Finance Assistant

Department:Department: Finance

Job title:Job title: Finance Assistant

RReports teports to:o: Finance Manager

Based aBased at:t: Head Office

Salary:Salary: Up to £22,500 (pro rata)

Job Summary

The Finance Assistant is responsible for providing an efficient and accurate administrative support to the Finance Team within Rainbow Trust. The role is integral to the smooth running of the Finance department, with responsibility for providing a comprehensive and efficient service. The Finance team provides financial control and ensures the effective processing and delivery of management data to inform constructive decision making and future planning by the Senior Leadership Team and Trustees.

The Finance Assistant will accurately process financial documents onto the finance and payroll systems to ensure that the accounting records and controls are correct, and that staff and suppliers are paid on time; and will be responsible for maintaining e-mail inboxes, and processing payroll changes, purchase orders, supplier invoices, staff expenses and petty cash.

The post holder will observe strictest confidence, live the Rainbow Trust Values, and effectively communicate with our employees, volunteers and suppliers over the telephone, email and face to face.

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Rainbow Trust Children’sCharity enables families whohave a child with a life-threatening or terminalillness to make the most oftime together, providingexpert, practical andemotional support, wherethey need it for as long as itis needed.

Areas of Responsibility

(Specific to role)• Receiving, processing, and filing purchase orders, supplier invoices,

expense forms and petty cash onto the Sage-50 finance system with accurate descriptions

• Ensure financial controls are correctly followed at all times

• Manage the accounts inboxes ensuring timely and accurate responses

• Respond effectively and promptly to enquiries, requests and all financial and payroll related queries from colleagues, supporters, customers, and suppliers in line with best practice

• Reconcile and process Direct Debit invoices and prepare the regular BACS payment process to ensure that suppliers and volunteers are paid on time

• Work alongside HR and payroll colleagues to ensure the timely sharing of relevant information across the Team

• Receiving, processing, and filing staff expense claims for payment and settlement through the payroll

• Support the payroll process, including the production of payroll control and reconciliation reports to support the monthly payroll review and sign off by the Finance and HR Directors ensuring the completeness and accuracy of the monthly payroll

• Support the annual PAYE year end and P11D process

• Proactively support staff and volunteers on Finance processes and help resolve any queries or difficulties

• Investigate questionable data and recommend actions to resolve discrepancies

• Provide, where possible, support to the team in other areas such as daily banking, basic book keeping activities and account analysis

• Provide support to non-finance staff to ensure adequate understanding of financial processes and information to ensure adequate financial control for the completeness and accuracy of financial records.

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• Provide constructive and positive leadershipthat inspires colleagues, volunteers and interns

• Operate in compliance with relevant legislation,best practice, and policy

• Commit to the Performance ManagementProcess and develop stretching objectives tomeet the strategic plan

• Take responsibility for own professionaldevelopment following thePMP process

• Live the Rainbow Trust values.

Operational and Project Planning

• Develop and proactively manage own work programme in consultation with line manager to weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual timeframes

• Take individual responsibility for agreed objectives, targets, and budgets

• Monitor project and work programme progress against agreed KPI's and targets and report any variance

• Negotiate with suppliers to ensure best value for money is obtained

• Organise own time and resources effectively and use initiative.

Working with Customers and Service Delivery• Build effective working relationships with other

functions to better support your role and ensureefficient and controlled recording of incomeand direct costs

• Liaise effectively with external suppliers (eg,payroll bureau) to deliver an excellent service

• Act as a representative of the charity to avariety of external and internal audiences, indifferent contexts and events

• Ensure requests for information and action fromsupporters are responded to promptly and theirreasonable expectations are met

• Report any complaints received to the teamfrom supporters, suppliers or any other externalor internal contacts

• Relay information and supporter contact to theappropriate internal contacts.

