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Group Finance Manager

Posted 2 days 20 hours ago by OAK TREE SCHOOLS HOLDINGS LIMITED

£48,000 Annual
Permanent
Full Time
Banking & Financial Services Jobs
Essex, Loughton, United Kingdom, IG101
Job Description

Job description

We are looking to recruit a Group Finance Manager to work in our Head Office in Loughton, Essex to a group of four private schools. The role will include the management of the Accounts Department, which has two Group Accounts Administrators.

Conditions of the Role

This is a full time position with the 'core' hours of 8am until 4.45pm daily at the Head Office building in Loughton. The role comes with a starting salary of £48kpa and holiday entitlement of 25 days + bank holidays. The successful candidate should be able to start as soon as possible.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Management Accounts:

  • To use Sage Accounts to its fullest extent for all postings, journals and reports.
  • To oversee financial accounting activities and ensure that ledgers accurately reflect money coming in and out of the company.
  • To coordinate the preparation of management accounts and monthly reports including accruals, deferrals and prepayments.
  • To prepare and review regular profit and loss statements and balance sheet reconciliations, and provide detailed analyses of results.
  • To provide oversight and management of the Capex expenditure and provide regular updates to the Director.
  • To reconcile intercompany financial movements, prepayments and accruals.
  • To monitor and maintain the Group's fixed assets registers.

Cash flow Forecasting:

  • To manage the rolling cash flow forecasts and prepare monthly cash flow reports, KPIs and budgets.
  • To support the management team in analysing, understanding and interpreting the operational and financial performance of the business.
  • To forecast all overhead costs.
  • To produce financial reports that provide insight for effective decision making.

General Accountancy:

  • To liaise with key stakeholders including accountants, bankers and HMRC.
  • To assist the Group Bursar with the administration of the monthly salaries, including claim forms, deductions, additions and reviews.
  • To assist the Group Bursar with the administration of the Group Pension Scheme.
  • To assist the Group Bursar with the monitoring of school trips/workshops costs.
  • To assist the Group Bursar with the monitoring of school budgets.
  • To assist the Group Bursar with reporting to the Financial Conduct Authority.
  • To support the Group Bursar and Director with the annual fees review.
  • To assist the Accounts Administrators with the reconciliation of the monthly bank statements and posting to Sage.
  • To support the Accounts Administrators with the purchase ledger, including posting to Sage and implementing regular BACS runs.
  • To monitor the Barclaycard and Amex transactions to check for changes in charges.

School Fees Administration (Sales Ledger):

To support the Accounts Administrators with the administration of all fee invoices and schedules, including:

  • To log the receipt of all fees deposits for prospective pupils and maintenance of records on the Engage database for future reference.
  • To check that all fees, fee adjustments and charges both in advance and arrears are correctly entered against each pupil at the four schools.
  • To ensure that information is inputted onto the Engage database where necessary.
  • To liaise with the School Offices about chargeable activities such as clubs, peripatetic music or SEN support and providing this information in a timely fashion for inclusion in fee invoices.
  • To help despatch invoices for all pupils at the four schools electronically to the agreed timescale.
  • To help handle parental queries on invoices, including the generating of duplicate invoices.

Credit Control Administration:

To support the Accounts Administrators and Group Bursar with the collection of fees, including:

  • To process payments by Credit/Debit Card when requested by parents by telephone, on line or in person.
  • To send fees reminder emails and/or texts at the end of the first week of each term as required.
  • To telephone parents who still have unauthorised late fees by the end of the second week of each term.
  • To chase fee payments at all other times as necessary by telephone and/or email.
  • To chase club payments for pupils who have left.
  • To track payments received and update fees spreadsheets daily.
  • To create a diary system for the chasing of regular monthly payments and keep aged debtor reports up-to-date.
  • To report to the Group Bursar if the collection of fees from any family becomes a concern.

VAT Returns:

  • To produce accurate VAT records and submit monthly VAT Returns within HMRC expected timeframes.
  • To keep accurate records of VAT due to be applied to school fees and reasons for any exemptions.
  • To ensure that all VAT reclaimable from HMRC is reconciled and claimed in a timely manner.
  • To ensure that any VAT due to be paid to HMRC is paid in a timely manner in accordance with HMRC rules.

Person Specification

Essential:

  • ACA/ACCA or equivalent fully qualified or near-fully qualified
  • Extensive knowledge of local laws, taxes, licenses, finance and accounting practices, and procedures
  • Experience in a finance environment working with management accounts
  • Experience within a fast paced and innovative environment
  • Advanced knowledge of Sage Accounts
  • Advanced MS Excel skills
  • Ability to analyse data and prepare comprehensive and accessible reports
  • Strong oral and written communication skills
  • Exceptional financial and analytical skills
  • The ability to sets clear goals and align job objectives to the requirements of the business
  • The ability to prioritise own workload and multitask
  • The ability to support colleagues by responding effectively and efficiently to requests for help & information
  • Flexibility to work extra hours at peak times

Desirable:

  • Proven leadership skills
  • Accounting/finance degree
  • Previous experience working with credit control

The Role Comes With:

  • Competitive Annual Salary
  • Company pension
  • 25 days' annual leave + bank holidays in addition.
  • Free parking
  • Free eye test
  • Free tea/coffee and lunches!
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