Finance Manager

The Role

We are seeking a dynamic and pro-active individual to lead the finance team. The successful applicant will work closely with

the Director of Finance & Estates and will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Department, including managing

the work of the two finance assistants.

The Finance Manager will be a talented, professional and experienced individual, capable of managing a diverse list of tasks

as well as assuming a hands-on role in this collegiate team, whose aim is the ongoing enhancement of the College finance

systems and processes in order to support the teachers and students. This role involves liaising with departments across the

College, supporting them in managing their budgets and financial planning.

Please note that candidates must be available from 8.30/9.00am to 4.00pm/4.30pm to ensure there is cover at both the start

and end of the College day (exact working pattern can be discussed).

We are looking for an exceptional candidate for this key role within the department. No two days are the same, and as a

result, flexibility in managing your workload and tasks will be key. We expect high performance from all our staff and are

looking for enthusiastic candidates to join our friendly team. Candidates should demonstrate their ability and suitability to

both the role and the culture of the College in their application statement.

Start Date: As soon as possible

Hours: 35 hours per week, term-time only plus three additional weeks (42 weeks per year). The additional weeks will

be worked in the College holidays

Salary: Actual salary: £34,628 to £38,013 per annum, inclusive of fringe allowance (depending on experience).

For 35 hours per week, term-time only plus three additional weeks

FTE salary: £39,575 to £43,444 per annum, inclusive of fringe allowance (depending on experience).

The Department

The Finance Department are based in an open-plan office consisting of the Finance Manager, two Finance Assistants and a

Payroll Administrator. The Director of Finance & Estates has been at the College for five academic years. Strong team work

is essential and appropriate regular meetings are held between team members at which tasks are delegated as appropriate.

The College uses Sage for Education and adopted the ESFA Chart of Accounts for reporting purposes. Management accounts,

budgeting and statutory accounts are currently produced using Excel, but it is the intention to use the reporting tool

functionality in Sage for Education to accomplish these tasks in the future. Payroll has recently been outsourced to Cintra

and cleaning and catering are also outsourced. The MIS system used for funding claims is REMS from Civica.

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Why work with us?

Woking College has a strong sense of community in which everyone is valued; we look forward to welcoming new members

of staff to join our team.

We have an inclusive ethos, and are proud of our diverse students and staff community. The College is committed to

safeguarding, alongside our core values of inclusiveness, adhering to the highest personal, professional and academic

standards, supporting individual wellbeing, supportive management and positive relationship and a sustainable future for all.

We expect all staff, volunteers and others involved in the College community to share this commitment.

Following our grading as Outstanding at our recent Ofsted inspection in October 2022, Ofsted stated that:

“Staff feel proud to work at the College. They are exceptionally positive about the culture leaders have created. They

describe leaders as visible, approachable and highly focussed on staff wellbeing. Leaders celebrate achievement

frequently in staff forums which helps staff to feel recognised, highly valued and a member of the Woking College

family.”

Staff survey results state that:

✓ 95% of staff are proud to work at Woking College.
✓ 99% agreed that leaders are considerate of staff wellbeing.

• A positive approach to staff development; including regular cross-College sharing best practice sessions

• Regular whole-College communication including weekly staff briefings

• Regular departmental meetings to ensure support and share departmental best practice

• Excellent student behaviour and productive working relationships with the Student Union

• Excellent links with local schools, businesses and universities

• Welcoming, friendly and approachable community, a harmonious working atmosphere
  

S7 Consortium:

• Opportunities for staff training within the S7 consortium of Colleges & liaison with peers within the consortium: S7

Professional Development Video

Benefits include:

• Free on-site parking

• Staff room with free hot drinks available to all staff, Friday cakes

• Onsite canteen with a range of healthy options to purchase, and a Costa coffee shop

• Regular staff social events: bowling, staff quiz, summer BBQ, weekend walks/cycling, Christmas lunch, Christmas

party

• College gym available for staff use, yoga classes, staff football (new 3G pitch), run club

• Staff clubs/support groups: book club; menopause group; group for parents/carers of children with mental health

• Access to prayer/multi faith room

• Free eye test vouchers

• Flu jab

• Cycle to work scheme

• Pension: eligible employees will be automatically enrolled in the Teacher’s Pension Scheme, or the Local

Government Pension Scheme (support staff), unless you decide to opt-out

• Employee support: staff have access to a confidential employee support helpline

• Location: Excellent train links from London Waterloo and the South Coast, walking distance of Woking station.

Close to A3, M25 & M3 junctions

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Application & Selection
Application forms are available to download from our website: www.woking.ac.uk/about/staff-vacancies/ Please note that

CVs will not be accepted on their own.

