Temporary Finance Officer

Job Status:                   Temporary ongoing
Start Date:                  ASAP
Hours:                          Full Time Monday to Friday
Hourly Pay Rate:        £15.48 basic plus £1.87 holiday pay - £17.35 combined

Applicants must have:

• Solid Finance Officer experience

• AAT level 3

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

(i)        About our client

A major national charity working in partnership with central and local government, utilities, housing providers, with consumer groups and voluntary organisations. The organisation currently employs 83 people, 46 based at the national headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne, and 37 staff based in the English regions, Wales, and Northern Ireland.  

Achieves its objectives through:

• Research and analysis into the causes and extent of varius forms of poverty and the development of policies which address the problem;

• Providing advice and guidance on good practice in delivering energy efficiency services to low-income households;

• Developing national qualifications and managing their implementation to improve standards of training, practical work, and the quality of energy advice;

• Campaigning to ensure social and environmental objectives are brought together under national energy efficiency programmes;

• Developing and managing demonstration projects in communities which show innovative ways of tackling fuel poverty and bring the wider benefits of energy efficiency to local communities.

(ii)       Structure

Comprises of five key Directorates, two Directorates of Operations (Skills, Standards & Delivery Mechanisms and Community Engagement & Demonstration); Directorate of Policy and Advocacy; Directorate of Deputy Chief Executive & Programme Director; and the Directorate of the Chief Executive. 

(iii)      Directorate of Support Services

This post is in the Directorate of Deputy Chief Executive & Programme Director which consists of eleven staff belonging to the finance and business support teams. The work of the Directorate centres on providing the core financial, business, and administrative advice and support necessary to enable the charity's other directorates to work as effectively and efficiently as possible. Areas of provision include finance; work programme management; facilities and office management; IT; human resources; database management; contract management; event, training course and project administration.

(iv)      The Post of Finance Officer

The post-holder will be line-managed by the Commercial Accountant and is part of a team of five staff providing a range of core financial services to the other directorates within the organisation. Each team member works across several different areas. The applicant we are seeking will have recent relevant experience in Sage financial management systems, Sage Payroll, and a good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.  

This role essentially involves assisting the Commercial Accountant to ensure the charity’s accounting records are maintained in an orderly and up-to-date manner with a view to providing timely information and reports.

Candidates will be able to demonstrate a good all-round financial support background with experience in undertaking financial tasks up to the management accounts stage. You will work well under the pressure of statutory and organisational deadlines, and you will be a supportive team member. You will also have good written and oral communication skills and be competent in other Microsoft products.

The post will be based in company headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne.

(v)       Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Our client continues to review and act on Government guidance to prioritise safe working conditions for all staff. Whilst it is intended that the Newcastle office will be the post holder’s designated base, alternatives can be discussed.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsible to:         Commercial Accountant

Responsibilities:

• Assist the Commercial Accountant to ensure the charity’s accounting records are maintained in an orderly and up-to-date manner with a view to providing timely information and reports.
  
• Assist the Commercial Accountant with the processing and review where applicable of financial transactions ensuring prompt and accurate entries to financial systems. Examples of financial transactions may include setting up projects on Sage from CP forms, reviewing coding and postings of sales and purchase invoices, preparing journals to correct entries, transferring costs between projects, the processing of sales receipts and payments to suppliers and paying staff for expenses.
  
• Assist the Commercial Accountant to ensure compliance with all statutory requirements relating to corporation tax, gift aid and other taxation matters including PAYE, NI and VAT.
   
• Assist the Directorate Managers with ensuring timely preparation of the monthly management accounts and associated reports together with the reconciliation of key control accounts, and other ad hoc management reports, as well as the generation of the annual financial statements together with any statutory returns.

• Assist the Finance Team in providing financial information to staff and managers and help with interpretation, understanding and use of such information.

• Provide support to the Finance function within Support Services by identifying, proposing, and developing improvement to the financial systems, processes and controls and assist in the timely implementation and maintenance of agreed initiatives.

• Assist the Directorate Managers to observe and identify training and development requirements within the Finance Team.

• Provide cover for other finance staff at times of holiday and absence or for any other reason.

• General financial administrative tasks.
   
•  Other duties and responsibilities as may be agreed from time-to-time.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria:

• Minimum qualification of AAT Level 3 (Association of Account Technicians).
  
• Knowledge and experience of Sage 200 accounts, Sage Payroll 50, and Excel spreadsheets.
  
• Prior knowledge and experience of VAT, PAYE, NI and Employee Pension information and returns.
  
• The ability to work effectively as a member of a team or by oneself and using own initiative in prioritising workload.

• The ability to work to strict deadlines throughout the monthly and annual accounting calendar whilst also ensuring that Funder and legislative requirements are met together with assisting colleagues to meet the set deadlines.

• Ability to develop and maintain financial information systems and procedures with appropriate controls.

• Ability to communicate financial information in formats appropriate to various audiences including non-finance colleagues.

• Good oral and written communication skills.

• Commitment to continuing professional development.

• Commitment to the aims and objectives.

• Commitment to equal opportunities in both employment and service delivery.

Desirable Criteria:

1. Knowledge and understanding of charity finance.

1. Understanding of a support services role within a company.