Finance Assistant Apprentice

OPEN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

Barnsley (S70 2AG)

Closes in 6 days (Friday 6 February 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 30 January 2026

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Summary

Working closely with experienced finance colleagues, the apprentice will support the delivery of day-to-day financial operations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with financial procedures. 

Wage

£23,499 a year

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Training course
Accounts or finance assistant (level 2)
Hours
36.5 hours per week

36 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 16 February 2026

Duration

1 year

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• Assist with processing financial transactions, including invoices, payments, journals, and income
• Support payroll processes under supervision, ensuring accurate and timely data input
• Assist with student enrolment–related financial administration (where applicable)
• Support income collection, daily banking, reconciliation, and recording
• Help process purchase orders and supplier payments
• Maintain accurate financial records and filing systems in line with procedures
• Assist with data entry, reporting, and basic reconciliations
• Respond to routine finance queries from internal and external stakeholders with guidance from senior colleagues
• Support compliance with financial controls, policies, and procedures
• Contribute to service improvements and efficient ways of working• Ability to identify issues, resolve minor discrepancies, and develop solutions whilst working in adherence to finance policies and regulations.
• The ability to work independently ensuring data accuracy, adequate checking, verifications and approvals are processed in line with procedures and within critical deadlines.
• Contributing towards decision making through involvement in team meetings.
• Check the correct student fees are being charged per the fees schedule and in line with procedures, providing advice and guidance to staff and students where necessary, ensuring timely receipt of the correct fees and funding.
• Scrutinise tutor claims, contacting tutors & Programme Leaders to query and resolve any discrepancies, ensuring the integrity of claims prior to authorisation and payment, escalating to senior colleagues where necessary

• Support colleagues and consult with them to provide advice on student funding and enrolment fee queries.

• Provide finance specific advice and guidance to students through calls, emails and other media as appropriate, signposting to other departments when necessary

 

Where you'll work

County Way
Barnsley
S70 2AG

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

BARNSLEY COLLEGE

Training course

Accounts or finance assistant (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Record transactional data.
  • Use the organisation’s standard tools and processes to examine data to identify transactional issues such as, reconciliations and inconsistencies between invoices.
  • Recognise and rectify routine errors, escalating as necessary.
  • Plan and review accounting and finance tasks.
  • Communicate with stakeholders to deliver accurate and timely results, avoiding jargon, using language tailored to the audience and different media methods with an appreciation of the risks and benefits to the business of social media and other digital applications.
  • Use finance and accounting software packages to accurately input and manage data to contribute to routine accounting tasks.
  • Handle data and digital technology in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.
  • Record transactional data.
  • Use the organisation’s standard tools and processes to examine data to identify transactional issues such as, reconciliations and inconsistencies between invoices.
  • Recognise and rectify routine errors, escalating as necessary.
  • Plan and review accounting and finance tasks.
  • Communicate with stakeholders to deliver accurate and timely results, avoiding jargon, using language tailored to the audience and different media methods with an appreciation of the risks and benefits to the business of social media and other digital applications.
  • Use finance and accounting software packages to accurately input and manage data to contribute to routine accounting tasks.
  • Handle data and digital technology in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.

Training schedule

Delivery to be completed on site and off the job training either at Barnsley College or your place of work. Student to complete an Accounts Assistant Level 2 Apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4 or above)
  • Maths (grade 4 or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Number skills
  • Logical
  • Team working

About this employer

The Open College of the Arts (OCA) is a non-profit, distance learning specialist based in Barnsley (Digital Media Centre) that provides open-access higher education in creative arts.

After this apprenticeship

Level 3 AAT. 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BARNSLEY COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000010662.

Apply now

Closes in 6 days (Friday 6 February 2026 at 11:59pm)