Embrace the Middle East

Job Profile

Part 1: Summary job details

Job title:Finance Administrator

Contract basis:Permanent, full-time

Reporting to:Head of Finance

Direct reports:None

Salary:£22,003 to £24,448 per annum, depending on experience

Part 2: Job description

Job purpose:

The Finance Administrator is a key member of the charity’s small Finance Team, responsible for managing various financial processes and reporting tasks under the supervision of the Head of Finance. The Finance Administrator will also be required to assist the Head of Finance in the provision of management information, in maintaining financial and budgetary control, and with the production of year-end audited accounts.

Major responsibilities:

  1. To assist in the maintenance of accurate and timely management information and the provision of financial advice including forecasts and strategic plans.
  2. To support the Head of Finance and the senior leadership team to enable them to effectively manage the resources of the charity and the trading business.
  3. To ensure financial and budgetary control in compliance with the charity’s financial control policies and procedures including the monitoring of cashflow and reserves.
  4. To ensure compliance with all external reporting requirements - particularly the annual audited accounts but also HMRC, payroll and VAT.
  5. To manage finance activities such as payroll, pensions, purchase and sales ledgers, banking and payments, expenses, gift aid, BACS and direct debits.

Key tasks:

The Finance Team consists of two Finance Administrators, reporting to the Head of Finance, who will each take the lead responsibility for three out of the following six key financial processes as agreed with the Head of Finance. Currently one Finance administrator takes the lead on 1) charitable income, 4) trading and 6) grant reporting and with the other taking the lead on 2) payments, 3) payroll and 5) cost centre reporting. It is essential that each Finance Administrator can cover the other during holiday and absences and provide support for the other during busy periods.

  1. Day-to-day control of charitable income
  • Posting of financial batches into the CRM database and reconciling prior to banking in a timely manner.
  • Administration of Direct Debit scheme – ensuring the maintenance of records in accordance with BACS regulations and submitting and reconciling claims
  • Administration of Gift Aid scheme – compliance with HMRC regulations, maximising uptake of Gift Aid, submitting and reconciling claims
  • Creating new funds as necessary on the CRM database and ensuring that they have correct department coding on the accounting general ledger system.
  • Exporting income details from the CRM database and importing into the accounting system ensuring that there is correct mapping between the systems.
  • Standing Order reconciliation including voucher agencies and other income.
  • Maintaining and developing reporting of Charity income in conjunction with Fundraising & Marketing team and the Head of Finance.
  • Producing monthly reconciliation of the Charity’s bank account which also involves reconciling income between the CRM database and the bank
  • Acting as administrator for BACS Payaway
  • Provide advice and support to supporter care income processing as required.
  1. Day-to-day control of banking and all payments
  2. Processing invoices, expenses, foreign currency items and other payable transactions ensuring all correctly posted to the accounting system.
  3. Preparing online banking, cheques and cash payments.
  4. Maintaining the purchase and sales ledgers of the Charity
  5. Maintaining and monitoring online banking systems including being point of contact with NatWest bank.
  6. Maintaining petty cash impress funds
  7. Dealing with foreign currency cash/ expenses
  8. Managing the accrual and prepayments process.
  9. Supporting the raising of purchase orders.
  10. Processing staff credit card expenditure.
  1. Managing all aspects of Payroll
  2. Ensuring payroll information is maintained and processed accurately and in a timely manner.
  3. Processing monthly adjustments & issue of payslips.
  4. Reporting and payment to HMRC & processing BACS payment.
  5. Managing and processing pension payments.
  6. Financial year end process and P11D.
  7. Supporting the implementation of pension auto enrolment.
  1. Providing finance support to the Trading subsidiary
  2. Posting all monthly financial transactions including sales and cost of sales based on information provided by the fulfilment company.
  3. Checking fulfilment invoices and following up on queries.
  4. Producing monthly reconciliation of the Trading bank account and processing transactions as required.
  5. Ensuring donations are passed to the Charity.
  6. Reconciling inter-company between Charity and Trading.
  7. Issuing weekly sales tracker to Trading Directors.
  8. Maintaining the purchase and sales ledgers of the Trading business.
  9. Completing quarterly VAT return.
  10. Producing sales invoices for Trading as required and managing debtor balances (regular review and analysis and support to Trading team in pursuing balances)
  11. Reconciling the fulfilment house clearing account on a timely basis.
  12. Producing monthly management accounts comparing performance versus budget and prior year.
  13. Supporting the Trading manager and Head of Finance with ad hoc reports and analysis as required.
  14. Supporting the issue of purchase orders.
  15. Supporting the management of head office stock.
  1. Managing cost centre reporting and forecasting processes and supporting cost centre managers
  • Helping to develop an efficient cost centre reporting and forecasting process.
  • Issuing monthly cost reports to managers showing actuals versus budget /forecast for year to date.
  • Supporting cost centre managers to understand their costs and variances and reforecast accurately.
  • Managing the process for regular reforecasting of year to go expenditure.
  • Taking the lead to ensure that the Exchequer general ledger system is appropriately and fully utilised within the charity.
  • Developing and maintaining downloads from Exchequer into spreadsheets to assist in the timely production of financial management information and reports
  • Assisting in the production of the annual budget including payroll cost budgeting.
  • Working with cost centre managers to identify cost-saving opportunities.
  1. Managing the processing and reporting of Grant expenditure and funding
  2. Producing regular reports on Grants both by source of funding and by expenditure for the Director of Programme and Partnerships and the Programmes & Partnerships committee.
  3. Ensuring grant reporting structures are maintained in both the Exchequer general ledger and the CRM database.
  4. Managing the processing of grant payments to overseas partners in liaison with the Programmes & Partnerships team to ensure they have been appropriately authorised, and can be dealt with accurately and efficiently.
  5. Taking responsibility for developing applications and processes with the Programmes & Partnerships team to ensure efficient and effective processing and maintenance of grant information and payment records

