After eight years of building a successful business, we’re redeveloping the internal operations of our co-operative. This role is an opportunity to shape our financial operations, refine how we communicate financial information with our members, and add another layer of insight to our decision making. 

This can be a full- or part-time role. We welcome applications from anyone looking to work 4 to 5 days per week (0.8 to 1FTE).

You will oversee accounting procedures, and prepare forecasts and budgets. You will improve our financial reporting practices, and present information to members in appropriate ways.

Responsibilities include:

• Day-to-day financial processing.

• Bookkeeping and bank reconciliations.

• Maintenance of accounts receivable and accounts payable.

• Monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes.

• Monitoring regulatory and compliance issues relating to finance.

• Financial reporting and analysis, including ad hoc investigations.

• Input into company financial strategy.

• Risk assessment and mitigations.

We operate with a flat hierarchy; as such, this role has no direct reports, and reports to all co-operative members. You will work as part of, and be supported by, a small team focussed on financial oversight of the co-operative.

After your 6 month probationary period, you’ll have the option to become a co-operative member: gaining a stake in its future, taking part in shared decision making, and developing new skills in co-operative business management.

Who we are

Open Data Services is a worker cooperative that helps organisations across the world to use data to make and measure change. We offer the technical know-how, community engagement and capacity building needed to create initiatives that are collaborative, impactful and sustainable.

Joining our team means you’ll contribute to our mission to help people use data to deliver social impact. Since 2015, we’ve worked on projects that have made a difference – like finding out who owns and controls companies, making public procurement more open, or tracking international aid spending.

We’re a worker’s co-operative, which means we’re owned and run by the people who work here. Together, we’re committed to building a world-class organisation that delivers benefits to our team, our clients, and the world we live in.

We’re a remote team, working all across the UK. We care about creating a good work/life balance, and work to build an environment where everyone’s unique experiences are welcomed, valued and appreciated.

Who you are

You are an excellent communicator, both written and verbal,  who is confident in presenting complex information and analysis to groups with mixed levels of financial expertise. Our current staff are technically literate and naturally curious about data, so you aren’t afraid to show your working or discuss work-in-progress. You are comfortable working transparently, in shared documents and issue tracking systems that are accessible to everyone in the co-op.

You have excellent analytical and numerical skills, and a strong attention to detail. You have a solid foundation of accounting skills, including an understanding of the accounting requirements under FRS102. You have AAT or other relevant qualifications, or can demonstrate significant qualifying experience as a management accountant.

You believe strongly in co-operative principles of democratic working, equitability, and mutual support. You are confident in managing complex tasks, and working accurately with minimal supervision. You are keen to improve processes and drive change across the organisation.

Experience of working with a fully remote, distributed team is desirable.

How we work

As a fully remote team, we collaborate using an issue tracking system and shared documents. We hold meetings using Google Meet, schedule things with a shared calendar, and message each other in a company-wide chat for quick questions, or to arrange ad-hoc calls. We work transparently and in the open: except for confidential or sensitive personal information, almost all company information - including financial - is accessible to all staff.

As a rule, we work together to write and improve documentation for our processes as we go, to create resilient teams and reduce the pressure on individuals.

We are continually evolving our co-operative governance structures, and place high value on ensuring all voices are heard in our decision making processes. We know that non-hierarchical decision-making in a large group can be time consuming, so we also explicitly delegate responsibility for decisions to smaller groups or individuals as much as possible.

We offer a flexible working policy to promote good work-life balance, and so that you can adjust your working pattern to accommodate your personal circumstances. Around half our workers are part time.

What the job involves

First week:

You will meet others in the co-op and learn about how we organise our work internally. Supported by our Finance Oversight Subgroup and Operations Subgroup, you will seek to understand our existing financial tools and processes.

First month:

We will teach you about our decision making processes and principles, and work with you to identify any specific training or support you may need.

You will begin to take ownership of the full financial process of bookkeeping and bank reconciliations with Xero, maintenance of accounts receivable and accounts payable, and keeping organised records. You will take on responsibility for our asset register.

First six months:

Having become familiar with our financial processes, you will review and innovate to implement best practice. You will own the monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant accounting, together with our external accountants. You will work closely with our Operations and Administration Officer (a new role) on coordinating and carrying out day to day financial processing and filing of invoices, receipts and reimbursements.

You will work with the Finance Oversight Subgroup on prioritising and developing regular forecasting, reporting and analysis to co-op members and budget-holders, and be the point of contact for internal finance-related queries. You will support subgroups to prepare and report on their budgets and on the financial elements of proposals.

You will take overall responsibility for payroll, mutually supporting other staff to ensure this is completed accurately and on schedule each month.

You will work with our Operations and Administration Officer and current members of the Operations Subgroup to recharter the Operations Subgroup, ensuring it takes a form that best supports the operational needs of the co-op in light of how you have settled into and shaped your role.

First year:

You will have the opportunity to become a co-op Member and company Director, completing appropriate training as needed, and getting involved in other aspects of running the business according to your abilities and interests.

You will take on the completion of quarterly VAT returns, and be supported as needed to complete other tax work including claims for R&D credits, P11D work and filing for corporation tax.

You will oversee the financial aspects of our contracts with partners and clients, and other aspects of compliance. You will lead on setting accounting policies and procedures, and contribute to delivering the strategic objectives of the organisation in a way that reflects our co-operative values.

You’ll be comfortable presenting financial information and holding internal workshops to inform and upskill members.

Benefits

• We operate a flat rate of pay for all staff, currently set at £43,120 per calendar year (pro rata). The Members may also decide to distribute a portion of company profits between all staff at the end of the financial year.

• We provide a 4% pension contribution to our Workplace Pension scheme.

• We will provide all of the hardware, tools and software required for the job, including a laptop or desktop computer and any equipment or furniture required for a safe and comfortable home-working setup. Staff are also free to use their own devices.

• We will pay for a local co-working space if you don't want to work from home.

• We offer a training budget of £1,000 and 5 paid days per year, and are committed to supporting appropriate staff development and training.

• Our benefits package includes a health cash plan, group life insurance, generous parental leave, a health and wellbeing service that includes GP consultations and counselling, a cycle-to-work scheme, and an allowance for eye tests.

Further details

• As we are a remote working organisation we will consider applications from anywhere in the UK. You must have the right to live and work in the UK.

• Full time hours are set at 37.5 hours a week with 33 days' holiday (inclusive of bank holidays). We welcome applications for part-time working.

• This role requires occasional national travel to meet with colleagues in-person. We are committed to the safety and well being of our members and employees and offer a range of support for employees, to ensure that work travel complements your life situation, particularly during the ongoing pandemic.

Next steps

You can start the application process by clicking on the apply button.

You’ll answer some questions that are related to your day-to-day job. After the job closes, your answers will go through our de-biased sift process: all answers will be anonymised, randomised and then scored by members of our team.

If you are shortlisted, we’ll invite you to the next step, which includes a remote interview. At the end of the application process, we'll provide some feedback and let you know how well you performed.

Interviews are expected to take place in April.

If we can do anything to facilitate your application please get in touch via jobs@opendataservices.coop. Your application will still remain anonymous to people involved in the hiring process.

We are an equal opportunities employer

We are committed to equal employment opportunity and are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, belief, disability, gender, marital status, religion, race, sex, or sexual orientation, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled, ethnic minority and women candidates as these groups are underrepresented in our organisation.