Job Description

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Based at St Martin's School, Brentwood, Essex (DET Central Team office)

25 hours per week, all year round (working days to be discussed at interview - minimum 4 days)

Essex Scale 6 (pt 14-18):£31,268 - 33,331 * FTE inc. Fringe Allowance

Actual salary: £21,127 - £22,521* inc. Fringe Allowance

*based on Essex Schools Pay Scales 2026/27

We are looking for an enthusiastic and reliable Finance Officer to become an integral part of our Trust team, supporting our schools and colleagues with high-quality financial administration and advice.

Working as part of our central Finance team, you will play an important role in ensuring the Trust's financial processes are accurate, timely, well controlled and compliant with our financial procedures. You will be responsible for a varied range of financial duties, including processing BACS payments, completing bank reconciliations, managing sales ledger transactions and processing income receipts.

You will also maintain accurate financial records within IRIS Financials, support month-end and year-end processes, and contribute to the preparation of audit documentation and statutory returns. A key part of the role will be helping to maintain effective internal financial controls and a clear audit trail, ensuring that financial transactions are appropriately authorised, accurately recorded and securely documented.

We are looking for someone who is organised, detail-focused and able to manage competing priorities, with a commitment to providing a responsive and professional service. You will need to communicate confidently with colleagues across our central team and academies, respond effectively to routine financial queries and use your initiative when resolving issues or identifying matters that need to be escalated.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working as part of a collaborative team and who takes pride in delivering accurate, efficient and high-quality financial support. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the effective financial management of the Trust and support our academies in delivering the best possible outcomes for our pupils.

Please note that this is a year-round post (not a term-time position).

Information about the School

Discovery Educational Trust, formed in 2014, is a successful and established multi-academy trust based in South Essex, comprising just under 4000 pupils and 500 staff, across 5 schools.

Our schools are:

• Chase High School (Westcliff-on-Sea)
• St. Martin's School (Brentwood)
• Hogarth Primary School (Brentwood)
• Kelvedon Hatch Community Primary School (Brentwood)
• Larchwood Primary School (Brentwood)

We aim for each of our schools to become the school of choice within the community, offering a broad and exciting range of extracurricular activities to enhance the opportunities within their formal curriculum.

Our vision is that strong and effective leadership places our children and young people at the heart of everything we do. We value relationships, which are open and honest, underpinned by kindness, trustworthiness and compassion.

We offer ongoing training and professional development for all staff in a supportive and collaborative environment.

We offer the following benefits for employees:

• Pension scheme - also automatically includes Life Assurance
• Generous Referral Bonus for employees who refer quality candidates to join Discovery Educational Trust
• Two-week October half term (term time staff)
• Employee savings and discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme – free confidential wellbeing support for employees and dependants
• Mental Health First Aiders – we have qualified MHFA England trainers within the Trust and continue to add to our pool of trained MHFAs
• Bike2Work scheme
• Ongoing training and professional development in a supportive and collaborative environment
• Gifted Service Leave for long service
• Health Cash plan to support with every day healthcare costs – e.g. dental, optical, physiotherapy. Includes Virtual GP service

As an equal opportunities employer, Discovery Educational Trust is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age; disability; gender re-assignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race (which includes ethnic origin, nationality and ethnic or national origins); religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Discovery Educational Trust.

Discovery Educational Trust is committed to safeguarding our pupils against radicalisation and extremism and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

In compliance with safer recruitment procedures and guidelines, all applications must be made on an application form, CVs will not be accepted. It is an offence to apply for a role if barred from regulated activity. This appointment will be subject to pre-employment checks including an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service and satisfactory references. Please note that online checks will also be carried out.

We welcome prospective applicants to arrange either a visit to the school/trust, or an informal telephone conversation, prior to submitting an application. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the role and our school community. Please email us to arrange (recruitment@discoveryeducationaltrust.co.uk).