Developing, Maintaining Systems and Procedures• Effectively use relevant database and suite of

MSOffice products to keep records current, complete and accurate

• Take a continuous improvement approach to activity striving for maximum efficiency and effectiveness

• Ensure data relevant to areas of responsibility and activity is appropriately recorded and stored in the database or excel documents

• Utilise and interrogate data to monitor progress towards individual objectives

• Contribute to wider data collection and analysis exercises across the department

• Ensure compliance with data protection guidelines, GDPR and corporate policy, including regular data cleansing exercises

Registered Charity No. 1070532

General Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

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People Management and Development

• Support in the recruitment and retention ofhigh calibre volunteers and interns througheffective supervision (following best practiceguidelines for managing volunteers/interns)

• Inspire and provide advice and support tovolunteers and interns under the direction ofline manager and to Volunteer Managementguidelines

• Recognise and value the contribution ofvolunteers.

Team Working and Collaboration

• Act as a source of knowledge and expertise tocolleagues and provide timely advice in linewith policies and procedures and providetimely advice in line with policies andprocedures

• Work closely with the HR team to ensurepayroll is processed accurately to deadline

• Collaborate effectively with colleagues in allteams to deliver on priorities and objectives

• Proactively participate in team meetings andaway days, including SBI feedback as well asannual staff conference

• Attend training as necessary in order to meetchanging needs, new technologicaldevelopments and service requirements

Special Conditions

• All staff have a responsibility to maintain anup-to-date knowledge and awareness ofissues around the safeguarding of children,through the completion of the relevanttraining at a level commensurate with theirrole

• All staff must adhere to Rainbow Trust'ssafeguarding policies and procedures

• The post holder will be expected to work outof the office, meeting supporters andcommittees, running events and delivering oncommitments to stakeholders. Some out ofoffice hours may be required to facilitate this.

• Some UK travel may be required veryoccasionally

• The list of responsibilities outlined above arenot intended to be exhaustive and the postholder may be required to carry out otherreasonable tasks or responsibilities under thedirection of a manager.

Registered Charity No. 1070532

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Finance Assistant

ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

Experience (Previous roles,

types of organisations)

• Strong, varied, high-volume administration experience, which must

include work with numerical data, customers and colleagues

• Experience of working in a customer facing role

• Producing accurate, high-quality work

• Experience in working in a small team with demonstrable flexibility and

adaptability to support team deliverables

• Previous charity experience

• Experience of working in HR,Volunteering or Finance team

• Previous experience of Sage 50

Special Competencies (Specific job-related skills knowledge

understanding)

• Strong oral and written communications skills

• Strong technical and analytical focus

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact and develop effective

relationships with a wide range of people

• Use of IT systems, preferably Sage 50 or payroll experience

• Strong MS Office knowledge

o Office 365 – emails and diary management

o Competent with Excel spreadsheets, ability to manage data and report

on outcomes to deadline, general usage and creating basic formulas

o Competent use of Word

Disposition (Influence over others, dependability,

self-reliance)

• Conscientious and disciplined approach to work, well organised and can

manage and plan daily workload

• Thorough and accurate – seeing work through to completion

• Applies high level of attention to detail and produces precise high-quality

work even when repetitive

• Works well within established systems, standards and procedures

• Helpful and supportive team member- works cooperatively and able to deal

with all levels within the organisation, demonstrating a supportive nature

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Finance Assistant

ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

Thinking Style (Practical, conceptual, innovative,

traditional, change oriented)

• Collaborative approach in a structured job environment

• Works in a professional and ethical manner

• Inquisitive problem solver, who enjoys starting and completing a task to a high

standard

Attainments (Academic &

professional qualifications & training)

• Educated to A level/or equivalent experience • AAT qualification

Motivation (Influence over others, dependability,

self-reliance)

• Completing tasks accurately in a steady, methodical manner

• Producing high quality error free work

• Being a valued technical expert

• Lead by example drawing on personal expertise

Circumstances

(Mobility, special demands of the job,

unsocial hours)

• Commitment to own continuing professional development

• Ability to work flexibly