Finance Assistant

The Sutton Academy, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 5AU

13 days remaining to apply

• Closing date

  30 September 2026 at 12pm (midday)

• Date listed

  17 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: £27,274.00 - £29,070.00 Annually (Actual) Band E: NJC scp 07 (£27,274) to NJC 11 (£29,070)

Finance Assistant job summary

The Sutton Academy is seeking a Finance Assistant to join our business support team at the academy.

This role is for someone who can keep school finances accurate and timely, managing purchase orders, supplier invoices, card reconciliations and Arbor Pay queries while working closely with the Cluster Finance Manager and Finance Officer. You will be hands-on with day-to-day processing and month-end reconciliations, and your attention to detail will ensure payments and records are correct and compliant. The role is practical and collaborative: you will support routine processing and be a first point of contact for payment and Arbor Pay queries.

What you'll be doing

Process supplier invoices and purchase orders in Civica Financials; check entries for accuracy and secure budget-holder approvals for timely payment

Reconcile credit card transactions monthly and administer petty cash.

Handle Arbor Pay online payment queries and related tasks.

Assist with school bank administration, including regular cash reconciliation and deposits.

Produce and collate finance reports from accounting software for the finance team and external auditors.

Support month-end and year-end financial reconciliations and help maintain financial records in line with school policies.

Support staff with purchasing processes and place orders when required.

Maintain confidentiality and professional conduct in all finance duties

What we're looking for - Essential

Experience of financial procedures, controls, processes and reconciliations

Accounts payable experience, handling supplier invoices and purchase orders.

Experience working in a busy finance office environment.

Up-to-date knowledge of ICT and financial management systems (for example Arbor, Civica Financials and Microsoft Office).

Excellent organisational skills, strong numeracy and literacy.

Ability to work accurately to strict deadlines with high attention to detail.

Effective communication skills with staff, suppliers and external organisations.

A strong team player who supports colleagues when required.

AAT part-qualified (Level 2/3 or equivalent).

GCSE Grade C/4 or above in Mathematics and English (or equivalent).

Commitment to personal development.

• Experience of working within a school or academy environment is preferred but not essential.

What we offer

Permanent, full-year role: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Clear salary range: Band E: NJC scp 07 (£27,274) to NJC 11 (£29,070).

Eligible for membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Occupational sickness and parental leave pay schemes.

A minimum of 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days after 5 years eservice), in additional to bank holidays.

Access to TCAT+ our Reward, Recognition and Wellbeing platform, including access to retailer discounts and benefits, discounted healthcare cash plan, cycle to work scheme and online resources to support physical, emotional, professional, financial and social wellbeing.

Access to our Employee Assistance Programme.

Access to a comprehensive CPD framework though ‘Education Connect’, our professional development arm, and online resources from the ‘National College’.

This post is subject to satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. The Sutton Academy is committed to equal opportunities. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education, The Sutton Academy will undertake general online searches for all shortlisted candidates, this may include social media and video platforms. Online searches will only examine data that is publicly available, and the aim is to identify any incidents or issues. Any areas of concern will be discussed during the interview process

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

This post is subject to satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. The Sutton Academy is committed to equal opportunities. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About The Sutton Academy

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 1441 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: The Sutton Academy website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/the-sutton-academy

The Sutton Academy opened in September 2010 and is on a successful improvement journey having recently received an excellent ‘good’ judgement, the first in its history, and securing its best ever results in 2022.

We have a clear vision at the academy for students to achieve in all areas of academy life whilst nurturing their talents and passions. The academy ethos is built around the highest expectations of all and we see it as our duty to ensure that students have the best life chances possible; leaving the academy well prepared to take their place in the world. We strive for the best possible levels of achievement for all our students and are committed to providing the highest standards of teaching and learning. In return we have very clear expectations of student behaviour and commitment to learning.

Our students benefit from a modern learning environment with outstanding facilities. This helps to create a vibrant and positive learning community which is friendly, caring and purposeful.

We are aspirational for our students and see it as our duty to ensure they leave the academy as confident and responsible adults who are empowered to make real choices in their lives.

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