Financial Accountant

Job Description & Person Specification

Financial Accountant

Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 Per annum

Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week

Location: Manchester, UK

Reports to: Finance Manager

Closing Date: 31.03.2023

About READ Foundation

READ Foundation is a UK based registered charity working to create school places for children living in poverty in the developing world.

We create opportunities for orphan and needy children to go to school to gain an education and build a better life for themselves. We currently focus on constructing new schools, providing quality sponsorship for orphans and are now expanding our educational portfolio to reflect the large humanitarian and development needs ongoing throughout the world.

We created our first school in 1994 with a single classroom of 25 children, while as of this academic year we are now running almost 400 schools, in which over 100,000 children study, almost 10% of whom are orphaned by father or both parents. However, with a global shortage of classrooms in the millions, there is still much to do to achieve universal education.

Summary of role

The Financial Accountant will support the Finance Manager and Deputy CEO by ensuring the accurate and timely processing of financial transactions and processes, and compliance with internal/external reporting requirements including accounting regulations / Charity SORP. The Financial Accountant will ensure the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of all financial records, ensuring all income and liabilities are accurately recorded, reconciled and reviewed. The also role involves maintaining adequate financial controls and ensuring that those controls are administered correctly.

Key responsibilities

Include but not limited to;

Financial Accounting

• Ensure invoices are processed efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Ensure accounts payable and international payments procedures are followed.
• Ensure the receipt, recognition and recording of income, overseeing the necessary controls in relation to this.
• Ensure all functions raising income adhere to income processing procedures.
• Lead on Month End Accounts Closing, analysing transactions and preparing required journals.
• Processing journals ensuring that all accounting entries are supported by working papers for analytical review and audit.
• Completing account reconciliations to review and clear balance sheet control accounts monthly and maintaining appropriate documentation to support the audit.
• Ensure all bank reconciliations are carried out monthly and in line with the month-end schedule.
• Oversee the reconciliation to the Donor Management System and production of monthly reporting of income and expenditure.
• Ensure creditors and debtors are reconciled monthly.
• Ensure approved supplier, budget holders and authority level master records are up to date.
• Ensure expenses claims and credit card expenditure are in line with the expenses policy and procedures.
• Ensure the integrity of the nominal ledger and sub-ledgers is maintained.
• Ensure petty cash is accounted for.
• Prepare and submit Gift Aid claims and complete associated reconciliations.
• Support budget holders to adhere to relevant policies and procedures.
• Support the Finance team to ensure the streamlining and enhancing of systems, processes and procedures.

Statutory Reporting

• Work with the Finance Manager to ensure month end and year end consolidation timetable is adhered to.
• Complete lead schedule and the audit trial for the statutory accounts in line with the requirements of the SORP and applicable accounting standards.
• Assist in the preparation of the annual report and financial statements.
• Prepare year end journals and consolidating adjustments.
• Lead on Year End Accounts closing and external audit.

Management Reporting

• Support the Finance Manager in the preparation of management accounts and regular cash flow reports to support and develop the Organisation’s decision making.

Financial controls

• Ensure financial controls are in line with READ’s Finance Manual and the regulatory authority requirements (i.e. Charity Commission).
• Maintain oversight of financial controls across functions and offices.
• Review financial controls within the finance function and create an action plan to correct areas where financial controls are not adequate.
• To keep up to date on potential risks of bribery, fraud, corruption and misuse of funds and keep up to date in these matters.
• To assist in identifying tax and trading compliance.

Other duties

• Be prepared to travel nationally and internationally to support organisation offices and Fundraising events.
• Undertake duties as reasonably maybe required of a finance professional.
• Contribute to a positive working environment in which staff are empowered to do their best.

General

1. Attend and contribute positively to meetings, conferences and training courses as agreed with line manager
2. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, managers, directors and other stakeholders.
3. Assist in supporting other departments as a finance business partner as required in order to facilitate the work of the charity.
4. Other duties as per the request of the Finance Manager or Deputy CEO Head of Finance in the interest of the organisation’s objectives.

The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post holder.

Company benefits

The position also comes with the following benefits:

• 32 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays and company-wide holidays)
• Awards for employee of the year
• Paid time off for bereavement, sick days and medical appointments
• Investment in training, professional growth and development
• Occupational Pension Scheme
• Hybrid working options available (some days working remotely can be discussed at time of interview)

READ Foundation is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work, along with encouraging a healthy work life balance.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

• Experience of developing, maintaining and running financial accounting systems and computerised accounting systems. (Sage, Xero, QuickBooks
• Detailed knowledge of financial accounting processes and approaches.
• Experience of ensuring adequate financial controls exist.
• 3 years’ experience within a charity or similar environment

Desirable:

• Experience in cash-flow forecasting and management reporting.
• Experience of preparing Year-end financial statements in compliance with accounting standards / Charity SORP.

Skills

Essential:

• Good oral and written communication skills and able to develop strong relationships with the fundraising team, key people within the company and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work as part of a team and alone
• Ability to work under pressure, manage time, workload and prioritise work to deadlines
• Understanding of financial controls.
• Ability to focus on impact and deliver outstanding results in a team environment
• Flexible working approach and adaptable to change.
• Thorough attention to detail and willingness to learn and progress.
• Problem solving techniques

Desirable:

• Understanding of financial controls in the charity sector.

Qualifications

Essential:

• A qualified or part-qualified accountant studying a professional accounting qualification (e.g. ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with relevant experience OR Qualified by Experience.

Special Working Conditions

• Work occasional flexible hours including evenings and weekends