Overview

We are looking for a Senior Finance Assistant to join our Finance team, a team which is vital to the Foundation’s ability to make an impact and improve health in Lambeth and Southwark. This role will enjoy a broad and interesting remit, and will provide essential support to the Finance team in its mission to process and report financial information of the highest quality.

This is an excellent opportunity to join an experienced and growing team at an exciting time as we implement new systems and continue to develop innovative ways of working to support the organisation. The team is engaging, collaborative and supportive, as well as highly motivated and passionate about their work.

Purpose of the role

The Senior Finance Assistant will provide holistic support to the Finance team by undertaking a wide variety of activities that are essential for a successful and high-performing team:

·         To lead the weekly payment run and one-off invoice payments, including monitoring and checking invoice posting and handling.

·         To ensure ledger entries/reconciliations are performed, and reports together with analysis are prepared, ready for the production of the monthly management accounts.

·         To perform the day-to-day financial administration tasks relating to donations, balance sheet maintenance and control, payments, and input control.

Reporting to: Financial Controller

Key Accountabilities

·         Process and account for the transactions for which the role is responsible in an accurate, complete and timely manner in accordance with the relevant accounting principles and standards as advised by in-house accountants.

·         Ensure that the areas of the accounting system and any other systems for which the role is responsible accurately reflect all underlying transactions and represent the true financial position at all times.

·         Assume joint responsibility with the rest of the Finance Team for: maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the entire accounting system; protecting the foundation’s assets; preventing fraud or material misstatement; providing cover for absent colleagues when required; and performing any other tasks as may reasonably be required to support the effective operation of the Finance Team.

Specific Responsibilities

·         Balance Sheet Maintenance and Control

o  Perform bank reconciliations for all group bank accounts monthly in accordance with the procedures and schedules in force.

o  Ensure that any unposted cash items are posted in the finance system and investigate all other uncleared items.

o  Identify fixed asset purchases and disposals and compute depreciation charges, posting all entries before month end close.

o  Proactively review all balance sheet accounts on a regular basis and at every month end for aged items and mispostings, performing reconciliations for all control accounts, inter-company accounts and other accounts in accordance with the procedures and schedules in force.

o  Source exchange rates and maintain in the finance system, including performing revaluations and ensuring that exchange gains and losses are correctly calculated and posted.

·         Fundraising ledgers input and maintenance

o  Process weekly transaction files from the Fundraising team.

o  Reconcile the donations bank accounts in accordance with the procedures and schedules in force.

·         Investment ledgers input and maintenance

o  Input accurate investment pricing monthly to the investments schedules; and maintain the user profiles for investment managers’ investor portals.

o  Collect and file all investments statements to the appropriate files.

o  Assist with monthly property journals input.

·         Payment process

o   Ensure appropriate approvals are in place prior to each payment in accordance with internal governance procedures.

o   Arrange weekly bulk and ad-hoc payments for all approved outstanding invoices, grants and commitments for the Foundation and its subsidiaries, from the appropriate bank account.

o   Ensuring all remittance advices are correctly send out to recipients.

o   Ensure all supplier’s bank detail changes are checked and verified.

o   Input all payments to the finance system accurately and in a timely manner.

·         General Administration

o   File all work, which may be in either electronic or paper format, in the appropriate file(s) as soon as it is completed. Assist the team to organise documents and file constructively.

o   Assist in bank accounts administration as required.

o   Respond to financial queries and requests as required in a professional manner.

o   Other ad-hoc tasks as required.

·         Provision of Cover

o   To provide absence cover as necessary for the tasks performed in the Finance team, especially the invoice processing and Finance inbox/in-tray management.

Knowledge and qualifications

·         Previous use of finance system(s) with Access Group or similar products (Essential)

·         Intermediate Excel (Essential)

·         Sound arithmetical abilities (Essential)

Experience

·         General office administrative experience with exposure to a variety of processes and activities. (Essential)

·         Purchase ledger processing (Essential)

·         Ledger reconciliations (Desirable)

·         Charity accounting (Desirable)

Skills, abilities and attributes

·         Attention to detail.

·         Self-starter who is adaptable, works with integrity, and exhibits the Foundation’s enterprising, collaborative and delivery-minded cultural and behavioural values.

·         Willing to learn and develop new skills, and help to develop the knowledge and skills of peers.

·         Committed to the principle of continuous improvement, with careful attention to detail and due process.

·         Committed to delivering responsive, consistent and high-quality service to both internal and external stakeholders.

·         Good interpersonal skills and able to effectively liaise with both internal and external communities.

·         Good written and oral communicator.

·         Good planning and organisational skills, able to work to multiple prioritised tasks, targets and deadlines, with careful attention to detail.

·         Team player, with an ability to support effective working relationships