Early Years Funding Payments & Monitoring Officer

Early Years Education: Funding, Payments and Monitoring Officer

Hackney Education| Full-Time | DBS Required
£226.18 to £232.28 Day Rate - Umbrella Rate

Are you an analytical, solutions-focused professional with a passion for ensuring every child gets the best start in life? Do you excel at managing complex financial processes and turning data into actionable insights?

Hackney Education is looking for a proactive and experienced Early Years Entitlement Funding, Payments and Monitoring Officer to manage the vital financial mechanisms that support free childcare for thousands of children in our borough. This is a chance to step into a leadership role where your expertise will directly impact the quality and delivery of early education.

The Role: Your Impact

As our Officer, you will be crucial to the effective delivery of the government's free childcare entitlement schemes, including funding for 2, 3, and 4-year-olds, the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), and Disability Access Fund (DAF).
You'll be a key player in ensuring financial accuracy and compliance across our extensive network of early years providers-from schools to childminders.

Key Responsibilities:

• Financial Management & Payments: Oversee the day-to-day management and integrity of the termly payments process for all early entitlement funding schemes, ensuring timely and accurate payments to providers.
• Data & Compliance: Conduct the termly data collection and validation process, working with our Synergy database to ensure data quality and statutory compliance with the DfE Early Years Census and data quality standards.
• Monitoring & Assurance: Support the scheduling of financial monitoring visits and produce high-quality financial and performance reports for internal and external evaluation.
• Support & Leadership: Line-manage the Funding and Monitoring Team Administrators and provide essential guidance and support to early years providers to help them submit claims accurately and efficiently.
• Problem-Solving: Proactively anticipate and identify issues, bringing a solutions-focused approach to ensure all processes dovetail smoothly across Hackney Council.

Who We're Looking For

You are a highly organised individual with strong analytical skills and a proven track record in financial or performance management.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Financial/Data Expertise: Proven experience using spreadsheets and databases to manipulate complex data, produce accurate management information, and ensure data integrity.
• Policy Knowledge: Experience in interpreting central government policy for a local context, with knowledge of the free entitlement for 2, 3, & 4-year-olds a distinct advantage.
• Leadership & Communication: Excellent communication skills to effectively liaise with providers, other council teams, and line-manage administrators.
• A Solid Foundation: You must have 3 years' experience in a performance management/information analysis or financial management setting. Experience of working with schools or the voluntary sector is highly desirable.

Why Join Hackney Education?

We offer a supportive environment where you will be encouraged to take responsibility for your professional development. You will be part of a team dedicated to reflecting best practice and adhering to all relevant financial and statutory regulations. You will be working at an Operational Leadership level, with a direct reporting structure to the Payment and Monitoring Team Manager.
If you are ready to take on a role that combines financial rigor, data analysis, and meaningful support for early years providers, we want to hear from you!

Ready to make a difference? Apply now!

Commercial Services Trading Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.