Finance Graduate Trainee

Job Purpose 

This job description covers the first placement for the Graduate Trainee.

This is a development role, for a period of 3 years, which will require the jobholder to commit to attaining a professional accounting qualification. The role holder will develop experience and undertake duties covering the broad range of activities within the Finance department.

The first stage of the development program will likely be undertaken in Finance Operations or Research Support Office for up to 12 months.

Upon satisfactory completion of this placement and progression through CIMA exams, the jobholder will move on to the next Graduate Trainee placement, likely to be in Management Accounts and then a College finance team, enabling the role-holder to attain satisfactory experience in support of their development and attainment of the professional accounting qualification. The jobholder will also be allocated a project to complete during their initial placement or throughout the Scheme.

Main Duties and Responsibilities 

Finance Operations 

Responsible for maintaining a strong financial control environment, ensuring accuracy of the University’s financial records while achieving service excellence through strong customer service. Tasks include but are not limited to:

1. Responsible for receipt allocation for monies received from students, sponsors and commercial customers across university systems.

2. Management of daily invoice scheduling across students, sponsors and commercial customer bases.

3. Supporting the handling of all enquiries into the team, ensuring adherence to service level agreements.

4. Responsible for supplier payment processing via financial system.

5. Accountable for the accurate completion of monthly balance sheet reconciliations, including resolution of reconciling items.

6. Management of payment refunds due back to students, sponsors and commercial customers.

Research Support Office 

7. Develop knowledge of funders’ terms and conditions and processes, and related financial processes.

8. Provide advice and guidance on post award financial management of externally funded projects and to ensure the full recovery of all eligible expenditure incurred, based on knowledge of funders’ terms and conditions and procedures, and University policy and processes.

9. Administer post award financial management of projects, including project set-up, processing of project changes, financial claims and reporting to funders, and project close down procedures, working closely with the College Research Support teams.

10. Set up, configure and maintain funder and partner records and funding scheme templates.

11. Produce timely and accurate periodic and final financial claims, invoices and statements in accordance with funder requirements and contractual agreements to ensure that all eligible expenditure is recovered and work invoiced.

12. Process financial transactions including journals to ensure correct allocation of costs to projects.

13. Provide an internal control/ compliance function by checking project expenditure to ensure compliance with funder and University regulations.

14. Collate documentation and provide information to support audit requirements.

15. Provide reports and analysis of research projects.

16. Run and action exception and control reports and resolve issues.

17. To administer the team central mailbox allocating to team members, updating systems and resolving routine enquiries.

18. To complete financial documentation for authorisation.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience 

Knowledge/Qualifications 

Essential:  

A1 Knowledge of financial & accounting procedures.

A2 Degree qualified with a commitment to commence a professional accounting qualification.

Skills 

Essential: 

C1 Good awareness and proficiency in the use of Microsoft packages such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint; and accounting software packages.

C2 Good communication & interpersonal skills.

C3 Ability to prioritise and manage workload to meet tight deadlines.

C4 Analytical skills.

C5 Attention to detail.

C6 Teamworking skills.

C7 Ability to present and explain financial information.

Desirable: 

D1 Advanced skills in the use of Microsoft packages such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint; and accounting software packages.

Experience 

Essential: 

E1 Experience of delivering high quality customer service.

Desirable:  

F1 Experience of working in an admin/service function.

F2 Experience of analysing and processing financial data.

Terms and Conditions 

Salary will be Grade 4, £22,681 – £25,138 per annum.

This post is full time (35 hours p/w) and open ended.

As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension – pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University  https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.