Academy Accountant Vacancy

Job Title: Academy Accountant

Grade: 7 (£45,640 to £60,068)

Meetings

To attend monthly team meetings and monthly briefings.

Job Objectives and Responsibilities

To provide a high quality, detailed and strategic financial support service to Academy clients.

To manage the relationship with Senior Leadership teams in schools.

To be an effective team player.

Main Duties

Financial Duties

• The completion of all timetabled returns to the DFE
• Assistance with annual accounts
• Contribute to the preparation of statutory accounts for signature by the Academy’s appointed auditor
• Monthly bank reconciliations and the compilation/monitoring of the regular cashflow statements
• Production of regular staffing projections (independent check to compare to school information) and the regular monitoring of employee budgets
• The monitoring of income and expenditure on the Academy’s Information System
• Advise senior leaders of funding changes and implications
• Advice and assistance with VAT (dependent on VAT classification)
• Preparation of year-end accounts and liaison with the Academy’s appointed auditors
• Ensure adequate financial control systems are in place and maintained to limit/assess risk
• Advise on the continued implementation of Best Value from an Academy perspective
• The annual review of Financial Policies/Financial Terms of Reference and Headteachers’ Framework of Financial Management
• Review of allocations/virements within the Headteachers’ Framework of Financial Management
• Completion of Balance Sheet reconciliations to maintain financial control (salaries, VAT, accruals, prepayments, pension liabilities)
• Preparation and maintenance of Fixed Asset Register to reflect true net book values of all assets converted and additions/disposals moving forward; ensuring appropriate depreciation is applied to assets as per financial policies
• Support for completion of reports and addressing day to day queries via telephone and email as appropriate
• Preparation and presentation of timely financial reports to the Governing Body. These reports include budget monitoring reports, budget setting reports and Strategic financial projections
• Report to the Headteacher on a regular basis; provide financial summaries from the Academy’s Management System to keep the Academy’s leadership team up to date on the current financial system at the school
• Completion of visit reports

Training

• To work and train with the other drb consultants, to continually update your skills, attending all training courses advised by the training team
• To work within training workshops with other Finance Consultants
• To assist in the training of more junior members of the team

General Administration

• To keep abreast of current educational developments and undertake relevant Continuing Professional Development when appropriate
• To follow drb’s policies and procedures and always strive to improve operational effectiveness
• Any other duties commensurate within the grade of the post

 

Experience / Skills and Abilities

Method of Assessment

A.F = Application Form
I = Interview
T = Test or Exercise

• AAT or equivalent accounting qualification
• Knowledge of budget management and finance techniques
• A sound knowledge of a range of computer applications within financial management systems
• Ability to contribute to school business planning
• Ability to work independently demonstrating initiative and pro-activity
• Ability to contribute to policy development e.g. for school lettings
• Ability to interpret and present detailed financial information
• Ability to develop and maintain efficient record keeping systems
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex information and make recommendations
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to negotiate ‘best practice’ with suppliers – in conjunction with the schools Business Manager
• Ability to communicate with a range of audiences including colleagues, Governors, officers of the City Council, suppliers and members of the community
• Ability to identify work priorities and manage own workload to meet deadlines whilst ensuring that lower priority work is kept up to date
• Ability to show sensitivity and objectivity in dealing with confidential issues
• Good timekeeping skills
• Good standard of education, especially English and Maths

Note

CONTRA INDICATION

Unsatisfactory Completion of a DBS check