• Finance Officer
• Lambeth
• 41 weeks per year - 35 hours per week
• Salary SO1 (Local Government Scale)
• Starting ASAP

A well-established and welcoming primary school in South London is seeking an experienced Finance Officer to join its friendly and supportive team. This is an excellent opportunity for a finance professional with strong administrative skills who enjoys working in a school environment and making a meaningful contribution to the smooth running of day-to-day operations.

Working closely with the Federation Business Manager and senior leadership team, the Finance Officer will take responsibility for the day-to-day financial administration of the school, ensuring that financial processes are managed efficiently and in line with local authority and school financial regulations.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the school’s day-to-day financial processes including purchasing, invoicing and income management

• Maintain accurate financial records and monitor the school budget

• Process orders, invoices and payments using the school’s finance systems

• Support the preparation of annual and three-year budgets with the Federation Business Manager

• Carry out monthly reconciliations, financial monitoring and VAT reporting

• Process and monitor income including pupil funding and other school income streams

• Manage banking and cash handling procedures

• Support external audit processes and ensure compliance with financial regulations

• Oversee service level agreements, insurance policies and licences

• Liaise with staff regarding trips, purchasing and expenditure in line with school policy

The role also includes occasional wider administrative support, such as assisting with front office enquiries, school events and general school administration when required.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will have:

• Previous experience in finance and administration, ideally within a school or public sector environment

• Strong IT skills including spreadsheets and data management

• Experience using SIMS and FMS (or similar school finance systems)

• Excellent organisational skills with strong attention to detail

• The ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills

• A professional approach with the ability to maintain confidentiality

Requirements

• GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Maths at Grade C/4 or above

• Experience working in a collaborative team environment

• Commitment to professional development and continuous improvement

Safeguarding

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment.

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If you are a finance professional looking to work in a rewarding school environment where your contribution will directly support pupils and staff, we would love to hear from you.

We have a policy to respond to all applications within three working days. However, because of the volume of applications, we are sometimes unable to reply to individual enquiries. If we have not contacted you within this specified time your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Philosophy Education is a Recruitment Business and is advertising this vacancy on behalf of one of its clients.