ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
THE SCHOOL
Fettes College is a leading HMC co educational boarding and day school close to the heart of Edinburgh. It has a strong tradition of academic, sporting and cultural excellence underpinned by outstanding pastoral care. Fettes opened its doors in 1870 and became fully co educational in 1980: it is now an independent school of some 780 students. There are ~590 students in the Senior School (13 18 years) and ~190 students in the Preparatory School (7 13 years). The academic staff in the College consists of the Head and ~90 members of the Common Room. Our Prep School shares the same site and consists of a further ~30 teaching staff.
The school stands on a magnificent site of 100 acres, but still within walking distance of Edinburgh’s city centre. The historic main building holds the Chapel, Library, the English, Classics and History Departments as well as the Medical Centre and two boarding houses. A large purpose built teaching block (the Spens Building) houses Art, Modern Languages, Mathematics, Economics, Geography, and Music. The Theatre, Science Laboratories and Dining Hall are adjacent. The Preparatory School and seven further boarding houses (including Craigleith, a purpose built U6th House) are also on the campus. Our sports facilities (including extensive playing fields, two all weather pitches and a private Health Club) are excellent.
As well as our teaching staff we employ over 220 Operational Staff across many departments, including Estates, Security, Housekeeping, Finance, Admissions and Marketing with a pervading sense of community amongst staff, students and parents alike.
THE AIMS OF THE COLLEGE
Fettes College will ensure that our students:
• Feel valued and respected as individuals
• Receive the highest possible quality of education, engaging them in rigorous and relevant opportunities in a dynamic curriculum that creates lifelong learners
• Feel safe, have a sense of personal worth, are thoughtful and considerate of the needs of others, while possessing a willingness to take on responsibility
• Are encouraged to stretch and challenge themselves
• Develop a sense of self confidence, integrity, emotional resilience, loyalty, good manners, leadership skills and teamwork
• Value a sense of community
• Are surrounded by inspirational caring staff
• Feel represented and are provided with equal opportunities regardless of gender, identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity or religion.
The Vision and Context
Fettes College’s vision and strategy (Fettes Moving Forward: A place to live. A place to learn. A place to grow.) are founded on the four key strands of learning, wellbeing, our community and our people, each of which is integral to the ongoing success and growth of the school. There are many parts to all these strands, including the design of a curriculum for the future, further broadening our engagement in and with the local community and, of course, our steadfast belief in promoting a full boarding ethos but crucial to each in some way is the improvement and/or development of facilities to allow the vision to be fully realised.
This is therefore an extraordinarily exciting time for Fettes College as it embarks on the delivery of our Head’s new vision for the school, which includes a very significant and ambitious facilities development programme over the next 5 to 7 years through a combination of new debt facilities, internal resources and philanthropy. A recently approved funding facility is now available to support those key projects and it is critical that the financial reporting is accurate and timely to allow the Bursar to oversee and manage that facility.
Finally, Fettes College has just concluded a significant restructure of its constitution, originally established as a body corporate under statute in 1870. The new entity, a company limited by guarantee and also a charity, represents a much more modern approach to governance whilst retaining elements of the original Trust scheme under which it was originally created. This, coupled with the need to fully embed a new accounting system, offers an exciting opportunity for the right individual to make a real impact on the operational efficiency and success of Fettes College.
THE ROLE
The role of Assistant Accountant at Fettes is a new one, assisting the Management Accountant in the preparation of management accounts and other reports as required whilst applying general accounting procedures and practices within the businesses. The role supports the Management Accountant to aid senior management with decision making.
Specifically, the role provides support for the preparation and presentation of financial reports to senior management to give an insight into business performance. The reports are used to aid with business strategy and in decision making within the business.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
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Assisting in the preparation, review and posting of monthly journals such as accruals, prepayments and depreciation for Fettes College and its subsidiaries and the Fettes Foundation
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Assisting in the preparation of monthly management accounts
• Assisting with year end procedures and the annual audit process
• Assisting with preparation of VAT returns
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Providing general assistance and support to the Management Accountant and providing cover for accounts team colleagues where necessary
• Contributing to the continuous improvement of the processes, internal controls and performance of the finance function
• Other ad hoc duties as/when required
PERSON SPECIFICATION
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Relevant experience coupled with a formal qualification is highly desirable.
• Flexibility to accommodate the fluctuations in workload at certain points in the cycle
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to pay attention to detail, with a professional approach to their work and respect the confidential nature of financial information
• Must be used to working with MS Excel daily “ expert user
• Ability to identify ways in which processes can be improved
• Highly organised and able to prioritise workload
BENEFITS
The remuneration package will be competitive and will, to an extent, depend on the experience of the successful candidate. The position is a full time one with 6 weeks paid holiday and the hours of work are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm with an hour for lunch, but the nature of the role will require additional hours at times.
In addition to being part of a great team you will be entitled to a range of benefits that include:
• Free parking within the campus grounds. The campus is easily accessed by car and bus; there is a bus stop located outside the campus serving several routes across the city and to rail stations.
• Membership of Westwoods gym and health club which offers a range of excellent fitness and leisure facilities including a 25m swimming pool.
• Free lunchtime meals during term time, and at other times when catering is provided, and you are on duty.
• Death in service cover.
• Excellent Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• You will be opted into the Fettes College Non Teaching Staff Pension Scheme after 3 months service.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The closing date is 12 noon on Wednesday, 2nd November 2022, with interviews being held within a fortnight of the closing date.
Applications including the details of 2 referees should be made via the Fettes College page on www.TES.com or by email to recruitment@fettes.com. All applicants are asked to provide, as well as a CV, a covering letter setting out how you meet the person specification and what you feel you can bring to this role. The Management Accountant, Ms Joanna Patyk, is available to have an informal conversation with any potential candidate prior to applying. If this is of interest to you, please contact recruitment@fettes.com to arrange a time to speak with Ms Patyk.
An offer of employment will be subject to two satisfactory references being obtained from your referees and a clean report being obtained on you from the Disclosure Scotland PVG Scheme in view of the contact you will have with children during your normal duties.
New staff at Fettes join a friendly and supportive team with a vibrant mixture of age and experience. We value every member of staff’s contribution to the life of the school. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.
We are keen to welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds into our staff body. If you would like a friendly conversation with an employee who identifies as an ethnic minority, please feel free to contact Sara Medel Jiménez (s.medeljimenez@fettes.com) who will be happy to share her experience of Fettes.
