Trust Finance and Payroll Officer - The YES Trust (Congleton)
Youth Engagement Schools Trust, Macclesfield, SK11 8JF14 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
1 December 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
17 November 2025
Job details
Job role
- Administration, HR, data and finance
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: 30-37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year (Monday to Friday) Flexible working
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £30,275 - £34,634
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are seeking an experienced Finance and Payroll Officer to join our friendly team within the central trust office in Congleton. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the financial and payroll functions across the Youth Engagement Schools Trust. The successful candidate will work closely with the Finance Manager to ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll, maintain financial records, and assist with budget monitoring and reporting Please click the 'apply now' button for more details and to apply via our candidate portal.
Job Description
Holiday Entitlement –30 days plus statutory bank holidays
Location:Congleton based but candidate expected to be able to travel to all trust schools, occasionally, with notice.
Reports to:Finance Manager
Executive Lead:Director of Business
Purpose of the Role:To provide a flexible, comprehensive, efficient and effective support service for the trust, working alongside the Finance Manager in the central trust office.
Duties and Responsibilities
Main responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:
Processing of purchase orders, purchase invoices, sales invoices, credit card receipts and statements, and BACS payments, and assisting in producing and reconciling financial reports and various other financial procedures.
To work with and support academy admin teams, including Office Managers, in their roles and ensure finance functions are being carried out consistently and to a high standard in all settings
Posting journals to adjust spend, internally re-charge for goods and services, capitalise items, and other agreed adjustments
Posting and reconciling the Trust bank accounts on a monthly basis
To assist the Finance Manager, Director of Business, Headteachers and Office Managers with the annual budget planning process and the annual audit
Reviewing the aged debtors and creditors across the Trust and ensuring the required action is taken by the Office Managers or Trust finance team
To administer the Trust’s monthly payroll, working alongside the Trust’s existing payroll provider, Finance Manager and Director of Business
Providing any changes to our external payroll to our payroll providers and checking information.
Supporting internal and external enquiries and requests related to the finance department, payroll and pensions
Processing expense, overtime claims and all other payroll changes
Responsibility for maintaining and improving the payroll system
To produce reports, lists, information, and data as required
To keep abreast of modern administrative procedures and IT systems which could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation
To promote effective financial management throughout the Trust, that strikes the right balance of efficiency and compliance/fraud prevention.
Continuous learning around the latest finance and payroll best practices to improve workplace efficiency
To undertake such other duties related to the work of the trust appropriate to the post as may be assigned by the Finance Manager and wider leadership team
To be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, safeguarding, health and safety, confidentiality, and data protection
To maintain complete confidentiality at all times
General
To comply with and assist with the development of policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
To be aware of and support difference and ensure equal opportunities for all.
To contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the trust.
To attend meetings within the trust, at its academies and external events as required.
To share expertise and skills with others.
To participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required.
To recognise own strengths and areas of expertise and use these to advise and support colleagues.
To maintain confidentiality always in respect of school-related matters and to prevent disclosure of confidential and sensitive information.
Other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as directed by the Director of Business.
To ensure strict confidentiality in all areas of work.
To work and process personal and sensitive information in accordance with Data Protection Act 2018 including the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018.
To understand and comply with the statutory guidance regarding safeguarding of children, ensuring the safeguarding and promotion of children’s welfare at all times, reporting any concerns to the relevant Designated Safeguarding Officer immediately. Additional Information
The post holder will work across the trust and spend time at each of the schools, when required.
To undertake any such duties commensurate with the post as directed by the CFO / Executive Team.
What the school offers its staff
At the YES Trust, we believe our aims and vision for our students and their carers are best achieved through supported and valued team members.
We offer the following benefits to all trust employees from their first day with us:
Access and support with training and CPD including further professional qualifications.
Specialist training where required
Cycle to work scheme
Flexible and supportive approach to work
Free lunch at school
Free parking
Nursery benefits
Education Mutual – access to free face to face counselling, physiotherapy, nurse help-line, prescription service whenever you need it
Perkbox
A huge range of discounts, free gifts, perks including shopping, eating out, holidays
The wellness Hub – access to a variety of practical and useful resources
Medical – on-line GP appointments, prescriptions and advice at a time convenient to you
Flexible working opportunities
Flexible Working
We recognise that attracting and retaining the highest quality candidates means offering a flexible working environment. We consider a variety of flexible arrangements, including part-time roles, job-sharing, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid opportunities where appropriate. By adopting a flexible approach, we empower our staff to bring their best selves to work every day, fostering creativity, commitment, and resilience. Our teams remain diverse, motivated, and aligned with our vision of transforming children's lives through world-changing education. We believe that by investing in the wellbeing and professional fulfilment of our staff, we are also investing in the futures of the communities we serve.
