Schools Finance & Forum Officer

Overview

In this role you will support the statutory funding functions for schools across Lancashire, managing allocations and payments and providing accurate financial reporting. You will work within the Schools Statutory Team to ensure compliant processing and timely data-driven insights for schools and academies. The position offers hybrid working in Preston and a path for development within a collaborative, supportive team. You will contribute to continuous improvements in funding processes, systems, and reporting, shaping how education funding is administered at scale.

Pay / Benefits

• competitive salary
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• 26 days annual leave + bank holidays
• staff discount Vivup
• development and career opportunities

Responsibilities

• Manage and administer High Needs, Early Years, Schools, and Post-16 funding allocations and payments
• Calculate funding adjustments, redeterminations and backdated payments
• Produce and distribute funding statements, budgets and financial reports
• Monitor, reconcile and analyse funding streams for accuracy and compliance
• Maintain funding models, spreadsheets, databases and payment schedules
• Support year-end processes, statutory returns and audit requirements
• Liaise with schools, academies, providers and internal teams to resolve funding queries and gather data
• Investigate discrepancies and implement corrective actions
• Ensure accurate, timely and compliant processing of education funding
• Contribute to continuous improvement of funding processes, systems and reporting
• Handle a varied workload supporting statutory functions

Key requirements

• GCSEs or equivalent
• Experience in financial administration
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Good customer service skills
• Ability to work in a team and also independently without close supervision
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Word, and adaptability to new financial systems
• Self-motivated and well organized

• communication skills
• customer service
• teamworking
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• experience with financial systems

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