Assistant Finance Associate - Grace Schools, Grace Building, 8 High Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4JU

Grace Schools

is seeking to appoint an

Assistant Finance Associate

35 hours per week

Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm

Hybrid working is available

Salary:  Point 13-17 (ÂŁ29,064 - ÂŁ31,022)

Commencing as soon as possible

Driving license required

Location:  The post involves travel to Grace Schools in the Cambridgeshire & South Cambridgeshire area and other Trust locations as required. The main office base is in Ely with attendance at the Ely office required once per week. 

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Finance Team within Grace schools.   It is an opportunity for a candidate to gain experience within a large Multi-Academy Trust, develop their career and make a real difference to the schools. 

The Assistant Finance Associate plays a key role in supporting schools across the Trust, acting as a trusted first point of contact for finance-related advice and guidance. Working closely with Headteachers and senior leaders, you will provide valuable management information, financial support, and practical solutions to help schools make informed decisions and achieve their goals.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with financial understanding, a proactive approach, and a passion for supporting education. The role requires communication and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

At Grace schools, we are committed to developing our staff. You will receive ongoing support, training, and professional development opportunities to help you grow your knowledge and progress into a Finance Associate role, building a rewarding career within our Trust.

 â€ŻThe successful applicant will: 

·      Have generalist finance experience in some or all of these key areas – financial planning, monthly reporting and analysis, and balance sheet reviews 

·      Have experience of working in a team 

·      Be able to develop good working relationships. 

·      Be resilient and be able to prioritise and set clear priorities in managing their workload. 

·      Have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate well at all levels. 

·      Must be able to drive, hold a valid driving licence and be prepared to travel to our schools. 

Welcome to DEMAT (soon to be Grace Schools) 

It is an exciting time to join us as we move into the next era of the Trust as DEMAT becomes Grace Schools in September.

Grace Schools represents our commitment to the founding principles established by the Diocese of Ely and the unique position we have supporting church schools.

We are a large multi-academy trust which consists of 38 primary academies and approximately 7,000 pupils.  Grace Schools exists to create the foundations to build successful futures. Our pupils deserve educational excellence, and we are committed to delivering that entitlement to ensure all our students secure the knowledge, confidence, and expertise to succeed in their later lives.    

We recognise the importance of continually improving the quality of education across our schools. As a result, we invest in developing our curriculum, teaching, and wider provision to ensure these improvements are realised and sustained. Our schools give children the chance to learn, know and lead in a happy and inclusive environment. Most importantly, we provide them with a firm foundation for the future and the opportunity to succeed. 

We are especially proud of the recognition given to the Trust when we were awarded MAT of the Year at the 2024 National Schools Awards. This award is testament to the hard work and dedication of our whole staff team and the high-quality provision they offer to all the children who attend our schools. 

Our website will be updating to www.graceschools.org.uk in August.  Further information about our name change can be found here:  https://www.demat.org.uk/

If we sound like your perfect match, then we would love to hear from you! In order to be considered please complete a full application on My New Term 

In return we can offer you  

 ·      27 days plus bank holidays as annual leave (FTE)

 ·      GP 24/7 service and access to an online health and wellbeing hub 

·      Access to our Employee Assistance Programme 

 ·      Cycle to Work Scheme 

 ·      Access to Eyecare Vouchers 

 ·      Discount Schemes 

·      A number of pension options are available including the local government pension scheme

·      Friendly and close-knit team 

·      A commitment to on-going professional development 

·      Inclusive policies and practices 

For more information on the role, please see the attached job description and person specification or contact the Recruitment Team on: recruitment@demat.org.uk 

Safer Recruitment

The Diocese of Ely Multi Academy Trust (DEMAT) is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants.  We aim to create a supportive and inclusive working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit. 

We do not discriminate against staff based on age, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religious or political belief or affiliation, trade union membership, gender, gender reassignment, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, disability, socio-economic background or any other inappropriate distinction or characteristic covered by the Equality Act 2010.

DEMAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. Please be aware that all shortlisted candidates will have an online search conducted as part of DEMATs due diligence checks in line with KCSIE.