Candidates are encouraged to discuss flexible working from recruitment onwards, in line with the statutory "day one right" principle, and ensuring equal opportunities for all groups of prospective employees
Further information about the job
Desired Criteria
Experience of working in an education setting, desirable but not essential
Evidence of continuing professional development
Professional qualification
Experience finance and payroll proceduresand regulations
Experience of salaries/ putting through payroll changes.
Knowledge of schools and how schools/ schools are run
Experience liaising with outside agencies
Essential Criteria
- Working towards or gained a financial qualification (consideration will be given to candidates with demonstrable experience)
- Good standard of general education to include 5
- GCSE’s (including Maths and English A-C)
- Willingness to undertake training and development
- Good knowledge and understanding of double entry bookkeeping.
- Using financial accounting software for processing and reporting financial data.
- Preparing journals and calculations of recharges across budgets.
- High level of competence using email, databases, and working with Microsoft Office General
- Experience of handling enquires from/dealing with members of the public
- High level of accuracy and confidentiality
- Excellent literacy and numeracy skills
- A passion for detail and getting the “little things” right for our staff which makes the trust a fantastic place to work.
- Show versatility to be able to ‘flex’ between various time critical tasks and submitting accurate information to a strict deadline.
- Present excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt messages to suit the audience being addressed
- Numerate
- Approachable, flexible, and patient
- Self-motivated and organised, ability to work calmly under pressure and to meet deadlines
- Excellent inter-personal skills
- Confidentiality, tact, and diplomacy in relationships with all members of our school community
- Commitment to continuous improvement
- Able to be flexible with hours if situations arise
- Will seek advice and support when necessary
- Open minded and receptive to new ideas
- Commitment to the highest standards of child protection and safeguarding
- Prepared to be brave and challenge constructively, and be solutions-focused with regard to current and historical working practices
- Ability to form positive working relationships with staff at all levels throughout the trust central team, schools, and with the wider community
- Willingness to update knowledge of human resources best practice and employment or other relevant legislation
- Ability to travel independently to schools where required – with notice.
Satisfactory adherence to trust safer recruitment practice (DBS check, references, external occupational health check)
Commitment to safeguarding
The safe recruitment of staff in the Trust is the first step in the effective safeguarding and promotion of welfare for our children. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other workers in the Trust to share this commitment. It is recognised that this can only be achieved through sound procedures, good inter-agency co-operation and the recruitment and retention of competent, motivated employees who are suited to, and fulfilled in the roles they undertake.
A copy of the Trust’s Safer Recruitment Policy is available on request.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)About Youth Engagement Schools Trust
- Type
- Multi-academy trust
- Email address
- admin@theyestrust.org
- Phone number
- 01260 490042
The Youth Engagement Schools (YES) Trust is a multi-academy trust based broadly in the North West of England. Together, we have developed a growing family of schools which makes a difference for children and young people. As we continue to set and raise the bar in all the work we undertake, we are keen to maintain our national recognition as one of the highest achieving alternative and SEN multi-academy trusts in the country.
We unashamedly use words like “kindness” and “compassion” in our values. Our ability to make that difference rests on our vision and our core values which include an absolute belief in the importance of collaboration and mutual support, and on our recognition of the trust as a family of schools in which colleagues are equally valued. We want to continue this further, and to become the employer of choice for teaching and support staff across the region.
We are:
• Child centred
• Adaptive and sensitive to need
• Authentic in our relationships
We strive for:
• Solution-focused mindsets
• A climate of reflection and feedback
• Intrinsic motivation *
• Continual improvement
• A culture of collaboration
Our minimum expectations of our staff are:
• Belief in our core values
• Professional conduct at all times
• Appropriate communication
• Ability to follow direction
• Kindness and compassion
• Flexibility and adaptability
Arranging a visit to Youth Engagement Schools Trust
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email admin@theyestrust.org.
Head office location
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