Management Accountant

Oaklands College; St Albans; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in St Albans seeks a Management Accountant to ensure financial transparency and support the Finance team. The role involves producing management reports, assisting in budgeting processes, and providing financial support to senior management. Candidates should possess a CCAB qualification and have experience in financial management. The institution offers a supportive environment and benefits such as a pension scheme and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Local Government Pension Scheme

Generous annual leave allowance

Excellent CPD and funded training opportunities

Free Microsoft Office for personal devices

Free on-site gym

Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in a further education college with understanding of income streams.
• Experience providing management information and financial support.
• Ability to handle financial queries and provide advice.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for production of monthly management reports.
• Support budgeting processes and related reports.
• Monitor progress of Internal Audit agreed actions.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Proactive mindset

IT skills

Education

Professional accountancy qualification (CCAB)

Tools

MS Office (especially Excel)

Job description

Overview

Oaklands College is looking for a Management Accountant to join our Finance team. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a central role in ensuring financial transparency, accuracy, and compliance - helping us deliver outstanding education while maintaining strong financial discipline.

As a key member of the Finance Department, you'll provide support to the Director of Finance in analysing the College's financial performance and position, issuing concise and user-friendly reports which add real value to the College as a whole. This role will play a pivotal role in ensuring the College's ongoing success and financial sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for production of monthly management reports for purposes of budgetary control in terms of income, pay and non-pay expenditure.
• Prepare, review and moderate the budgeting processes; working with key stakeholders forming the detailed income, pay and non-pay budgets; assisting in the preparation of related reports forming a part of the year end signoff of the budget.
• Prepare updated College forecasts during the year as required.
• Weekly cashflow reporting, tracking key income and payments.
• Support the introduction of the new Finance System.
• Support the Director of Finance in the preparation of regular reports to Corporation and Senior Leadership Team (and any other relevant bodies).
• Support the Director of Finance in providing accurate and timely submission of financial returns to external bodies and funding agencies as required; assisting and advising the Director of MIS in relation to the checking and submission of funding returns to the relevant external bodies and funding agencies as required.
• Work with MIS and Curriculum teams establishing the agreed curriculum plan outcomes that feed into budgets.
• Support all teams within the College with monthly reviews of financial performance and by using variance analysis reports to monitor actual income and expenditure against budgets and ad-hoc financial analysis reports to support decision making.
• Be available to answer ad hoc queries and support with required analysis.
• Monitor the progress of Internal Audit agreed actions, including ensuring reported progress has been made, as required.
• Undertake other duties as appropriate to the post.

Is This You?

We\'re looking for someone who is analytical, detail-focused, and passionate about using their financial expertise to make a difference.

You are required to bring:

• A professional accountancy qualification (CCAB)
• Evidence of working in an FE College, with evidence of detailed understanding of college income streams and costs.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office, especially Excel
• Experience of provision of management information and financial support to senior management and budget holders.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain financial matters clearly.
• Strong systems and IT skills.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

And personally, you\'re:

• Organised, accurate, and detail-driven.
• Calm under pressure with a problem-solving approach and ability to adapt to meet the needs of the department.
• Ability to work effectively on your own initiative with minimal supervision.
• Able to handle financial queries and give relevant and appropriate advice as part of the provision of excellent customer service.
• Confident working with people at all levels across the organisation.
• Committed to continuous professional development and living the College\'s values.

Why Oaklands?

At Oaklands, we know our staff are at the heart of everything we do. That\'s why we offer:

• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Generous annual leave allowance.
• Excellent CPD and funded training opportunities.
• Free Microsoft Office for personal devices.
• Free on-site gym and wellbeing support services.
• Cycle to Work scheme & discounted travel.
• Long Service Awards & annual staff celebration events.
• A supportive, forward-thinking environment where your contributions make a real difference.

Apply Now

If you\'re ready to take your career to the next level - and want to be part of a team that supports learners, staff, and the wider community through strong financial stewardship - we\'d love to hear from you.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so don\'t wait too long to apply!

Oaklands College is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults.