Job Description

Job Summary

St Gregory's Catholic School

is seeking a highly skilled and motivated

Finance Manager

to play a key role in supporting our Catholic educational mission.

Reporting directly to the School Business Manager, this is an exciting opportunity to lead and manage the work of the Finance Office, ensuring the effective operation of all financial processes. You will provide accurate and timely financial information to support school funds and budgets, contributing to strategic decision-making across the school.

We are looking for a solution-focused professional with proven experience in a similar role, excellent organisational skills, and a strong commitment to working collaboratively as part of a dedicated team.

If you are passionate about making a difference in education and have the expertise to help us achieve our goals, we would love to hear from you.

Responsibilities:

School Financial Management & Control

Ensure all financial transactions are recorded accurately and timely using the school's financial software (PS Financials), maintaining established financial procedures/controls and ensuring compliance with school, KCSP and audit requirements. Process and oversee the processing of orders, deliveries and invoices. Assist the SBM in preparing/analysing the school budget for the current financial year, commenting on variances/spending trends as required, with a view to providing accurate budget forecasts for both the current and future financial years. Assist the SBM with the preparation of the Financial Three-Year Forecasts. Upload agreed school budgets onto PS Financials within the deadlines set centrally by KCSP (Original, January Forecast, April Forecast budgets etc). Advise on potential improvements and developments possible relating to current financial systems/procedures, looking to further streamline processes and improve efficiency (For example, automating transactions where possible). Prepare internal month-end accounts reports (Balance Sheet, Trial Balance, Management Accounts, Debtors/Creditors, control account reconciliations etc.) and submit these to the SBM, ensuring figures are accurate, up to date, and appropriately analysed. Maintain SEN (E3) and SRP income records to accurately forecast income, liaising with school SENCOs to obtain relevant claim information (amounts/dates etc). Update budget holders each month, providing budget statements and monitoring spend as necessary, noting especially any adverse variances and ensuring expenditure is timed appropriately in relation to cashflow trends. Review budget holders as appropriate, especially after budget changes or new budgets being issued, ensuring records are kept up-to-date and budget holders are suitably assigned against the correct budgets. Establish a deadline date for departmental 'last orders' each year in the last term leading up to the financial year end and communicate this with budget holders. Assist and cooperate as required with the annual audit of the school's accounts undertaken by external auditors. Process and record all charity donations received. Maintain accurate and up-to-date Gift Aid records for the School Fund donations, submitting these to KCSP quarterly. Negotiate with suppliers where possible to ensure best value, taking advantage of any trade discounts/favourable credit terms offered, seeking payment terms that are conducive to cashflow trends (For example, negotiating monthly/quarterly rather than up-front payments for annual subscriptions). Maintain a database of significant supplier contracts, noting notice terms and diarising contract reviews before the notice deadlines. Process the monthly payroll journals into PS Financials, ensuring accuracy and investigating discrepancies.

Lettings

Oversee the processing of invoices to lettings customers and accurately record income generated. Oversee the credit control of lettings debts.

Banks

Accurately record all bank transactions in the relevant public and school fund accounts, ensuring all bank accounts are reconciled weekly/monthly as required, noting especially any effects the balances - and income/expenditure trends - may have on school cashflow. Process weekly BACS payment runs (during term-time), ensuring all invoices have been verified prior to payment and are settled in accordance with supplier payment terms. Deposit cash/cheques received at the bank as required.

Parago/Asset Management

Use the Parago asset management software to maintain an accurate, up-to-date and detailed asset register for all applicable items/equipment. Filter and categorise assets accurately (e.g. in terms of being IT or non-IT assets, capital or non-capital). Use information from this register to help inform the SBM on the condition of current assets, their value, likely lifespan and need for replacement. Manage the annual audit/stocktake of the school sites, ensuring this is as comprehensive as possible. Ensure IT equipment loaned to staff is audited annually and any irregularities noted. Actively investigate the occurrence of any missing assets or assets not showing on the asset register, updating and correcting existing records as required. Follow established policies and procedures relating to the procurement, capitalisation and disposal of school assets. Incorporate reports and updates relating to asset management into the internal month-end processes or at regular intervals agreed by the SBM.

