Financial Analyst

• Directorate: Finance & Corporate Services
• Location: Fairmount House, Leatherhead, KT22 7AH

Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

This role has a starting salary of £35,730 per annum based on a 36 hour working week. The position is offered as a fixed-term contract or secondment opportunity until March 2026.

We are excited to be hiring a new Finance Analyst to join our fantastic Schools Finance & Monitoring Team, currently based in Leatherhead. This role is open to hybrid working and as a team we split our time between working from home and collaborating together in any of Surrey's office base locations for two days per week.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Role

Surrey County Council is the largest employer in Surrey. Our organisation is split across a diverse range of directorates and services spanning the entire county. This Financial Analyst position sits within our Schools Finance & Monitoring Team within our Resources Directorate.

The council is responsible for the financial management of over 150 maintained schools with revenue and capital budgets totalling over £400m. The School Finance & Monitoring Team is responsible for monitoring the financial position of Surrey's maintained schools and ensuring appropriate action is undertaken to accurately account for and protect the finances of our schools and the county council.

The Financial Analyst role supports the team by undertaking financial monitoring and analysis of school budgets, statutory returns and benchmarking. This role works closely with both colleagues from within the team as well as those in our schools and other council services.

As a Finance Analyst within the School Finance & Monitoring Team, you can expect to be involved in the following:

• Communicating and building relationships with schools, council colleagues and other key stakeholders to promote and maintain strong levels of financial management
• Financial administration and management tasks, including journals and payments, through to bank reconciliation and budget forecasting
• Using finance systems such as Unit4
• Producing accurate financial reports and statistics, interpreting that data to identify trends and areas of risk
• Administering the timely receipt and upload of statutory finance returns from schools
• Administering school membership and claim payments for the Council's in-house staff cover scheme
• Contributing to the delivery of Directorate and council objectives

Although this role involves working as part of a team you will be given the tools to work independently and flexibly as the business needs, to allow you to deliver work to a high standard.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be shortlisted to interview your CV and personal statement (max: 2 sides of A4) should provide evidence, with examples where relevant, in the following areas:

• Sound practical experience of examining bank and trial balance reports to resolve reconciliation issues and certification of balances
• Ability to understand cashflow to support the delivery and timeliness of cash transfers to school bank accounts
• Ability to work directly with schools to resolve accounting issues and determine appropriate action to rectify discrepancies
• Ability to produce accurate reports and statistics
• Sound experience of advising stakeholders/schools in financial management procedures including an awareness of statutory guidance
• Ability to manage high workloads and work flexibly within a team
• Experience in using Excel at an advanced level

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. For an informal discussion please contact Sue English.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 26.01.2025, with interviews to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Our Values

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also attached provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.