Please ensure education and employment history is completed fully, gaps in employment must be accounted for under the

section entitled “Periods when not working”. We would like to see your passion for the role and the College in your supporting

statement, please use this opportunity to include personal skills, experience relevant to the post, and reasons why you feel

you would be successful if this post.

Completed applications, or any queries regarding the role or your application, should be sent via email to Kirsty Crook
(Personnel Officer): recruitment@woking.ac.uk
Closing date: 9am, Friday 12 April 2024

Interviews: to be held on Friday 19 April 2024

Shortlisted candidates will be notified, invited for interview and references will be taken up immediately. Please note that it

is not possible to inform candidates who have not been short-listed due to time constraints.

The interview process will comprise of the following, but may be subject to change:

• Guided tour of the College

• Interview with the Principal and senior staff

• Secondary interview with senior staff

• Informal meet with department members

• Role-related task

The College encourages all candidates to be familiar with the following documents:

• Section 1 of the DfE paper on “Keeping Children Safe in Education” September 2023

• Woking College's Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

• In line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) the College asks candidates to consider the Privacy

Notice for Job Applicants

The documents listed above area available from the College’s Staff Vacancies page, please use this link to access them

https://www.woking.ac.uk/about/staff-vacancies/

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Job Description
Post Title: Finance Manager

Responsible: Director of Finance & Estates

Job Purpose: This role is a critical member of the College Finance Department and is responsible for the day to day

running of the Department, including managing the work of the Finance Team

Job Responsibilities:
1. Line management of a small Finance Team consisting currently of two Finance Assistants.

2. Manage the month-end process, ensure processing on time and to a high level of detail. To include posting journals,
bank reconciliations, review of debtors & creditors, fixed asset additions, payroll review, general ledger reconciliations
and reviewing petty cash.

3. Produce the monthly management accounts packs (P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash flow) and commentary for review by
the Director of Finance and Estates.

4. Working with departments during the year to assist them with their budgets. To include: Input budgets onto finance
system (Sage) and liaise with department heads throughout the year supporting them in monitoring their performance
against budgets.

5. Support the Director of Finance and Estates in their management of the external audit, including finalising the year-end
figures, preparing schedules, collation of data schedules and assisting with the preparation of the year-end accounts,
participating in any relevant audit review, and engaging in post-audit activities.

6. Work with the Director of Finance and Estates to set the annual budget and two-year forecast. To include: reviewing
activities and analysing income and expenditure.

7. Perform monthly payroll reconciliations and posting of monthly payroll journals and ongoing payroll forecast analysis.

8. Ensure financial records are accurate, complete, and compliant and that all finance information and records are
confidentially stored and processed in line with GDPR requirements.

9. Manage and ensure processing of quarterly VAT reporting (S126 Vat submissions).

10. Maintain the Fixed Asset Register and completing annual journal for depreciation.

11. Lead on the day-to-day management of the finance system (Sage), being the main point of contact for queries and
liaising with the Sage helpdesk where necessary

12. Financial management and oversight of College trips, ensuring all trips are financially viable and liaising with trip co-
ordinator when necessary.

13. To fulfil one’s own responsibilities as a member of staff in accordance with the quality standards of the College.

14. To act at all times in accordance with the College's Equality & Diversity policy.

15. To act at all times in accordance with the College's Safeguarding policy. Ensuring the safeguarding of students at the
College, recognising one’s own role in liaison with the designated safeguarding team.

16. To demonstrate an awareness and commitment to safeguarding, equality diversity and inclusion, health and safety and
data protection, in line with College policies.

17. To take part in the training programmes provided by the College and agree to the process of professional reviews.

18. To undertake any other particular duties, which may be reasonably assigned to you by the Director of Finance and
Estates or the Principal from time to time.

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Person Specification

Qualifications

Professional Accounting Qualifications (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CCAB, CIMA, CIPFA) or equivalent Essential

Experience

At least three years’ experience working within a finance department with line management
Essential

responsibility

Advanced user of Microsoft Word and Excel Essential

Working knowledge of financial software packages – the College uses SAGE for Education Essential

Personal Skills and Qualities

Excellent written and verbal communication skills – post holder with be required to liaise with
various members of staff within College and wider community including Heads of Year, SLT, Essential
students and parents

High level inter-personal skills and the ability to work as a member of a team Essential

Ability to be highly productive and work under pressure Essential

Have high levels of personal integrity, reliability, and trustworthiness Essential

Ability to seek continuous development and improvement and not be afraid to challenge the status
Essential

quo

Ambition and enthusiasm and a “can do” attitude Essential

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship at all levels whilst demonstrating a
Essential

flexible approach

Ability to effectively organise and manage own workload and that of others Essential

Able to enjoy working in an environment with 16-19 years olds and being part of the College
Essential

community

The following would also be desirable:

Experience of education finance Desirable

Knowledge of a range of Microsoft Office applications (i.e. Teams) Desirable

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