SEND Payments Team Leader

Brackenberry Limited; Kettering; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Part time

Job summary

A local authority partner is seeking a SEND Payments Team Leader in Kettering. This role, which may extend beyond 2 months, involves managing High Needs Block funding, supervising Finance Assistants, and ensuring accurate financial reporting. Strong experience with funding mechanisms and tools like Synergy and ERP Gold is essential. Candidates with a finance background in education or SEND will thrive in this position.

Qualifications

• Experience in finance environment, ideally within SEND or education finance.
• Strong knowledge of funding mechanisms for High Needs Block.
• Experience in overseeing financial processes and reconciliations.

Responsibilities

• Update master spreadsheets with new funding decisions.
• Investigate and resolve funding queries.
• Review and approve invoices prepared by Finance Assistants.
• Consolidate spreadsheets into monthly financial report.
• Reconcile ERP Gold transactions with master records.
• Prepare funding statements for termly payments.

Skills

Knowledge of Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block

Advanced Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables)

Experience in finance environment

Experience supervising staff

Tools

Synergy (SEND module)

ERP Gold

Job description

About the role

We are working closely alongside a Local Authority in North Northamptonshire to assist with the appointment of a SEND Payments Team Leader, on a 2‑month contract, likely to be extended at the client's discretion. Please apply with your CV for immediate consideration.

The SEND Payments Team Leader is responsible for ensuring all High Needs Block (HNB) funding is accurately accounted for, recorded, processed, and paid to the correct recipients, including schools, settings, parents, and other educational providers. The role ensures robust financial management across all SEND‑related payments by maintaining detailed master spreadsheets, overseeing invoice processing, producing forecasts and monitoring reports, and leading the day‑to‑day work of two Finance Assistants.

Key Responsibilities

• Update all master spreadsheets with new funding decisions to ensure accurate financial commitments for the financial year.
• Investigate and resolve funding queries from schools, providers, and internal colleagues.
• Review and approve invoice worksheets and ERP payment interfaces prepared by Finance Assistants.
• Consolidate all master spreadsheets into a monthly financial monitoring report to provide accurate High Needs Block forecasts for Finance and Senior Leadership Team (SLT).
• Reconcile ERP Gold transactions with all master records, ensuring accuracy and correcting discrepancies.
• Prepare NNC school master spreadsheets for termly top‑up payments and create associated funding statements.
• Postholder will ensure that all High Needs funding allocations, transactions, and financial commitments are recorded and reported accurately, feeding into forecasting, planning, and budget management across the Children’s Services directorate.
• Strong knowledge of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block and experience with Synergy, ERP Gold, and advanced Excel is essential.
• Strong working knowledge of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block, its allocation rules, and funding mechanisms.
• Experience working in a finance environment, ideally within SEND, education finance, or children’s services.
• Experience overseeing financial processes, reconciliations, high‑volume payments, and complex spreadsheets.
• Experience line‑managing or supervising staff in a finance or data‑processing environment.

Essential Systems Knowledge

• Synergy (SEND module)
• ERP Gold
• Advanced MS Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, multi‑sheet management)