Schools Finance Officer

Coventry City Council; Coventry; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

28 days annual leave

Job summary

Coventry City Council is seeking an enthusiastic Schools Finance Officer to act as a trusted financial adviser to a portfolio of Coventry schools. You will help school leaders manage their finances effectively and sustainably, combining strong numbers with people skills.

You’ll work with Headteachers and School Business Managers, build relationships, develop budgets, monitor spending and identify financial risks. AAT qualification or equivalent is preferred and flexibility to travel is required.

Qualifications

• Strong accounting and financial management knowledge.
• Experience budgeting, planning, forecasting and financial control.
• Excellent numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise school leaders on budgets and financial sustainability.
• Analyse financial information and provide practical guidance to Headteachers, SBM and Governors.
• Travel to schools across Coventry to support financial processes.

Education

AAT qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Financial systems

Job description

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

We are a diverse and dynamic Financial Management Team responsible for providing a diverse range of functions to drive the Council to fulfil its transformational journey We deliver the full range of financial management and accounting services to facilitate effective delivery of services to support the people of Coventry and deliver projects which are redefining the infrastructure of the city.

Working flexibly with internal officers and external partners we aim to ensure finance is at the heart of everything that the Council does.

The organisation has a high expectation of our service, and we will continue to support and develop our staff to have the skills to deliver a quality service.

What is the job role?

As a Schools Finance Officer within Coventry City Council's Finance department, you'll be a trusted financial adviser to a portfolio of Coventry schools, helping school leaders manage their finances effectively and sustainably.

This isn’t your typical desk based finance role. While strong financial skills are important, this role is also about people. You'll get out into schools, work directly with Headteachers, School Business Managers and Governors, build strong relationships and provide advice that can make a real difference.

You'll support schools throughout the annual financial cycle, helping them develop realistic budgets, monitor spending, identify financial risks and plan for future challenges. You'll analyse financial information and turn the numbers into clear, practical advice that helps school leaders make informed decisions.

No two days are the same. You might be meeting with a Headteacher, presenting financial information, supporting a governing body meeting, delivering training or helping a school respond to emerging financial pressures and identify potential savings.

It's a varied and rewarding opportunity for someone who enjoys finance but also enjoys working with people, building relationships and seeing the difference their advice can make.

Who are we looking for?

We're looking for an enthusiastic, proactive and customer-focused finance professional who enjoys working with people, solving problems and providing practical financial advice.

You'll be confident analysing financial information, identifying risks and opportunities and explaining complex information clearly to both financial and non-financial audiences.

Just as importantly, you'll be comfortable meeting and working with people. You'll need to build positive relationships with Headteachers, School Business Managers, Governors and colleagues, while managing your own workload and competing priorities.

You will have:

• An understanding of accounting principles and financial management.
• Experience of working within a complex financial environment.
• Experience of budgeting, financial planning, forecasting and financial control.
• Strong numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to interpret and apply financial procedures and regulations.
• Confidence using financial systems, spreadsheets and Microsoft Office.
• An AAT qualification, be working towards AAT, or hold an equivalent finance qualification.
• Knowledge of school finance would be an advantage.
• The ability to work independently and provide a high standard of customer service.
• The ability to travel to schools across Coventry.

Most importantly, you'll share Coventry City Council's One Coventry values and be committed to providing high-quality financial support to schools across the city.

What We Offer

You'll be joining a fantastic, supportive team and have the opportunity to develop your career while doing work that makes a real difference to schools across Coventry.

• Hybrid working and a flexi-time scheme to support work-life balance.
• Salary matching within the advertised grade, annual pay awards and incremental progression.
• 28 days' annual leave, rising to 32 days after five years' service.
• Support to complete professional qualifications and develop your career.

Why Join Us?

At Coventry City Council, we are committed to being open and fair, nurturing and developing our people, embracing innovation and valuing diversity and inclusion. We offer a supportive working environment where your contribution is recognised, your development is encouraged, and your work makes a genuine difference.

Join us and help schools across Coventry maintain strong financial management, navigate financial challenges and make informed decisions that support their long-term financial sustainability

Most importantly, you'll share Coventry City Council's One Coventry values and be committed to delivering excellent services, embracing innovation and providing high-quality financial support to schools across the city.

You'll need to be able to travel to schools across Coventry as required.

All candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK. We are currently not offering sponsorship for this role.

If you have just become an accountant, this post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Standard DBS check.

For an Informal Discussion

Shyla Begum

Accountant
Schools Finance Team
[e-mail]

We welcome informal conversations from prospective candidates who would like to learn more about the role, the team and the support we provide to schools across Coventry.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

Closing Date: 1 November 2026

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.
At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - One Friargate, Station Square, Coventry