Senior Finance Assistant

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this part-time, permanent position is £17,330 per annum based on an 18-hour working week, pro-rata to £34,660.

We are excited to be hiring a new Senior Finance Assistant to join our fantastic Finance service, supporting the Children's, Families and Lifelong Learning (CFLL) Directorate

Currently this role is based at Woodhatch Place in Reigate. From April 2027 this role will likely be based in Woking, although this is still to be confirmed.

This role is open to hybrid working with the right balance . As a team we split our time between collaborating with colleagues in the office and working remotely, including from home. This can be discussed further at interview.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service (pro rata for part-time hours) plus bank holidays
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the Role

As a Senior Finance Assistant, you will play an important role within the Finance service, supporting the processing of agreed top‑up funding payments to schools for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The role will involve regular liaison with the SEND service, schools and other local authorities. You will also be responsible for updating information from the EHM system and accurately inputting this data into Excel workbooks, so strong attention to detail and the ability to work to deadlines are essential.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours :

• Good knowledge of Excel
• Ability to work to deadlines
• Excellent communication skills
• Keen eye for detail alongside an analytical and proactive approach

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and answer the following 3 questions:

1. Please describe a time when you identified an error or discrepancy in financial data or payments. How did you investigate it, and what actions did you take?
2. The work we do often involves fixed deadlines, peaks of activity and competing priorities. How do you plan and prioritise your workload to ensure critical payments are not delayed?
3. Please describe how you work with colleagues across finance, data, or operational teams to resolve issues and meet shared deadlines.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 8th October 2026 with interviews planned to follow.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our Life at Surrey Handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Please contact Karen Cranham or Emma Harmeston-Taylor via MS Teams or email.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation and will move to new authorities in April 2027. This role is currently employed by Surrey County Council and will remain so until then. If you are employed by Surrey County Council on 1 April 2027, your employment will transfer under TUPE arrangements to one of the new councils, with your current terms and conditions protected.

The provisional allocation for this post is West Surrey Council , subject to final confirmation through the wider transition process later this year. Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.