Finance & Office Administration Assistant - Castle Wood School

What is the job role?

An exciting opportunity has arisen, within our outstanding special needs primary school, for a highly motivated, well organised, detailed orientated and proactive Finance & Office Administration Assistant. 

This is a varied role that provides a wide range of administration support with a particular focus on Finance.  Working alongside the Business Manager, you will be responsible for a range of school finance tasks and processes  including but not limited to raising purchase orders, processing and paying  invoices, raising invoices, VAT returns, buying goods, dinner money, banking including reconciling bank statements for both the school main account and school fund account  etc.  You will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial systems whilst remaining compliant with the schools financial value standards.  

In addition, you will be expected to support a range of admin activities within our busy school office.  This may include liasing with parents, outside agencies and other visitors both face to face, over the telephone and via email. 

This role can be done over 4 days, non working day to be agreed. 

Working hours for this role would ideally be 8.00am – 4.00pm Monday to Wednesday, Thursday 8.00am-4.30pm with 30 minutes unpaid lunch break.  Alternative

work pattern can be considered including working 37 hours over 5 days or 30 hours over 5 days.  

Who are we looking for?

The successful candidate will be organised with a positive professional attitude.  Whilst being able to work on your own initiative you will also be a team player.  You must be adaptable with a high attention to detail.  You will be able to provide an efficient high quality service whilst remaining calm under pressure.  Confidentiality and accuracy is an essential part of this role.  

In addition, you will have the ability to communicate clearly and in a variety of forms with a range of staff, parents, pupils and other visitors and agencies.  You will be self-motivated with the personal drive to complete tasks to the required timescales and quality standards.

Previous finance and office based experience is essential, along with excellent IT skills and use of schools finance systems, ideally Bromcom and MS Office packages, in particular word and excel.  Experience of SIMS / FMS would also be advantageous.  Experience within a finance role within a busy school office is strongly desired. 

Excellent numeracy and literacy skills at GCSE or equivalent (Level 4 /Grade 3 and above) are required. 

In return we will offer you:

• A supportive environment and leadership team

• Excellent continuous professional development and training

• Access to the local government pension scheme

• 24 hour access to employee assistance programme

• Employee benefits including childcare vouchers, cycle to work salary sacrifice, counselling, access to occupational health

• A well equipped staffroom including free tea and coffee

• Free onsite car parking

• Access to our hydrotherapy pool

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT REAPPLY.

Please return completed forms to cwhr@castlewood.coventry.sch.uk explaining why you want to join our office team at Castle Wood and what you can bring to the finance role. 

Please note that if you are not contacted within 2 weeks of the closing date, then your application will have been unsuccessful in this instance.

Closing date: Sunday 17th March 2024

Interview date: TBC likely to be 20th or 21st March 2024

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to undertake an enhanced criminal record check via the DBS.

Following recommendations from Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) for an additional pre employment check with effect 1 Sept 22, please note, an online search may form part of this recruitment process.