Early Years Funding Payments & Monitoring Officer

Description

Early Years Education: Funding, Payments and Monitoring Officer

Hackney Education| Full-Time | DBS Required

£226.18 to £232.28 Day Rate - Umbrella Rate

Are you an analytical, solutions-focused professional with a passion for ensuring every child gets the best start in life? Do you excel at managing complex financial processes and turning data into actionable insights?

Hackney Education is looking for a proactive and experienced Early Years Entitlement Funding, Payments and Monitoring Officer to manage the vital financial mechanisms that support free childcare for thousands of children in our borough. This is a chance to step into a leadership role where your expertise will directly impact the quality and delivery of early education.

The Role: Your Impact

As our Officer, you will be crucial to the effective delivery of the government's free childcare entitlement schemes, including funding for 2, 3, and 4-year-olds, the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), and Disability Access Fund (DAF).

You'll be a key player in ensuring financial accuracy and compliance across our extensive network of early years providers-from schools to childminders.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Management & Payments: Oversee the day-to-day management and integrity of the termly payments process for all early entitlement funding schemes, ensuring timely and accurate payments to providers.

Data & Compliance: Conduct the termly data collection and validation process, working with our Synergy database to ensure data quality and statutory compliance with the DfE Early Years Census and data quality standards.

Monitoring & Assurance: Support the scheduling of financial monitoring visits and produce high-quality financial and performance reports for internal and external evaluation.

Support & Leadership: Line-manage the Funding and Monitoring Team Administrators and provide essential guidance and support to early years providers to help them submit claims accurately and efficiently.

Problem-Solving: Proactively anticipate and identify issues, bringing a solutions-focused approach to ensure all processes dovetail smoothly across Hackney Council.

Who We're Looking For

You are a highly organised individual with strong analytical skills and a proven track record in financial or performance management.

Essential Skills & Experience:

Financial/Data Expertise: Proven experience using spreadsheets and databases to manipulate complex data, produce accurate management information, and ensure data integrity.

Policy Knowledge: Experience in interpreting central government policy for a local context, with knowledge of the free entitlement for 2, 3, & 4-year-olds a distinct advantage.

Leadership & Communication: Excellent communication skills to effectively liaise with providers, other council teams, and line-manage administrators.

A Solid Foundation: You must have 3 years' experience in a performance management/information analysis or financial management setting. Experience of working with schools or the voluntary sector is highly desirable.

Why Join Hackney Education?

We offer a supportive environment where you will be encouraged to take responsibility for your professional development. You will be part of a team dedicated to reflecting best practice and adhering to all relevant financial and statutory regulations. You will be working at an Operational Leadership level, with a direct reporting structure to the Payment and Monitoring Team Manager.

If you are ready to take on a role that combines financial rigor, data analysis, and meaningful support for early years providers, we want to hear from you!

Ready to make a difference? Apply now!

Commercial Services Trading Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy

Ad ID: 5417293469