Education Funding Specialist

Education Funding Specialist

Ref:

CES147

Full time

£47, 841 - £50, 938 per annum

Due to relocation, we are looking for an education funding specialist to lead the education funding team within the Education and Skills Division. The team delivers valued services to schools in the city via a service level agreement, as well as supporting teams within the Division and Directorate such as SEND and the Virtual School.

Newcastle is a great place to work. The devolution deal with government to create the North of Tyne Combined Authority also means that the strong relationships that we have with our near neighbours of North Tyneside and Northumberland will become even more fruitful in the coming years. Our ‘Children and Families Newcastle’ initiative will bring together statutory and VCSE partners in a whole-city approach to early intervention and prevention: ensuring a wide range of support and activities are available locally through vibrant community hubs; integrating service provision into a holistic, person-centred offer and empowering families to take the lead in addressing priorities at the earliest opportunity. What an exciting time to come and join us!

To give you some context for this exciting opportunity, you will find some relevant reading on the Council’s website. From this landing page, you will find our Education and Skills Annual reports (this will provide you with details of the city’s school estate and the composition of the Education and Skills division within the Council); the Directorate’s 2020-23 Plan; Schools Forum documentation; and s251 information.

We have high aspirations for the services that we provide for our educational settings in the city. You will know that funding in the education sector is a complex mix of general funding from the Council, Dedicated School Grant funding from the ESFA and other grant funding from a variety of sources, each with their own sets of guidance. Allied to this, are the requirements around commissioning processes and formal commissioning agreements which include elements of finance. We are looking for an experienced leader and innovator who can deliver on these high expectations in the rapidly changing field of education. Is that you?

As the appointed post-holder, you will lead on shaping service delivery of the financial services to school team to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the agile world of education funding and commissioning. The team comprises this post plus 4FTE school funding specialists, 2.8FTE accountancy assistants and 1FTE High Needs funding specialist.

You will be a key decision-maker in the Education & Skills Division and play a key role in designing and supporting the strategic direction of the service. You will work effectively with external partners such as ESFA and the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

It’s a challenging role, presenting opportunities for creativity and service development within the current educational financial climate. You will have the support of all the senior leaders and elected members of the Council who have highlighted improvement in the educational achievement of vulnerable learners as one the key priority areas for the council over the next five years in order to ensure that Newcastle is:

‘…the best place in the UK to live …with communities that are attractive and safe and where people, particularly the most vulnerable, get the help they need.’ (Newcastle City Council Plan, 2017).

In return for your hard work and enthusiasm, we promise to stretch, challenge and develop you as a professional and, more importantly, you will be working as part of a dedicated, highly supportive and highly skilled team all focussed on ensuring that Newcastle is a great place to live, grow and achieve (Directorate Plan 2020-23).

If you’d like an informal conversation about this role please contact Mark Patton, Assistant Director: Education & Skills on (0191) 211 5300.

Shortlisting: 6 May 2021

Recruitment process, involving a desk-top exercise, a presentation and a formal interview: 21 May 2021 (all day). Please note that this recruitment process will be face-to-face at the Civic Centre in Newcastle.

Apply online at www.northeastjobs.org.uk

Permanent

Closing date:

29 April 2021