Principal Finance Officer SchoolsCouncil

Job Introduction

Principal Finance Officer Schools

Local Government Education and Schools Finance is facing significant changes and challenges, including the Government’s national Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) transformation, changes to the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and wider changes to formula funding / grant arrangements. The changes and challenges that schools face in managing their delegated budgets are also significant.

We require a Principal Finance Officer to work in the Council’s School Funding Team. This is a great opportunity to make a real contribution by supporting the Council and Schools to deliver change and meet these challenges. Bradford Finance has recently undergone significant investment. The Schools Funding Team is a small team that plays a crucial role in managing Schools and Education Finance for Bradford Council, in delivering statutory finance functions, as well as supporting and challenging schools in the Bradford District in their financial management. This role is an opportunity to make a real difference in our vibrant and diverse city.

The post holder will:

• Ensure that correct accounting procedures and policies are followed by maintained schools. Provide professional advice and guidance to schools in line with Council and Department for Education policies.
• Manage the Council’s statutory school finance processes, including year-end closedown and Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR), ensuring that all elements of these processes, and statutory returns, are completed according to deadlines.
• Oversee the management of local school bank accounts and Council ledger (SAP) reconciliation, including the closure of accounts for maintained schools that convert to academy status.
• Deliver designated elements of the Local Authority’s annual Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) scheme of funding for schools and early years, interpreting and modeling large volumes of complex information and consulting on funding proposals, working with stakeholder review groups.
• Present DSG formula funding, and other school finance matters, to a variety of audiences, including Bradford Schools’ Forum.
• Undertake detailed analysis of income and expenditure monitoring reports submitted by maintained schools, taking appropriate (risk-based) follow up action.
• Ensure maintained schools adhere to protocols where deficit balances and excess surplus balances are reported.
• Participate in the delivery of training to school staff (Governors, Business Managers, Headteachers).
• Build and maintain good working relationships with school finance managers e.g. through attendance at Business Manager Forum meetings.
• Manage and develop designated Senior Finance Officers in the discharge of their daily duties.
• Lead within the School Funding Team on the delivery of excellent service to customers, communicating in an informed confident, polite and understanding manner with all clients and customers showing professionalism and high standards of integrity.

We are looking for a financial manager who has excellent IT skills as well as proven analytical, problem solving and time management skills, who is attentive to detail and who inspires confidence. The ideal candidate will relish the challenge of working in busy, but friendly, team. You should hold a professional finance qualification or degree. You should have experience of working in a finance environment in a senior position and, ideally, experience in an education-based finance role in a school, academy or Local Authority.

How to Apply

The application deadline is Friday 13 November 2026. Interviews will be held between 26 and 30 November 2026 in person. This will consist of a panel interview and a discussion exercise, which will be provided on the day.

If you are interested in joining our team and would like some further information, please contact

• Andrew Redding, Strategic Finance Manager [email protected] 07582 103477
• Sharon Hammond, Finance Manager [email protected] 07483 910083

Further information is available through the links below, along with the attached Job Profile and Candidate Information Pack.

Statement of Accounts 2025-26

Budget Meeting of the Council March 2026

Bradford Schools Online

Bradford Schools Forum

Employee Offer

Why work for Bradford Council? Find out why by taking a look at Our Employee Offer.pdf .

Equal Opportunities

We do not discriminate against any applicant or employee directly or indirectly on the grounds of gender, marital status, gender re-assignment, pregnancy, sexual orientation, disability, race, colour, ethnic background, religion or belief, nationality or age. And, as an equal opportunities employer, the Council strives to employ the best qualified people from a diverse range of applicants.

The RESPECT Allyship Programme is available to all staff, which offers the opportunity to learn more about the diverse communities & groups and provides added benefits and resources to its members.

Attached documents

• JP Principal Finance Officer Schools.pdf
• Department of Finance Candidate Information Pack.pdf

Apply

Position type: Permanent