SEND Business & Finance Officer (Berkshire)

We are currently recruiting for a SEND Business & Finance Officer in Berkshire.

Pay rate: PAYE 13.76 per hour/UMB 17.00 per hour

Contract duration: Temporary ongoing

Department: Finance

Purpose:

To record and process invoices and journals received. Ensuring expenditure has been through appropriate decision-making processes to agree the allocation of resources in accordance with guidelines; and accurate records are maintained.

To work collaboratively within the SEND team:

• In delivering the administration processes linked to Education, Health and Care Plan legislation and in accordance with statutory frameworks in accordance with The Children and Families Act 2014 and SEN Code of Practice January 2015 ensuring timely and appropriate coordination in line with statutory duties.
• In the development/streamlining of finance and administration systems and processes to maximise the efficient and effective use of resources.
• To integrate and develop processes and systems, and to contribute towards training and developing an efficient and effective wider finance and administration service
• To be a champion for the use of technology (such as the case management system Capita ONE) to record, track and monitor our ways of working to both manage performance and inform business intelligence.

Duties: 

– Registration of invoices into the client’s financial system (Agresso).

– Raising Purchase Orders via Agresso and subsequent Goods Receipt actions.

– Updating and maintaining the finance monitoring Excel spreadsheet. Ensuring financial information is recorded clearly, accurately and in a timely manner.

– Monitoring and managing the finance mailbox.

– Meeting regularly with the Senior Accountancy Officer alongside the SEND Resource & Performance Manager to communicate current financial position.

-Support the SEND Resource & Performance Manager by attending meetings as and when required.

-Actively involved in maintaining and developing processes and systems to ensure the accurate, timely and consistent implementation of financial and administrative duties for the wider team.

-To provide flexible response and assistance to peak workloads e.g. financial Year End and statutory data returns.

-To make a positive contribution to the efficient execution of the client’s financial affairs, ensuring compliance with Financial Regulations and Standing Orders as necessary for the proper administration of the client’s affairs

-To work seamlessly with the Business & Systems Support Officers to deliver support to the SEND Officers and wider team.

-To guide the SEND Officers and wider team to embed any new financial systems and processes.

-To support the clear monitoring of High Needs Funding to ensure SEN provision is

delivered within the agreed budget, therefore keeping clear records of placements costs.

-To work with the SEN finance team to ensure invoices are paid in accordance with

Our client’s SLA agreements and ensure accurate recording of SEN placements and

associated finance.

-To carry out the above duties in line with corporate policies and statutory guidance including Data Protection, Freedom of Information etc.

-Consistently implement the governance framework, preventing individual errors of governance, to ensure that quality and budget are maintained.

-Escalate all instances of non-compliance with the process to the SEND Resource & Performance Manager.

-It is expected that the post-holder may be requested to participate in other duties which may be deemed appropriate to the post, and to engage in planned professional development in accordance with the building capacity programme.

Qualifications: 

Essential:

– Qualification in finance AAT L2 or equivalent

– Qualification in Business Administration NVQ Level 4 or equivalent

– Educated to a minimum GCSE standard, including English and Maths Mathematics at Grade C or above (or equivalent)

Desirable:

– A recognised IT qualification (e.g. ECDL)

Knowledge and skills:

Essential:

– Understanding of and commitment to the requirements of safeguarding children, young people, vulnerable adults and promoting their welfare

– An ability to motivate and encourage others to accept change and to challenge themselves to reach their full potential

– Can clearly and concisely communicate goals, tasks and other

organisational needs to team members

– Able to plan and implement changes to duties, responsibilities and other factors required by service developments

– An ability to identify and solve difficult or unexpected situations in the workplace quickly and effectively

– Excellent ICT skills including use of Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel and experience of using databases for accurate data input and interpretation

– Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate clearly and confidently both orally and in writing with officers at all levels, plus external partners and stakeholders including parents, carers, schools and other

professionals

– Excellent time management and organisational skills, with experience of working in a fast-paced environment and prioritising to meet deadlines and targets

– Ability to work as part of a team and assist other staff and management to meet their deadlines and targets

– Discreet and used to dealing with confidential material

– Motivated, with the ability to work under own initiative flexibly balancing several competing tasks and projects simultaneously, often under pressure working to deadlines

– Resilient with a positive ‘can do’ approach to new challenges

– Excellent attention to detail

– Empathy in leadership Decision making skills

Desirable:

– Previous experience in an education environment working with children and young people

– Knowledge of the 1996 Education Act, Children and Families Act 2014, and associated SEN Code of Practice and Guidance documentation

Apply online or contact Terri O’Keefe on 01925 377 878. You can also email terri@peelsolutions.co.uk for more information on this role.