Purchase Ledger

Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust (OHC&AT) is a family of specialist education providers for pupils and students from nursery to further education. We operate across academies and college centres in London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. Supporting our academies and college, OHC&AT also operates learning support services, such as nursing and therapy, and a central business support team which includes HR, finance and IT. Pupils and students within the OHC&AT family have a wide range of learning abilities and additional needs. These include autistic spectrum disorder; speech, language and communication difficulties; social, emotional and mental health needs; profound and multiple learning disabilities; and physical disabilities including multi-sensory impairment and complex health conditions.

We are looking for a Purchase Ledger to join our Finance team and provide an efficient and accurate purchase ledger service across the schools and colleges within Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust. This role is essential in supporting strong financial controls and ensuring invoices and payments are processed in line with Trust Finance Regulations. Working under the direction of the Senior Finance Officer, you will liaise with finance colleagues, school and college staff, suppliers, procurement teams and external agencies to maintain high standards of service and compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Process sundry and purchase order invoices accurately, ensuring correct coding, approvals and VAT treatment
• Monitor finance inboxes daily, resolve invoice queries and ensure invoices are processed within agreed timescales
• Prepare and process fortnightly BACS payments and maintain accurate supplier records
• Reconcile supplier statements and regularly review aged creditor reports
• Work collaboratively with schools, colleges and the wider Finance team to improve and maintain purchase ledger procedures

Key Requirements:

• Experience of working in a finance department or section
• Experience in carrying out purchase ledger functions including BACS system of payment
• Experience in the purchase to payment process.
• Experience of working across multi-site/company databases
• Knowledge of financial systems and procedures

OHC&AT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:

Rewards & Benefits:

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

Find out what makes OHC&AT a truly rewarding place to work - visit our ‘Work for us’ page to hear from our Chief Executive Officer, John Prior, and watch inspiring messages from students and parents about the difference our staff make every day. Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.

As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities. It is an exciting time to be part of OHC&AT and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment. We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.

Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role. To ensure a fair opportunity for all applicants, candidates who have applied for this position in the past 6 months will not be considered.

Closing Date: Wednesday 14th January 2026

Interviews will take place on: The Week Commencing 19th January 2026

To help us manage applications effectively, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received.

Safeguarding Statement

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.