ParentPay/Trips

Accurately record on PS Financials all online receipts from the school's cashless till system (ParentPay). Work with trip leaders and the Educational Visits Coordinators to verify and approve costings for proposed school trips, ensuring relevant quotes for any planned expenditure have been obtained and costed correctly. Ensure sufficient trip income has been received before committing to trip expenditure, minimising any financial costs suffered by the school resulting from the provision of school trips. Organise the annual import of new Year 7 students (pre-admissions) onto ParentPay from the school's MIS systems (SIMS), ensuring their account login information has been communicated with them and lunch cards ordered in anticipation of the new academic year. Make RPA (insurance) claims for travel incidents as appropriate.

Staff Management

Effectively manage and lead the school's Finance Officer(s), allocating tasks appropriately and reviewing performance and training. Engage with and complete the annual staff appraisal process, set out by HR, for the relevant finance staff. Support the School finance team as required, especially during busy periods or times of staff absence, to ensure that an efficient school finance function is maintained. Accept overall responsibility for the functions performed by the finance teams, advising the SBM on staffing concerns as appropriate.

Year End

Follow KCSP guidelines to ensure that financial year-end accounts are completed and all relevant reports are uploaded to the correct drive within the deadlines set. Ensure year-end accounts are comprehensive and accurate; these should include the required control code reconciliations, income/capital expenditure records and year-end adjustments (prepayments, accruals etc). Update year-end templates monthly for government income and payroll records, ensuring that preparation for year-end is on-going throughout the year as appropriate.

General Matters

Behave in accordance with school policies and adhere to H&S guidelines. Support the school in developing and maintaining its Catholic ethos. Continue personal development as agreed and demonstrate a competent level of numeracy, literacy and ICT skills. Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a senior manager to undertake work of a similar level/nature that is not specified in this job description. Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

Requirements:

Qualifications

Desirable with Level 3 Diploma (or equivalent) with accountancy and finance knowledge and skills.

Experience

Experience of working in a finance role for a minimum of 3 years. Knowledge of PS Financials and experience of working in the Education sector would be an advantage

Skills and Abilities

Ability to communicate a range of financial information both verbally and in writing with the Senior Leadership Team, Governors and other staff. Keyboard skills applied with precision and speed. Must be computer literate and have previous experience of working within financial regulations. Ability to prioritise own workloads and to work to deadlines is essential.

Knowledge

Requires knowledge of accounting and financial procedures sufficient to be able to maintain accounts, produce financial reports and advise on variances. Must be aware of KCC Financial Regulations and understand other relevant school policies. Knowledge of a range of IT systems. Knowledge of computerised and manual filing systems. Awareness of Data Protection and confidentiality issues. Staff will be expected to have an awareness of and work within national legislation and school policies and procedures relating to Health and Safety.
You are welcome to contact HR at if you would like to visit the school before submitting an application.

For ease of applying, we are happy to accept applications directly from Kent Teach: https://www.kent-teach.com/Recruitment/Vacancy/VacancyDetails.aspx?VacancyId=149282

Should you be shortlisted for interview, additional information may be requested at that time.

Closing date for applications: Monday 6 October 2025 9am

Interviews to be held on week commencing : 16 October 2025

Start date: October/November 2025

All applicants need to have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for this role. This vacancy may close on or before the specified closing date depending on the volume of suitable applicants.

St Gregory's is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and this position is subject to satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 30,404.00-33,752.00 per year

Benefits:

Canteen Company pension Free parking Health & wellbeing programme On-site gym On-site parking Sick pay Store discount
Education:

A-Level or equivalent (required)
Experience:

Finance: 3 years (required)
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person