Finance Assistant
Salary: £29,000 to £35,000
Southwest London
Full Time, Permanent
Onsite parking
A well-established and financially healthy Independent School in Southwest London is recruiting a graduate calibre Finance Assistant to join the finance team on a permanent basis, reporting directly to the Finance Manager.
This is a fantastic opportunity for an early-career finance professional who is AAT Level 2 or 3 qualified (or currently studying) and looking to broaden their experience across all areas of a busy school finance function. Ideally, you will have two or more years’ experience within a school or charitable environment and be keen to continue developing your finance career within a supportive and collaborative setting.
The role offers the opportunity to be part of a close-knit and professional community. The school is well-run, values-driven and committed to excellence, providing a stable and structured environment where you can build strong technical foundations. The Finance Manager is supportive and keen to develop the skills of the team, offering exposure to a wide range of finance responsibilities including billing, ledger management, payroll support and audit preparation.
Conveniently located in Southwest London with parking, the school benefits from excellent local transport links and a vibrant high street nearby, offering a variety of cafés, restaurants and shops.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to gain broad, hands-on experience across transactional finance, management accounts support and audit preparation within a respected independent school environment.
Responsibilities of the Finance Assistant:
School Fee Billing & Income Processing
• Prepare and reconcile data to support termly school fee billing.
• Maintain accurate pupil billing records within the School’s finance and MIS systems.
• Collect and process Direct Debit mandates for new joiners.
• Prepare termly and monthly Direct Debit files in line with agreed timetables.
• Reconcile fee income and investigate discrepancies.
• Support credit control processes where required.
Purchase Ledger & Payments
• Process supplier invoices accurately and in a timely manner.
• Maintain purchase ledger records and reconcile supplier statements.
• Process staff expense claims and credit card returns.
• Process supplier Direct Debits.
• Assist with the weekly supplier payment run ensuring appropriate approvals are in place.
Fixed Assets (as required)
• Maintain and update the Fixed Asset Register.
• Record additions, disposals and depreciation schedules.
• Assist with periodic asset verification exercises.
Payroll Support (as required)
• Assist with preparation of payroll data including joiners, leavers and variable payments.
• Support payroll reconciliations and reporting.
• Maintain payroll records in line with statutory requirements.
Budget & Management Accounts Support
• Support budget holders in reviewing expenditure against budget.
• Assist with preparation of data for monthly management accounts.
• Respond to routine finance queries from staff.
Audit & Compliance
• Assist in the preparation of year-end audit files and schedules.
• Collate documentation for external auditors.
• Ensure finance processes comply with school policies and internal controls.
Skills and Experience of the Finance Assistant:
• AAT Level 2 or 3 (or currently studying towards).
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Two or more years’ finance experience, ideally within a school or charity.
• Experience using accounting software.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Excellent numerical and analytical skills.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.
• Discreet, professional and able to handle confidential information.
• Confident communication skills and ability to work with non-finance colleagues.
Desirable:
• Experience of Direct Debit processing.
• Understanding of basic payroll processes.
Experience working in a school or charitable environment.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a respected Independent School and develop your finance career in a broad and varied role. The position offers stability, professional development and exposure to all aspects of a well-managed finance function.