About the Mercian Trust

The Mercian Trust was incorporated in January 2018 and governs nine secondary schools, including selective grammar schools, large comprehensives, an alternative provision free school and a studio school. Six of the Trust’s schools are located in Walsall: Queen Mary’s High School, Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Walsall Studio School, The Ladder School, Aldridge School, and Shire Oak Academy. Three of our schools; Q3 Tipton, Q3 Langley and Q3 Great Barr, are located in Sandwell.

Trust ethos & values

Our name is rooted in history and expresses a geographical identity and ambition. The ancient kingdom of Mercia encompassed much of what we now recognise as the West Midlands – and crucially for us it included what we now call the Black Country. It was in Mercia that St Chad established an association of small monasteries which fostered unity through bonds of kinship.

Now, a thousand years later, we look to demonstrate the same spirit in our approach. We are a family of schools committed to each other – diverse in nature, proud custodians of our history and success, but together, one charitable Trust with a common purpose.

Our Trust exists to equip our students to live life to the full.

Our mission is increasing opportunities and improving outcomes to enable our students to:

• Realise their potential.
• Thrive in the world of work.
• Make a positive contribution to the local, national and international community.

 Our values are:

• Excellence and Rigour
• Challenge and Support
• Safety and Wellbeing
• Acceptance and Applause

Mission Statement:
https://www.themerciantrust.org/#our_mission

Purpose of the Role:
To provide efficient and effective transactional support to the Centralised Finance team, ensuring the accurate and timely processing of financial transactions while delivering excellent service to suppliers, staff, and students.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Transaction Processing:
   • Process regular and ad hoc financial transactions within the organization's financial system, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial policies and procedures.
   • Review and verify transaction details to maintain data integrity.
2. Query Management:
   • Respond to queries from suppliers, staff, and students in a professional, courteous, and timely manner.
   • Resolve issues efficiently, escalating complex queries to the appropriate team members or management when necessary.
3. Support for Financial Accuracy:
   • Ensure all transactions are recorded and processed promptly to maintain the accuracy of financial records.
   • Identify and correct discrepancies in financial data to support accurate reporting.
4. Collaboration and Teamwork:
   • Work collaboratively with the Centralised Finance team to support overall department objectives.
   • Provide assistance during audits or financial reviews by supplying requested documentation or information.
5. Compliance and Best Practices:
   • Adhere to organizational policies, financial regulations, and best practices in all aspects of the role.
   • Stay updated on any changes in financial processes or systems to ensure compliance.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for handling queries professionally.
• Proficiency in financial systems and software, with the ability to quickly learn new tools.
• Good organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively.
• A collaborative and proactive approach to problem-solving.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Experience in a finance-related role or a strong understanding of financial processes.
• Familiarity with financial systems and transaction processing.
• Knowledge of financial regulations and compliance is desirable but not essential.

This role is essential in ensuring the smooth operation of financial processes within the organization and supports the broader goals of the Centralised Finance team.

Closing Date: Friday 24^th January 2025 at 09:00am

Interview Date: Wednesday 29^th January 2025 (TBC)

The Mercian MAT Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment Policies can be found on our website.

This position is subject to appropriate vetting procedures including a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) which will require you to disclose details of all unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions as part of the recruitment process.