• 0.8 FTE or school hours over five days

BACKGROUND

The River Nile School (RNS) is an independent senior-secondary school delivering Applied Learning curriculum to re-engage refugee school-aged women who may have had disrupted schooling, newly arrived in Australia or find a flexible learning environment most suitable to their learning. All students who attend RNS have English as an Additional Language (EAL), so developing student levels of language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) is a central focus of our teachers. RNS offers students the VCE Vocational Major (VM) and the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) with an integrated program with projects negotiated with and developed by students. It provides a high-challenge, high-support learning environment with a strengths-based approach.

RNS offers small class sizes, and teachers work collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes for each student with personalised learning, wellbeing and support programs. RNS adopts a holistic model for supporting the unique educational needs of each student, so developing solid student-teacher relationships is essential. Our students come from backgrounds where they may have experienced significant trauma, so we adopt a trauma informed (healing) approach to our teaching.

Based in North Melbourne, 2024 will be our eighth year as a school. RNS grew out of the River Nile Learning Centre (RNLC), established in 2006 to assist the African refugee community. We’ve grown substantially since then, and our student cohort comprises young women from many regions. As a growing school filling a unique gap in the education sector, we are striving to build strong foundations to empower young migrant women to gain the language, life and work skills to thrive.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

As a Financial Accountant, you'll take charge of the month-end closing process, support financial compliance, manage cash flow forecasting, and contribute to budget accuracy. This role offers exciting challenges for someone looking to grow, while also giving you the chance to coach and mentor others. We're looking for someone who is CPA or CA qualified (or currently studying) with a strong focus on continuous improvement. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are key, as you'll be interacting with stakeholders at all levels.

Key Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated experience in managing month-end closing processes, including the preparation of financial accounts.
• Strong understanding of cash flow forecasting, budget preparation (including capex budgets), and financial reporting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience supporting fundraising activities and assisting in the preparation of grants and their related financial reporting.
• Proficiency in preparing and submitting BAS (Quarterly) and IAS (Monthly).
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional learning to enable further development of skills, expertise and professional capacity of self and others.

Position reports to: Business Manager or nominated supervisor.

Specific Responsibilities and Duties

• Prepare the BAS Quarterly
• Prepare the IAS monthly
• Ensure CSEF (Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund) applications are submitted in Semester 1 and Conveyance Allowance applications are submitted each term.
• Prepare annual insurance submission
• Process payroll and superannuation
• Asist in preparation of financial accounts for the board
• Monitor and update cash flow forecast monthly
• Review and support compliance policies
• Assist in annual audit
• Support fundraising activities.
• Manage and mentor assistant accountant
• Assist in preparation of grants acquittal
• Assist in preparation of month end processes
• Oversee accounts receivable and accounts payable functions
• Oversee fixed asset register
• Assist in budget preparation, including capex budget.

Your Mindset

• You believe every young person deserves a thriving future.
• You respect and value the perspectives of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) young people and are interested in working with those with complex needs to help them achieve their potential.
• You are extremely comfortable working in a flexible, evolving, changing work environment, staying focused on outcomes and adapting your approach as needed.
• You are collaborative, valuing and respecting relationships within and across our entire team and with our external partners.
• You take the initiative, solve problems and have close attention to detail.

Qualifications, Experience, Credentials and Checks

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Administration, Executive Administration, Data Systems or similar.
• Experience within a school setting.
• Working with Children Check.
• 100-point Proof of Identity.

Employment Conditions

Competitive salary, access to tax-effective salary packaging, training and development opportunities and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Appointment of the successful candidate will be subject to:

• Reference checks
• A satisfactory Pre-Employment Disclosure Declaration; and
• evidence that the applicant has completed training in aspects of Child Safety (a DET link to on-line training for Non-Government schools will be provided).
• A 6-month probationary period will apply, and induction and professional support will be provided.

Hours of Work, Annual Leave and Non-Term Weeks (or ‘School Holidays’)

Our standard working day (usual minimum staff on-site hours) is 8.30 am to 4.30 pm, however by mutual agreement, we are open to having later start and/or earlier finish.

As a school there are ~40 terms weeks and 12 non-term (or ‘school holiday’) weeks each year. Four weeks annual leave must be taken during non-term weeks and there are ~8 days paid public holidays within term breaks. We ask full time staff to be available for up to 10 days during non-term weeks across the year, with days to be mutually agreed (the 10 days is adjusted down pro rata for people on lower time fractions). Staff are then effectively asked to take 4-weeks leave without pay during non-term weeks, which is averaged over wages across each year. This provides staff with significant time off during non-term weeks (or ‘school holidays’) which many staff value for personal or family reasons.

Applications

Click Apply Now to submit your application, including a cover letter, resume and response to the key selection criteria. Telephone (03) 9329 8425 for further information.

A position description is attached.