Finance Officer

Finance & Administration Officer

Sector: Children’s Commissioning
Location: Bournemouth (Hybrid working available)
Contract: Initial 3-month assignment
Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week
Rate: £20 per hour (umbrella) (£16 PAYE an hour)

About the Team BCP Council’s Children’s Commissioning Team is responsible for commissioning services that support children, young people, and families. The Commissioning and Contracts Finance Team works to ensure payments to external providers are accurate, timely, and fully aligned with financial regulations.
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Finance & Administration Officer to join the team. You will play a key role in coordinating and administering regular payments for children’s services, supporting colleagues across SEND, CHAD, and Direct Payments.

Role Overview This is a demanding but highly rewarding role where you will ensure payments are processed efficiently and within agreed timescales. Working closely with internal colleagues and external providers, you will use bespoke payment and finance systems to deliver a high-quality financial service.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer regular and ad hoc payments using bespoke financial systems.
• Manually process invoices and support payment coordination for external providers.
• Investigate and resolve financial queries from colleagues and Service Providers in a professional and timely manner.
• Provide administrative support to Senior Finance Officers and the Direct Payments Support Officer.
• Maintain accurate databases, spreadsheets, and financial records.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and contractual payment terms.
• Manage multiple priorities effectively and meet conflicting deadlines.

Qualifications & Experience

• A-level qualifications (or equivalent).
• Proven experience working within a finance environment.
• Familiarity with financial regulations, payment terms, and invoice processing.
• Ability to explain contractual and financial requirements clearly to members of the public.
• Experience using bespoke finance or payment systems.
• Strong ability to raise queries and follow them through to resolution.

Personal Qualities

• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.
• Diplomatic, with strong communication and customer service skills.
• Able to remain effective in pressured or challenging situations.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently with multiple deadlines.
• Flexible and adaptable, thriving in a dynamic team environment.

Additional Information

• A Basic DBS check is required.
• Hybrid working is available, with office space at Bournemouth Civic Centre.

Interested? If you have the commitment, skills, and knowledge to help us deliver an excellent financial service to children’s commissioning, we would love to hear from you.