Finance Assistant

Ditcham Park School is a unique, successful and thriving school situated in 16 acres of the beautiful South Downs National Park. We have 400+ pupils, aged 4 to 16 years who benefit from a caring and supportive ethos and relatively small classes. GCSE results are consistently impressive and the school was ranked 14^th best independent school, in category, in the country based on its GCSE results. Pupils of Ditcham Park School are proud of their vibrant learning community which is committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to discover their talents, realise their potential and become well rounded, socially responsible citizens in a school 'where every child is known and valued'., We are seeking an enthusiastic and hard-working Finance Assistant to join our team at Ditcham Park School. This is an ideal opportunity for someone at the beginning of their finance career, keen to gain hands-on experience in a busy and supportive independent school environment, or someone who is keen to continue their career in a more relaxed environment., Bank Transactions & Reconciliation

• Processing bank transactions, including Banklines and cash deposits.
• Managing petty cash reconciliations, including foreign currency, and arranging top-ups as required.
• Reconciling and posting company credit card transactions.
• Visiting the bank to deposit cash when required.
Accounts Payable Duties
• Handling the purchase ledger, including processing orders, scanning invoices, and Direct Debit transactions.
• Analysing accounts to create accruals and prepayments on a termly basis.
• Maintaining a working knowledge of VAT regulations, assisting with VAT returns and ensuring VAT compliance within accounts payable transactions.
Journal Entries & Month-End Support
• Posting financial journals, including the allocation of catering costs.
• Assisting with month-end and year-end closing processes.
Stakeholder & Parent Communication:
• Manage the accounts email inbox and respond professionally to enquiries.
• Responding to and actioning order requests from staff members.
Reporting, Analysis & Compliance
• Acting as the first point of contact for bursary-related surveys and census requirements.
• Supporting the Bursar and Deputy Bursar in school policy review process.
Expense Processing:
• Reviewing and processing employee expense claims, ensuring compliance with school policies.
  
  This could be a trainee position, suited to individuals with a keen interest in finance and a desire to learn. While formal qualifications are not essential, candidates should demonstrate a basic understanding of finance and have or be actively working toward an accounting qualification such as AAT, ACA, ACCA - or have some equivalent practical experience.