Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Juniper Education is dedicated to empowering educators and enhancing the educational landscape. The Finance Consultant role involves delivering professional financial management support to schools and academies, ensuring compliance with educational financial standards and providing training and consultancy services to enhance financial operations.
Responsibilities
- Deliver a high-quality finance support service to schools, academies and Multi-Academy Trusts, ensuring work is completed in line with Department for Education requirements and our service standards
- Manage your own portfolio of customers, coordinating visits, responding to requests and working with senior consultants to ensure cover during busy periods
- Support customers with Local Authority and DfE financial returns, budget preparation, forward financial planning, budget monitoring, forecasting and cashflow management
- Prepare clear financial reports for governors and boards of trustees, attend governor meetings where required, and help senior leaders understand financial information and make informed decisions
- Provide one-to-one training for school finance staff remotely and on site, troubleshoot financial anomalies, and support year-end accounting procedures, statutory returns and monthly bursar finance tasks
- Process and review financial transactions, including journals, virements, orders, invoices, petty cash, income and banking, and ensure revenue and capital expenditure is coded in line with Consistent Financial Reporting requirements
- Support accounting for school private funds, including independent examination or audit work where required
- Contribute to the Advice Line on a rota basis, answering financial management queries from school and academy finance teams, headteachers, governors and trustees
- Assist with delivering the Education Finance Support training programme and share your knowledge with colleagues to support continuous improvement
- Keep up to date with changes in education and local government finance, contribute to service and business development, and actively promote Education Finance Support services
- Build strong customer relationships, achieve high levels of satisfaction, support repeat and additional subscriptions, and share relevant market insight with Juniper Education colleagues
- Carry out financial management reviews, producing professional post-visit reports with clear findings and recommendations for client senior leaders
- Manage your diary independently, maintain accurate administration, support business continuity and take an active role in your own development and performance review process
Skills
- Accounting qualifications, ACCA, ACA, CIMA, CIPFA, AAT or similar
- And/or CIPFA's Certificate in Financial Reporting for Academies
- 5 GCSEs grades A-C including Mathematics and English or equivalent
- The following may be considered in lieu of a financial qualification: Certificate in School Business Management (CSBM)
- Diploma in School Business Management (DSBM)
- Considerable school's financial experience at a responsible level
- Some travel required to client sites; a valid driving license and daily access to a vehicle are essential
- Experience of school and academy financial software including IRIS Financials, FMS6 & SIMS, SAGE, ACCESS, Arbor, Civica, would be an advantage although training will be provided
Benefits
- Enhanced annual leave entitlement
- Opportunity to purchase additional leave
- Entitlement to carry over leave to next entitlement year
- Day 1 access to 24/7 GP & prescription services
- Day 1 access to rewards platform
- Cycle to work scheme
- Enhanced maternity & adoption pay
- Day 1 access to employee assistance platform
- Funded development/Qualification opportunities
- Voluntary health care cash plan
- Voluntary private medical insurance
- Plus more!
Company Overview