Mark Straw Email & Phone Number

Lincoln, England, United Kingdom

Key Responsibilities• Managing a team of Finance Assistants ensuring all purchase activities are complete. Full maintenance and reconciliation of the creditors’ ledgers.• Assisting with the construction of supply tenders.• Reconciliation of the cash books and bank accounts. Maintenance of the petty cash ledgers, completion of cash book journals as required.• Full maintenance and reconciliation of the debtors’ ledger, producing sales invoices. • Chasing aged debt and recommending bad debt provisions as necessary.• Assisting the Management Accounts Team in the preparation of VAT returns.• Assisting the Management Accounts Team in the production of the monthly management accounts for the Trust and subsidiary, ensuring accounts are reported in accordance with the Companies Act; completing monthly journals as required.• Assisting with the preparation of financial information for inclusion in the annual accounts and annual report. This includes synthesising and analysing data, comparing differences to the previous year, investigating the reason for the differences, and allocating overheads. • Provision of financial information and supporting working papers required for audit and liaison with auditors as required.• Preparing quotes and costings for the staff lease vehicle scheme.• Working as part of a team and communicating effectively with all levels of staff and volunteers.

Lincoln, England, United Kingdom

Key responsibilities;• Monthly management accounts including variance analysis and budget forecasting. Processing of adjustment journals, including accruals and prepayments. Full Balance Sheet and Control Account reconciliations.• Agreeing & setting annual budgets for 4 academies within the Trust after working with the Principals and Senior Management Accountant (including budget reforecasting).• Providing financial reports and updates to 4 of the Principals in the Trust (and attending meetings to explain the financial position). To be the lead financial contact for those Principals.• Using PS Financials, Orovia & Excel to provide the best possible financial support to the Trust.• Completion of the Trust’s VAT return and all associated checks and reconciliations.• Supporting the procurement of goods and supplies, carrying out Best Value exercises as appropriate.• Monitoring contracts, SLAs and Licences using the Every system.• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Finance systems and practices, including assisting in the development and implementation of Finance policies and processes.• Support the implementation of Finance project initiatives across the Trust.• Professional point of contact for Business Service Officers based in academies.• Support the internal and external audit process.• Complete relevant checks and authorisations including BACs runs, system entries for income and expenditure, and other data inputs.• Monthly payroll journal processing and related reconciliations.• Supporting the completion of the Trust’s Year End processes.

Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom

Key Responsibilities• Agreeing & setting annual budgets after working with the Principal, Executive Principal and Senior Leadership Team.• Monthly management accounts including budget forecasting.• Providing financial reports and updates to the Principal and Trustees (and attending meetings).• Monthly accruals and prepayments, other accounting adjustments.• Regular Balance Sheet and Control Account reconciliation.• Managing the Fixed Asset register & Inventory database.• Using PS Financials, Orovia & Excel to provide the best possible financial support to the Trust.• Managing the contracts database; negotiating new contracts for Lincoln Castle Academy (LCA) from start to finish, checking Terms & Conditions. Ensuring all financial policies and procedures are followed particularly regarding procurement.• Writing tender documentation and liaising with various stakeholders to ensure the process runs smoothly. Carrying out Best Value exercises as appropriate.• Writing funding bids either on my own or in consultation with professional advisers for larger projects.• To be the lead contact regarding all financial matters between LCA and the Trust.• Line Manager to two Finance Assistants within a Central Finance Team of 6 staff.Key Achievements• Project Managed move to Sage 200 in 2012 from start to finish – negotiating a new contract, arranging installation, successful termination of existing contract & ensuring all Finance staff fully trained on new system.• Promoted to Business Manager in 2016 following my successes in procurement and negotiating contracts across the Trust. Became Line Manager to HR Manager, IT Manager & Operations Manager.• Brought Parentpay (Online Payments) successfully to LCA resulting in a huge reduction in cash handling, lower courier costs and increased capacity for the team.• Instrumental in bringing £1.1 million of capital investment to LCA in Dec18.

Lincoln, England, United Kingdom

Key Responsibilities• Monthly management accounts including budget forecasting. Cashflow forecasts.• Monitoring budgets including the provision of regular budget reports.• Control Accounts reconciliation.• Ensuring accounts had an external audit every year – being the main point of contact for both internal & external auditors.• Line Manager to Full-Time Finance Assistant.Key Achievements• Introduced Parentmail +Pay (Online Payments System) successfully resulting in a huge reduction in cash handling, lower courier costs and much more efficient processing of income.• Promotion to Senior Finance Officer.

Various, Uk

Key Responsibilities• To provide excellent customer service in a variety of ways – face-to-face, telephone or back-office.• Variety of roles – Number One Cashier, Records, Standing Orders, Reception, Supervisory Machine Officer, Corporate Accounts Officer, Telephone Liaison Officer.Key Achievements• Regularly topping the charts as a Telephone Liaison Officer for helping customers on the first call without having to transfer to a colleague.• Promotion to Corporate Accounts Officer.• Passing NVQ Level 3 in Customer Service 1998.

Microsoft Excel From A-Z: Beginner To Expert Course, Passed

Level 4 Diploma, Accounting

Higher Level Apprenticeship, Accounting

City & Guilds Level 2 Certificates, Adult Numeracy & Literacy

Level 3 Diploma, Accounting

European Computer Driving Licence (Ecdl)

Nvq Level 3, Customer Service

Computer Integrated Business Technology Stage Two

Computer Literacy Stage One Examinations, (Clait)

Chartered Institute Of Bankers, Stage 1 Foundation Course

Gce A' Level, Geology, Geography, Biology & General Studies, Grades B, C, C, D

Gce O' Level Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Geography, History, Biology, Chemistry, Art, French, General Studies

5 x A Grades 4 x B Grades 1 x C Grade