Position Summary
The Assistant Manager, Finance & Administration supports the institution’s management in the accurate, timely and compliant administration of the institution’s finance and general administrative operations, including student fee billing and collection, accounts receivable and payable, reconciliations, refunds, financial reporting, procurement, office administration and regulatory recordkeeping.
The position works closely with Student Admin & Services, Academic Affairs, management, external accountants/auditors and relevant service providers to ensure that financial transactions and administrative processes are supported by complete records, appropriate approvals and effective internal controls.
A key responsibility is to maintain accurate, confidential and audit-ready finance and administrative documentation and to support the institution’s compliance with applicable Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) EduTrust requirements, particularly EduTrust Guidance Document 4 (GD4)requirements relating to corporate administration, financial resources, student contracts, fee collection, the Fee Protection Scheme (FPS) and refunds.
The role requires a meticulous, service-oriented individual who can manage recurring deadlines, identify discrepancies, follow through independently, and promptly escalate financial or compliance exceptions.
Key Responsibilities
- Finance Operations, Accounting & Reporting
- Process and record daily receipts, payments, invoices, credit notes, journal entries and other transactions accurately and within established timelines.
- Maintain accounts receivable and payable records; monitor outstanding student fees and supplier invoices and coordinate appropriate follow-up.
- Perform bank, cash, payment gateway and relevant ledger reconciliations; investigate and resolve discrepancies with supporting documentation.
- Assist with month-end and year-end closing, schedules, accruals, budget tracking, management reports and information required by external accountants or auditors.
- Maintain organised accounting records, approval trails and supporting documents in accordance with internal policies and applicable retention requirements.
- Student Fees, Contracts, FPS & Refund Administration
- Coordinate with Student Admin & Services to verify approved course fees, payment schedules and student contract information before invoicing or collecting fees.
- Issue invoices and official receipts; record collections accurately against individual student accounts and reconcile student fee ledgers with bank receipts and relevant systems.
- Support the administration and monitoring of the Fee Protection Scheme (FPS), including timely submission or updating of required student and fee information, monitoring of insurance coverage and maintenance of FPS certificates and reconciliation records.
- Monitor fee collection arrangements and escalate potential breaches of applicable collection limits, contractual terms or FPS requirements.
- Process approved withdrawals, transfers, deferments and refunds in accordance within situational policies, applicable student contracts and regulatory requirements; maintain calculation worksheets, approvals, payment evidence and correspondence.
- Coordinate resolution of student fee queries and discrepancies professionally, ensuring complete case documentation and timely escalation of exceptions.
- Procurement, Office Administration & Operational Support
- Coordinate purchasing requests, quotations, purchase orders, vendor documentation, deliveries and payment submissions under approved procurement and delegation-of-authority procedures.
- Maintain administrative registers and records for vendors, contracts, subscriptions, office supplies, assets and facilities-related expenses.
- Support day-to-day office administration, document filing, meeting coordination and correspondence with internal and external stakeholders.
- Assist with monitoring contract renewals, service-provider deliverables, insurance and other recurring administrative obligations.
- Handle confidential financial, staff and student information with appropriate access controls and data protection practices.
- EduTrust GD4 Compliance, Controls & Audit Readiness
- Assist management in reviewing finance and administration procedures against applicable SWDA EduTrust GD4 requirements and the institution’s approved policies.
- Maintain traceable, current and audit-ready evidence for student fee collection, FPS coverage and monitoring, refunds, financial resources, procurement and relevant corporate administrative controls.
- Conduct routine checks of invoices, receipts, student account balances, refund files, FPS records, reconciliations and approvals; track gaps and corrective follow-up.
- Prepare schedules, trackers, supporting documents and responses for internal reviews, external financial audits, EduTrust assessments and regulatory requests.
- Support monitoring of financial controls, budget variances, cash-flow information and other financial-resource indicators required for management oversight.
- Keep abreast of changes to applicable EduTrust GD4, FPS and PEI administrative requirements, and help update procedures, forms, records and checklists.
- Support process improvement and other duties assigned by management.
Requirements
- Diploma or Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Preferably at least 2 to 3 years of relevant finance, accounting or administrative experience; experience in a Singapore Private Education Institution (PEI) is strongly advantageous.
- Hands-on experience with accounts receivable/payable, invoicing, payment processing, reconciliations, refunds and preparation of financial schedules.
- Working knowledge of Singapore’s PEI regulatory environment and SWDA EduTrust GD4,particularly student fee collection, FPS, refunds, financial resources, recordkeeping and audit evidence, is strongly preferred.
- Prior experience supporting EduTrust assessments, FPS administration, PEI student contract fee schedules or compliance reviews will be a distinct advantage.
- Good understanding of internal controls, confidentiality, segregation of duties, approval workflows and accurate document management.
- Strong numerical accuracy, attention to detail, organisational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines and high-volume records.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word; familiarity with accounting software and student management systems is advantageous.
- Able to communicate professionally with students, colleagues, vendors, auditors and management, work independently within approved procedures and escalate exceptions appropriately.