Finance and Support Officer - Education & Commissioning

Job Description

Job Title: Finance and Support Officer
Salary: £29,253 - £32,736 per annum
Grade: C
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: 37 hours per week

About the Department

Thurrock SEND Service, within Education and Commissioning, strives to put children and families at the centre of everything they do as part of the wider Children's Services Directorate

About the Role

As a Finance and Support Officer you will be responsible for:

To support and advise the Head of Service and other relevant staff in managing and supporting the budgets of SEND, and to support the funding arrangements for Early Years.

To support the departments in the management of those budgets throughout the year. This will include the relevant reporting of the financial position throughout the year to officers and identifying options for improving the financial position. Duties include:

• Supporting the Head of Service with budget reporting, maintenance and monitoring
• Ensuring invoices are received, checked and processed in line with Council processes
• Supporting the Nursery Funding Officer and team in processing early years entitlement payments to providers
• Authorising SEND equipment requests by by professionals
• Supporting the Commissioned Tuition Monitoring Officer in reconciling payments for tuition services

This role offers the chance to make a real difference by ensuring children and young people receive the provision and services they need in a timely and efficient manner.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Positive professional attitude
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Word Processing & Typing Skills
• Ability to collate and process financial information
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively at all levels both verbal and in writing.
• An ability to manage a range of requirements simultaneously to meet deadlines and deal with demands of the role.
• Excellent verbal and numerical reasoning skills.
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to prioritise workload to meet deadlines

Essential qualifications: 5 GCSEs including English & Mathematics
DBS Check: Basic

Benefits of Working with Us

At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
• Staff discounts and local offers
• A supportive and inclusive working environment

Important Dates

Closing Date (Redeployment Only): 9th October 2025

Closing Date (Internal & External): 2nd November 2025

Interview Date: 13th /14th November 2025

Additional Information

you have any questions about the role or interview process, please contact:

Andrea Winstone – Head of School Effectiveness & SEND

awinstone@thurrock.gov.uk 07827 823614

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification, please follow the link below:

Download Job Profile (PDF Document)

About us

Why Thurrock?

Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.

Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.

This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough.

Our location

Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.

We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.

Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.

Staff benefits

We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council