Officer to join our Finance department at Kettering Campus. You will coordinate grants returns, monitor compliance, support audits, maintain financial controls and provide management information to external stakeholders.

With a focus on accounts payable, procurement and finance system administration, the role requires strong data analysis, Excel skills and a professional qualification (AAT Level 4 or equivalent).

Qualifications

• Experience in a finance function with accounts payable, controls, financial compliance and procurement.
• Experience administering or supporting Finance/ERP systems and producing management information.
• Ability to review processes for control weaknesses, risks and improvements, and to challenge non‑compliance.
• Advanced Excel and analytical capabilities with ability to interpret data and present findings clearly.
• AAT Level 4 or equivalent experience with strong stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate grants returns, monitor corporate card and cashless policy compliance, support audits, maintain financial controls, and provide required management information to external stakeholders.
• Oversee PO and non-PO invoice processes, improve procurement compliance, monitor requisitions and purchase commitments, resolve invoice exceptions, and support timely supplier payments.
• Manage finance system access, permissions, workflows and licence compliance, coordinate user reviews, support system testing, and maintain user documentation and guides.
• Administer supplier onboarding, ensure adherence to fraud prevention and procurement controls, maintain supplier data quality, monitor contracts and value-for-money requirements, and produce compliance reports.
• Manage finance support enquiries, produce management and compliance reports, maintain procedures and audit trails, promote financial best practice, and identify opportunities to improve and automate processes.

Skills

Accounts payable

Finance systems

Controls & compliance

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Education

AAT Level 4

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Role: Finance Operations & Compliance Officer

Location: Kettering Campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £30,915 and £41,085 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays,People’s Pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours, 52 weeks

Contract Type

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About The Role

We are currently seeking a Finance Operations & Compliance Officer to join our Finance department at The Bedford College Group.

• Financial Compliance & Assurance - Coordinate grants returns, monitor corporate card and cashless policy compliance, support audits, maintain financial controls, and provide required management information to external stakeholders.
• Accounts Payable & Process Improvement - Oversee PO and non-PO invoice processes, improve procurement compliance, monitor requisitions and purchase commitments, resolve invoice exceptions, and support timely supplier payments.
• Finance Systems Administration - Manage finance system access, permissions, workflows and licence compliance, coordinate user reviews, support system testing, and maintain user documentation and guides.
• Supplier & Procurement Compliance - Administer supplier onboarding, ensure adherence to fraud prevention and procurement controls, maintain supplier data quality, monitor contracts and value-for-money requirements, and produce compliance exception reports.
• Finance Operations & Continuous Improvement - Manage finance support enquiries, produce management and compliance reports, maintain procedures and audit trails, promote financial best practice, and identify opportunities to improve and automate processes.

About You

• Finance Operations Expertise - Experience working within a finance function, with strong knowledge of accounts payable processes, controls, financial compliance, and procurement procedures.
• Finance Systems & Reporting - Experience administering or supporting Finance/ERP systems, producing management information, compliance reports, and analysing data to support decision-making.
• Controls, Risk & Compliance Monitoring - Proven ability to review processes, identify control weaknesses, risks and improvement opportunities, and confidently challenge non-compliance.
• Analytical & Communication Skills - Advanced Excel and analytical capabilities, with the ability to interpret data, prepare meaningful reports, and communicate findings and recommendations clearly.
• Professional Qualification & Stakeholder Management - AAT Level 4 (or working towards it) or equivalent experience, combined with strong stakeholder management skills, independence, attention to detail, and a collaborative approach.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 9th September 2026

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsports alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.