Finance and Enrolments Manager

Western Autistic School's vision is to provide a dedicated school for students with autism. At Western Autistic School, we envision a nurturing environment for autistic students in grades Prep to Year 3. Through personalized support and collaborative teaching, we empower each child to thrive socially and academically. Our community celebrates diversity and fosters a commitment to building a strong educational foundation for our students that encourages lifelong learning and achievement.

Our school demonstrates commitment to the following values:

• Diversity
• Respect
• Learning as an ongoing process
• Sharing and growth of knowledge

The Western Autistic School is a large, vibrant and unique school in the western suburbs of Melbourne. We offer an early years program for 300+ young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Prep to Grades 3. Our school caters to autistic students, and synthesises an evidence base drawn from student-centred, strengths-based approaches and contemporary research from the fields of autism and inclusive education to develop Individual Learning Programs for each student.

Key features of our program include:

• The individual student is the focus of our teaching
• Each student is provided with an Individual Learning Plan, in collaboration between the student, their family and the teaching team
• An emphasis on building foundational skills in social communication and functional areas, alongside academic skills particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy
• Small classes of approximately eight students with a teaching team consisting of teachers, education support staff and allied health professionals
• Individualised transition program for children to move on to their local neighbourhood school
• Ongoing outreach supports.

As part of our school’s mission, WAS is actively involved in research and training. It has a registered training provider The Autism Teaching Institute (ATI) which provides post graduate qualifications to educators working with autistic students.

Selection Criteria:

• Demonstrated knowledge of financial and administrational processes including CASES21 and enrolment procedures and guidelines including the knowledge of Disability Inclusion.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of school budgeting including preparation, production, interpretation and analysis of reports, as well as providing timely advice to leadership and School Council.
• Demonstrated strong organisational skills with the proven ability to set up and maintain systems.
• Demonstrated high level communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to communicate positively and effectively with staff, students, parents and the wider community.
• Demonstrated capacity to work independently, undertake initiative, establish priorities and meet timelines.

The Finance and Enrolment Manager plays a key role in ensuring the effective and efficient operation of Western Autistic School, supporting a complex, specialised school environment that serves the individual learning and wellbeing needs of autistic students. Working closely with the Principal, Business Manager, leadership team, staff, families, School Council, departmental personnel and external providers, the Finance and Enrolment Manager contributes to the strategic and operational leadership across administration, finance and enrolments, ensuring robust systems, sound financial management and responsive administrative processes that enable the school to deliver its student-centred priorities and support the effective functioning of the whole school community.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure the provision of a range of administrative support functions for the Principal and teaching staff.
• Provide administrative support to external service providers as required.
• Provide required level of administrative support for school events, functions and projects.
• Implement induction programs for new staff, volunteers and other workers to the school.
• Draft reports, attend meetings and make recommendations on operational issues.
• Manage and direct the preparation of annual budgets and regular financial statements and contribute to the financial decision making of the school.
• Prepare funding submissions for the leadership team and school council.
• Direct the accounting processes of the school and ensure that all funds, including school investments, are effectively accounted for according to Treasury regulations.
• Provide advice to staff on spending against budget in respect to faculties, programs and other school projects.
• Administer government grants and other school income.
• Manage fund raising activities.
• Manage the processing of student admissions, registrations, enrolments and transfers.
• Maintain a student transitions database and work with the associated teams to assist with communications to receiving schools.

Diversity and Inclusion: The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.

Child Safe Standards: Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards.

Conditions of Employment: All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements. Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.