Brand: The Education People
Role: Compliance Officer
Salary: £27,642 pro rata TTO +2weeks 29.6hrs per week
Location: Aylesford/ Hybrid

The Education People, a division of the Commercial Services Group, excels in delivering essential services that significantly impact the lives of children. With a team of specialists in various educational fields, they take pride in offering expert-driven services including safeguarding, equality and inclusion, financial management, and professional development, ensuring comprehensive support for educational institutions.

TEP’s Schools Financial Services team provide a range of traded, statutory, and discretionary services, alongside a robust compliance program. We ensure that schools are financially well-managed, empowering them to provide the best possible experience for their pupils and staff. By optimising financial resources, they help schools plan confidently for a brighter future.

The Role

The Schools Financial Services team is seeking a Statutory Officer to support schools with statutory services, budget monitoring, semi-annual returns, and account closures. In this pivotal role, you will ensure that the Local Authority's key financial controls are effectively implemented in schools. You will also support financial assessments for Headteacher recruitment and conduct Voluntary Fund audits. Join the team to make a significant impact on the financial integrity and future success of our educational institutions.

Please note, this is a part-time role and Term Time only plus 2 weeks (29.6 hours per week) and you will be expected to travel to schools across Kent once per week.

In return we will offer you:

• 25 days holiday rising to 30 for long service, plus bank holidays
• Cycle to work scheme
• Life assurance cover
• Access to Kent Rewards
• A culture of progression and development
• Flexible working arrangements

Key Duties:

• Undertake visits to schools to ensure compliance with financial procedures and other areas considered to be of risk. Review documentation, discuss findings with Headteachers and finance staff. Produce reports, making recommendations where necessary.
• Complete a follow-up of recommendations referring non-compliance to the Senior Statutory Officer.
• Provide support to schools in respect of statutory services, budget monitoring, half yearly returns and closure of accounts.
• Evaluate schools financial returns, identifying schools with excess funds and potential deficits, referring complex issues as required.
• Assist the Senior Statutory Officer in the planning and timing of the receipt of all financial returns from schools, assisting in the design and adaption of processes, as necessary.
• Support the financial testing for the recruitment of Headteachers.

What we need from you

• Financial experience working in a school finance department would be ideal
• Proficient use of IT including Microsoft Office packages, especially Excel
• A good understanding of national and local policies, financial
• controls and procedures
• Previous experience managing data
• Strong customer relationship skills
• Strong numerical literacy, research abilities, and analytical and interpretive skills
• Ability to travel to any school across Kent on a weekly basis
• Full UK driving licence and access to own vehicle

About Commercial Services Group

Commercial Services Group (CSG) is the largest, local authority-owned trading company (LATCO) in the UK, wholly owned by Kent County Council. CSG generates over £800m in revenue per annum and provides services to over 16,000 education and public sector customers globally.

CSG is striving to be recognised as the global leader in Education and Public Sector services, currently operating in 86 countries, with 1,800 staff across 29 trading brands, providing expertise ranging from: HR Services, IT Services, Energy, Education Resources, Procurement and many more.