Priestley College

Finance Officer

As a proud member of The Challenge Academy Trust (TCAT), Priestley College is a thriving and well-established 16-19 academy located in the heart of Warrington. The College works collaboratively with local schools to drive educational excellence and improve outcomes for all young people in Warrington. Priestley is recognised for its inclusive culture, high-quality teaching, strong student motivation, and ambitious, well-planned curriculum.

Reporting directly to the Principal, you will supervise the College’s day-to-day finance operations to ensure timely and efficient workflows. You will support the Cluster Finance Manager with reporting key data for higher level budget tracking and forecasting. You will ensure the finance office provides high quality customer service including effectively communicating with all stakeholders (e.g. budget holders, suppliers, staff and parent queries).

 Key Responsibilities

• Manage all day‑to‑day finance operations, including transaction processing, purchase orders, invoicing, supplier payments, credit control and banking
• Produce financial reports for budget holders and senior leaders, ensuring accurate and timely information is available
• Handle supplier, staff and parent queries, maintain strong supplier relationships, and resolve issues to prevent service disruption
• Oversee key financial processes such as petty cash, study‑visit income/expenditure, banking of official monies, and non‑public funds accounts
• Support audits, year‑end processes, financial compliance, and act as a key point of contact for the Trust Cluster Finance Manager
• Line manage Finance Assistants, improve administrative processes, communicate financial procedure changes, and represent the Finance Office at key meetings

Qualifications, Experience & Skills:

• Formal accountancy qualification (AAT Level 3) or qualified through experience.
• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (Grades A*-C / 9-4) or equivalent including Maths & English
• Experience of processing purchase orders, invoices, handling & processing cash

 Why Join Us?

• Be part of a forward-thinking and ambitious College with a strong commitment to educational and operational excellence.
• Opportunity to shape the financial future of a growing organisation.
• Collaborative and supportive working environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.