Job Description
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Finance and Compliance Leader
Part-time: 20 hours per week - Term time only + one week + 4 governing body meetings per year (working pattern by mutual agreement)
Salary: Scale 8 pt25-28 (FTE pro‑rata £36,363-£39,152)
Closing date: 12pm Friday 12 June
An exciting opportunity to join a warm, values-driven Church of England primary school as our next Finance and Compliance Leader. If you are a highly organised, personable and proactively curious finance professional who enjoys making a positive difference to a small school community, we would love to hear from you.
About Radwinter CofE Primary School
Radwinter is a caring, rural Voluntary Aided Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Chelmsford. Our Christian vision - "Growing and learning together to embrace life in all its fullness" (John 10:10) - underpins everything we do. We are a small, friendly school where every child is known, supported and encouraged to flourish. As one pupil put it: "You'll never be lonely here. It doesn't matter what you look like. You can believe in anything you want. Everyone is accepted."
We are currently over‑subscribed with 140 children on roll in five mixed-age and single-year classes, and are working strategically to grow to our number on roll to 150 so that we can sustain our staffing and class structure. We value inclusion and are proud that our provision for pupils with SEND was described by Ofsted (April 2024) as "impressive".
Our priorities are focused on consistency and quality across the curriculum, behaviour and attendance, personal development, leadership and management, church school distinctiveness, administration and finance, early years and safeguarding.
About the role
Reporting to the Headteacher and working closely with governors and the Senior Leadership Team, you will operate, maintain and develop the school's financial systems and compliance processes. This is a pivotal post that blends financial management with premises, catering, personnel and administrative oversight - ideal for someone who enjoys variety and making a tangible impact.
Key responsibilities include:
Managing day‑to‑day financial procedures, bank reconciliations, budgeting and financial reporting to governors and leaders.
Preparing statutory returns and supporting annual budget planning and long‑term financial forecasting.
Overseeing premises management, contractor arrangements and site maintenance planning.
Leading our catering function, including budget monitoring and line management of catering staff.
Managing personnel administration, payroll liaison, recruitment checks and confidential staff records.
Acting as System Manager for our administrative network and ensuring data protection and freedom of information compliance.
Supporting income generation through meal uptake, extracurricular clubs and holiday provision, and improving administrative efficiency (including maximising Arbor usage).
You will be supported by an approachable leadership team and engaged governing body in a school that values creativity, inclusion and continuous improvement.
About you - the ideal candidate
We are looking for someone who can combine technical skill with warmth, discretion and a commitment to our ethos. You will be someone who:
Has demonstrable experience of school or public‑sector finance or equivalent financial management experience.
Can produce clear, accurate budgets, reconciliations and financial reports and translate these into practical actions.
Is confident managing payroll processes, purchasing, contracts and insurance matters.
Is highly organised, methodical and able to manage competing priorities with calm and diplomacy.
Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong working relationships with staff, governors, parents and external partners.
Shows a commitment to inclusion and safeguarding and understands the importance of confidentiality and data protection.
Is open to continuous professional development and contributing to whole‑school improvement.
You do not need to be a qualified accountant to apply; practical experience, strong IT skills and a collaborative approach are equally important.
What we offer
A welcoming, close‑knit school community where your contribution will be highly visible and valued.
Opportunities to lead on whole‑school administrative and financial improvements with clear impact.
Strong local governance and a supportive Headteacher committed to staff development.
Flexible working pattern by mutual agreement to suit the role's part‑time nature.
Professional development aligned to our school priorities and your role responsibilities.
Visits to the school are warmly welcomed and encouraged.
How to apply
Please apply via Essex Jobs in Schools and submit:
The completed application form, and
A covering letter outlining how you meet the job description and person specification.
Send queries or arrange a visit by contacting:
Emily Bartram, Headteacher -head@radwinter.essex.sch.uk
Radwinter CofE Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Appointments will be subject to satisfactory references and DBS checks.
Information about the School
Growing and learning together to embrace life in all its fullness.
In the life of our school, this means that we provide a caring, happy and secure environment where every child feels valued and can flourish. It reflects a Christian understanding that God's love is for everyone recognising that every child has individual talents, needs and a worthy contribution to make.