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Role Summary We are looking for a Finance Lead to join our team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for overseeing all financial operations, including billing, payroll, and accounts payable, while ensuring the financial health of our nurseries. This role requires meticulous attention to detail, strong organisational skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with the nursery manager and directors. The Finance Lead will report to the Operations Manager and will line manage a Finance Assistant. Salary This position has a starting salary of £30,000, with the view of it rising to £32,000 upon successful completion of a six-month probationary period. Essential Qualifications & Skills Proven experience in a finance management or lead role, preferably within the education or nursery sector. Proficiency with payroll software and a demonstrated ability to help us on our digital journey by implementing efficient, modern financial processes. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Desirable Qualifications Proficiency with financial software, specifically Xero and Dext. A bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field. A full driving licence. Key Responsibilities Financial Reporting and Auditing Produce quarterly Profit & Loss (P&L) statements to provide a clear overview of financial performance. Carry out monthly audits to accurately monitor occupancy and fee income across all settings. Conduct quarterly financial audits to ensure accuracy and compliance. Provide monthly income and expenditure updates to the directors. Attend monthly management meetings with the management team, Operations Manager, and Directors to discuss any financial concerns. Agree on transactions in both Dext and Xero to ensure accurate bookkeeping. Billing and Accounts Receivable Manage all monthly billing runs and ensure fees are accurately calculated and invoiced. Deal with all fee enquiries and make necessary amendments, including adjusting fees for two-year age changes and invoicing for additional sessions. Calculate and create new fee policies for new starters. Calculate annual fee increases, create new fee policies for all children, and liaise with the nursery management team to roll out the increases. Allocate daily fees to the correct accounts to maintain up-to-date records on our parent portal. Ensure timely payment of fees by parents and proactively chase outstanding debt on a monthly basis. Assist the nursery manager with fee-related complaints. Payroll and Staff Administration Manage payroll deductions for sickness and additional hours on a daily basis, keeping wage sheets up to date. Calculate and manage annual leave entitlements for all staff. Log and monitor sickness absences, creating reports on high sickness volumes and sharing them with the nursery management team and Operations Manager. Process monthly staff wages, managing any increases or changes to contracted hours. Liaise with external accountants for payroll and any other financial related matters, meeting with them quarterly. Operations and Management Line manage a Finance Assistant, providing guidance and support to ensure team goals are met. Upload and log invoices daily, splitting them between settings as necessary. Ensure invoices and receipts are paid within the agreed timescale. Manage and monitor all purchase order requests, including sourcing the best suppliers and overseeing if the request is essential or non-essential. Work closely with the Operations manager to monitor occupancy across all settings and support business growth. Work location schedule: You will be required to spend two days per week at each nursery setting (Heaton and Gosforth) and one day per week at the Heaton head office. TPBN1_UKTJ

Zenith are looking to recruit an experienced HR Trainer to work from its head office in Hebburn. As an HR Trainer you will be a commercially minded HR professional, providing practical HR support to Zenith customers as part of the Recruit, Retain and Thrive project. Also, from April 2026 deliver high-quality teaching, learning and assessment for HR apprenticeships (primarily Level 3 HR Support, with potential to support Level 5 in time), making sure learners achieve on time and employers see value. You must have real HR experience in industry and be confident translating “what good HR looks like” into training, coaching and documentation for learners and employers. You will also work to funding/compliance standards, Ofsted expectations and Zenith’s internal quality framework. Role responsibilities: HR Support (Client-Facing) * Be a named HR contact for a portfolio of Zenith customers, providing timely, inclusive, risk aware advice on ER, absence, performance, probation, recruitment and onboarding. * Draft/ review HR documentation (contracts, handbooks, policies, letters) in line with UK employment law and ACAS guidance. * Coach line managers to handle day-to-day HR issues confidently and consistently. * Align HR support to business needs - retention, engagement, restructuring, growth hiring. * Spot opportunities to introduce Zenith’s wider services (recruitment, apprenticeships, skills bootcamps, commercial HR training) and pass into the wider team. * Create and foster a peer network of HR managers. Apprenticeship Delivery & Teaching * Deliver engaging workshops/sessions (face-to-face and remote) * HR legislation and policy * Recruitment and selection * Employee lifecycle and onboarding * Performance management and appraisal * Employment law and ethics * HR systems and data handling * Prepare lesson plans and schemes of work that meet the apprenticeship standard and reflect current HR practice. * Use initial assessment to tailor learning for apprentices with different starting points. * Liaise with employers to make sure training reflects live HR tasks in their business. * Set, mark and give feedback on work-based tasks, portfolio evidence and EPA readiness. * Promote Maths/English in context (e.g. interpreting HR metrics, writing HR reports). Learner & Employer Management * Manage a caseload of learners and employers, ensuring timely achievement and progression. * Monitor progress on the e-portfolio/LMS and intervene early where learners fall behind. * Provide impartial IAG on HR career routes (HR Assistant → HR Advisor → CIPD, etc.). * Deliver commercial or CPD HR training when required. Quality, Compliance & Safeguarding * Ensure compliance with awarding body, ESFA and Ofsted requirements - including audit readiness, IQA and accurate record keeping. * Attend caseload reviews and contribute to internal and external audits. * Promote Safeguarding, Prevent, British Values and EDI in all sessions. * Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment law, CIPD standards and changes in the HR sector. * Deliver against internal KPIs for retention, success rates, employer satisfaction and documentation. Person Specification Essential CIPD Level 5 (or strong equivalent HR generalist experience). Recent in-house HR/people experience in a commercial or industrial setting. Confident delivering to groups and 1:1, in person and online. Strong written skills - policies, letters, feedback to learners. Good working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice. Experience using online learning/assessment platforms. Organised and able to work to targets (learner progress, achievement, customer SLAs). Full, clean driving licence and access to a vehicle; flexible to travel across the region. To believe in and demonstrate Zenith’s values and team charter behaviours. Be willing to work flexible hours and locations as required, be committed and enthusiastic. Desirable Teaching/assessing qualification (AET/PTLLS, CAVA/TAQA, or willing to work towards). Experience of apprenticeships/work-based learning and Ofsted/ESFA requirements. Experience with SMEs where HR is being built from low base. Understanding of how AI/HR tech is emerging in people functions (nice to have for futureproofing delivery). Zenith Training is the fast-growing learning and development division of Zenith People. We work across various sectors, integrating strategic thinking with innovative training to help businesses deliver their strategy and future growth across the Northeast. As an Ofsted Rated Good provider and ISO 9001:2015 certified organisation, we’re committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and continuous improvement in everything we do. We’re a growing business, and we’re always looking to bring like-minded, talented individuals on board to support the achievement of our business objectives. So if you feel that we sound like the type of business you can see yourself working in and think that you have something to bring to our table, please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you! Benefits of working with Zenith: Enhanced Holiday Package – Enjoy more time off to recharge. Great Working Environment – Supportive, collaborative, and positive culture. Free Parking – Convenient and cost-saving for all staff. Pension Salary Sacrifice – Tax-efficient way to boost your retirement savings. Cycle to Work Scheme – Promote health and sustainability. Extra Pension Contributions – Additional employer contributions after probation. Hybrid Working – 1 day per week working from home (after probation). Social Gatherings – 4 events per year to connect and celebrate. Death in Service (DIS) – 4x salary for peace of mind. Training & Development – Continuous learning and career growth opportunities. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Includes a wellbeing app for mental health support. Birthday Off – Celebrate your special day with an extra day off