School Accountant

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced School Accountant to join a well-established and highly regarded independent school. This role plays a key part in ensuring the effective day-to-day financial management of the school, supporting the Bursar and senior leadership team with high-quality financial reporting, compliance, and operational finance oversight. You will act as a trusted finance professional, contributing to the school’s financial stability and supporting strategic decision-making through accurate reporting, robust controls, and strong financial governance. This is a broad and hands-on role, covering management accounts, payroll, pensions, compliance, and audit processes. Role Information: • Job title: School Accountant • Department: Finance • Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 • Location: Essex (on-site) Key Responsibilities: Financial Management & Reporting • Prepare monthly management accounts for the Bursar and Governors, including supporting analysis. • Produce cashflow forecasts and fee income calculations to support financial planning. • Prepare quarterly accounts for bank covenant compliance and other reporting requirements. • Support financial decision-making through analysis of performance and key financial drivers. Statutory Accounts & Audit • Lead on year-end processes, including preparation of draft financial statements. • Manage external audit processes for the school and its subsidiaries. • Assist with statutory returns including Companies House and Charity Commission filings. Compliance & Financial Controls • Ensure compliance with VAT, Gift Aid, and relevant financial regulations. • Maintain and monitor robust financial controls and procedures across the organisation. • Ensure data integrity, confidentiality, and GDPR compliance within financial systems. Payroll & Pensions • Oversee end-to-end payroll processing, ensuring accuracy and compliance with HMRC regulations (PAYE, NI, RTI). • Manage statutory payments (SSP, SMP, etc.) and year-end payroll reporting (P60s, P11Ds). • Administer pension schemes, including contributions, reporting, and auto-enrolment compliance. • Act as the main point of contact for payroll and pension queries. Stakeholder Engagement & Continuous Improvement • Work closely with the Bursar, senior leadership, and external stakeholders including auditors and HMRC. • Identify opportunities to improve financial systems, processes, and reporting. • Contribute to wider school projects and financial initiatives as required. Candidate Profile: • Qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA, CIMA or CIPFA) • Strong experience in management accounting, audit, payroll, and financial compliance • Proven experience managing payroll and pension administration • Understanding of charity accounting standards (Charities SORP, Companies Act requirements) • Excellent attention to detail and ability to work to tight deadlines • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work across all levels • Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively This vacancy will be actively shortlisted, so early applications are encouraged to avoid missing out. Venn Group is an equal opportunities employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates.