Finance Operations Lead

Christopher Nieper Education Trust, Alfreton, DE55 7LE

28 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  13 April 2026 at 10am

• Date listed

  16 March 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £35,422.00 - £38,730.00 Annually (FTE) Grade 10 (pay rise pending) Actual salary £21,540 - £23,552 (pro rata to 22.5hrs per week)

Finance Operations Lead job summary

Purpose

To deliver efficient and accurate financial operations across the Trust, ensuring strong financial controls, compliance, and effective use of finance systems. The role focuses on maintaining the integrity of financial data, managing payments, managing and responding to payroll and pensions queries, supporting payroll accuracy, and contributing to the preparation of school and Trust budgets.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Operations and Controls

Maintain accurate financial records across the Trust, ensuring compliance with financial regulations and internal procedures.

Oversee the end-to-end purchase-to-payment process, ensuring orders, invoices, and payment runs are processed accurately, authorised appropriately, and completed within agreed timescales.

Oversee the BACS runs and other supplier payments in line with the Trust’s Financial Scheme of Delegation.

Ensure suppliers are set up correctly and that due diligence, contract, and procurement checks are in place before payment.

Monitor aged creditor reports, liaising with schools and suppliers to resolve queries promptly.

Process income, expenditure, and balance sheet transactions accurately and consistently.

Oversee and complete month-end and year-end routines including journals, reconciliations, accruals, and prepayments.

Ensure all control accounts (including payroll, VAT, and bank) are reconciled and discrepancies investigated promptly.

Support the preparation of audit schedules and documentation for both internal and external audit.

Ensure compliance with the Academy Trust Handbook and the Trust’s Finance Policy.

Budget Preparation and Support

Support the Chief Financial and Operations Officer in the preparation of school and Trust budgets by providing accurate financial data, historical trends, and reconciliations.

Update budget models (i.e. IMP/ICFP models) with current staffing, contractual, and operational information as required.

Provide analysis of expenditure patterns to support informed decision-making by the Chief Financial and Operations Officer.

Maintain accurate records of virements and budget adjustments throughout the year.

Systems and Process Development

Act as operational lead for financial systems (e.g., Hoge or equivalent).

Support the Chief Financial and Operations Officer in embedding process efficiencies and ensuring consistency across schools.

Maintain system documentation and provide guidance for users.

Liaise with system providers to resolve issues and enhance functionality.

Provide support to school-based staff on correct financial coding and system use.

Payroll

Provide an efficient payroll and pensions query service

Undertake monthly payroll checks to ensure accuracy against staffing records.

Ensure the posting and reconciling of payroll journals and control accounts is accurate.

Investigate and resolve discrepancies in collaboration with HR and payroll providers.

Maintain clear and auditable payroll documentation.

Compliance and Audit

Maintain accurate and complete financial records in line with Trust and regulatory requirements.

Support audit preparation and implementation of audit recommendations.

Promote a culture of accuracy, transparency, and compliance across the Trust’s financial operations.

Other Duties

Support the Chief Financial and Operations Officer with financial operations and reporting as required.

Assist in implementing new systems, processes, or audit-related improvements.

Provide support to the Chief Financial and Operations Officer in the tendering of services as and when required.

Working with all Finance staff ensure an accurate and up to date contracts register is maintained and advise the CFOO when renewals become due.

Undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade and nature of the post.

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

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

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 Christopher Nieper Education Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/the-david-nieper-education-trust

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