Trust Finance Technician

Job content

The Role Purpose

We are looking to recruit a Finance Technician providing full support to the Trust Head of Finance and Financial Accountant in the preparation, verification and distribution of:

• Monthly Management Accounts for schools, Trust Management Accounts and Annual Financial Accounts
• Maintenance and management of the trust core nominal ledger including balance sheet reconciliations
• Trust cash management and reporting
• Capital income and expenditure monitoring
• Contribute to the production of any report to the Trust Board as required.
• Other

The role of our Trust Finance Technician requires:

• Part qualified accountant or equivalent (commensurate experience considered)
• Previous experience in education an advantage
• Experience of operating accounting systems
• Experience of reviewing large volumes of financial data an advantage
• Experience of management reporting, forecasting and budgeting

Main Duties and Responsibilities

MONTHLY MANAGEMENT AND ANNUAL ACCOUNTS

• Under the direction of the Trust Financial Accountant:
• Preparation of trust-wide management accounts, liaising with finance staff to ensure month end timetable is adhered to, and explanations obtained to support financial data;
• Monthly and Annual Accounts prepared on the accruals basis for each reporting unit, and the Trust balance sheet fully reconciled.
• Monitoring school data input accurately and timely to the expected timetables
• Fully comply with the requirements within the Academies Financial Handbook and the Trust policies.
• Monitor internal controls within the Trust and individual academies, liaising where relevant with school finance teams.
• Supporting with the cashflow and balance sheet forecasts

SUPPORTING TRUST SCHOOLS

• Providing advice on finance-related issues, including reporting and procurement.
• Build and maintain relationships with academy schools’ finance teams, working with the Financial Accountant to hold them accountable for policy adherence and financial probity.
• Deliver training as necessary.
• Support the on-boarding of new member schools and work with schools’ finance teams to develop standardised and consistent financial procedures and processes

NOMINAL LEDGER AND CASH MANAGEMENT

• To be responsible for the sound production of a core nominal ledger of the trust
• Analysing income and expenditure and preparing estimates from historical records
• Ensure the reporting units are reliable and represent the academy fairly
• Trust (consolidated) nominal ledger to avoid inappropriate reporting (duplicate income from a top slice, or student bursary transactions for example)
• Maintain a sound suite of reporting units and departments within those, and advise finance staff on how to correctly set up and manage specific technical funds
• Be responsible for the bank accounts held by the trust and the reconciliation thereof
• Reconciliation of balance sheet accounts (ledger control accounts, debtor and creditor accounts including accruals and prepayments)
• Liaising with finance staff on period end close down timings and routines
• Ensure division of duties are being maintained and that there is no conflict with staff on the system
• Produce trust payments as required
• Monitor and update cashflow forecasts, highlighting any potential issues
• Support the Financial Accountant with monitoring capital income and expenditure, managing the Trust Fixed Asset Register and administering the capital expenditure programme

(For a full list of main duties and responsibilities, please see the full candidate pack listed on the CRST website)

How to Apply

Please complete our application form and email it across. The email address can be found on the candidate pack, which can be found on the CRST website. The closing date for applications is 27th November 2022.

If you would prefer an informal discussion with Eve Smith, Trust Financial Accountant, please contact Sharan Kaur, (Central Office Administrator) on 0121 270 3117 to arrange a mutually convenient time.

For full information please see the Vacancies tab on the CRST website. Please note CV’s and cover letters are not accepted, applications must be completed and emailed through.

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract

Salary: £27,344.00-£29,439.00 per year

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: One location