Internal Audit and Financial Accounting Officer
| Posting date: | 12 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 05 January 2026 |
| Location: | Sutton, Not recorded, SM1 1DA |
| Company: | Teaching Vacancies |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 838fbdf7-6400-4d14-aa58-af21bc6c05e3 |
Summary
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are looking for an Internal Audit & Financial Accounting Officer to support the Head of Financial Accounting in producing statutory financial reports, managing audit requirements, and delivering high-quality information for senior leaders and external agencies. You will also lead the coordination of internal audit activities across the College and Trust, helping to ensure strong financial governance and compliance.
Key Responsibilities:
• Financial Accounting Support - Assist in the preparation of year-end financial statements, VAT returns, reconciliations, and other key balance sheet accounts, providing day-to-day support to the finance team and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and tax regulations.
• Audit Coordination - Lead the planning and coordination of internal and external audit activities, preparing required documentation, supporting auditors, and maintaining audit trackers and reports for senior finance staff and committees.
• Internal Controls & Compliance - Develop and monitor internal audit plans, perform routine checks across schools and centres, provide guidance on policies and procedures, and support fraud prevention and risk management initiatives.
• Reporting & Risk Monitoring - Prepare financial returns, track performance against internal audit KPIs, review risk registers, and highlight emerging issues or risks to senior finance colleagues and Audit & Risk Committees.
• General Duties & Development - Carry out tasks as requested by senior finance staff, maintain confidentiality, comply with organisational policies, and participate in training and professional development.
Key Requirements:
• Professional finance qualification or relevant experience with strong accounting knowledge.
• Experience in financial reporting and statutory accounts, including reconciliations, VAT, and audit processes.
• Knowledge of internal audit processes and compliance, with the ability to coordinate audits, monitor controls, and support risk management.
• Strong analytical and organisational skills, with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to work collaboratively with finance teams, auditors, school staff, and senior leadership.
• Willingness to travel to multiple academy sites as required
What the school offers its staff
OHC&AT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
Rewards & Benefits:
• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
We are looking for an Internal Audit & Financial Accounting Officer to support the Head of Financial Accounting in producing statutory financial reports, managing audit requirements, and delivering high-quality information for senior leaders and external agencies. You will also lead the coordination of internal audit activities across the College and Trust, helping to ensure strong financial governance and compliance.
Key Responsibilities:
• Financial Accounting Support - Assist in the preparation of year-end financial statements, VAT returns, reconciliations, and other key balance sheet accounts, providing day-to-day support to the finance team and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and tax regulations.
• Audit Coordination - Lead the planning and coordination of internal and external audit activities, preparing required documentation, supporting auditors, and maintaining audit trackers and reports for senior finance staff and committees.
• Internal Controls & Compliance - Develop and monitor internal audit plans, perform routine checks across schools and centres, provide guidance on policies and procedures, and support fraud prevention and risk management initiatives.
• Reporting & Risk Monitoring - Prepare financial returns, track performance against internal audit KPIs, review risk registers, and highlight emerging issues or risks to senior finance colleagues and Audit & Risk Committees.
• General Duties & Development - Carry out tasks as requested by senior finance staff, maintain confidentiality, comply with organisational policies, and participate in training and professional development.
Key Requirements:
• Professional finance qualification or relevant experience with strong accounting knowledge.
• Experience in financial reporting and statutory accounts, including reconciliations, VAT, and audit processes.
• Knowledge of internal audit processes and compliance, with the ability to coordinate audits, monitor controls, and support risk management.
• Strong analytical and organisational skills, with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to work collaboratively with finance teams, auditors, school staff, and senior leadership.
• Willingness to travel to multiple academy sites as required
What the school offers its staff
OHC&AT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
Rewards & Benefits:
• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.