The Finance Administrators will also be required to support and assist the Head of Finance in the following areas:

  • Compilation of management accounts, financial reports and analysis for management, the Board and committees.
  • Compilation of forecasts and budgets covering income, grants, overheads, fundraising and marketing and cash flow.
  • Provision of reports and analysis for audit and statutory reporting covering income, grants, expenditure and balance sheet.
  • Maintenance of fixed asset register and reporting.
  • Posting of investments sales and purchases and related transactions.
  • Production of balance sheet reconciliations.

Part 3: Person specification
Attribute / Essential / Desirable
General Education / Part AAT (or equivalent) qualified or qualified by strong relevant experience / Fully qualified AAT or equivalent
Skills and abilities / Excellent IT skills with strong Excel ability and good knowledge of other Microsoft Office packages (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Self-motivated and ability to work independently and as a team player and set own targets.
Proven organisational ability and good time management including working to deadlines.
Good communication skills, including the ability to handle and present complex financial information in a clear and concise way. / Knowledge of Excel pivot tables, data filters and vlookup or at least a willingness to learn and develop this knowledge.
Experience / Experience of working in a similar role in a finance team covering:
  • Financial processing
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Purchase ledger
Experience of working with accounting software
Experience of delivering high quality work under pressure and to tight deadlines. / Working knowledge of payroll, PAYE, VAT and gift aid.
Experience of producing management accounts and other analysis, as well as budgeting and forecasting
Experience of developing reports and analysis in accounting systems
Personal / Excellent interpersonal skills, with a positive and proactive attitude together with a desire to contribute to the overall success of the team and the organisation.
Excellent attention to detail, with good analytical and problem solving skills
Able both to take initiative and work with light supervision, but also to be consultative, willing to discuss proposed activities with team where appropriate
Personal integrity – evidence of a strongly held sense of commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and high standards in undertaking the role.
Demonstrable sympathy with the Christian ethos of Embrace
Part 4: Detailed job particulars and circumstances

Job Title:Finance Administrator

Contract basis:Permanent, full-time, subject to six months’ probation

Reporting to:Head of Finance

Direct reports:None

Location:The charity’s head office at 24 London Road West, Amersham, Bucks HP7 0EZ

Hours of work:36.5 hours a week. Normal working hours are Monday to Thursday from 8.30am. to 5.00pm and Friday from 8.30am. to 4.00pm. Overtime is not normally paid, but the post holder may be able to take time off in lieu of extended hours worked.

Salary:£22,003 to £24,448 per annum, depending on experience.

Pension:After three months’ employment eligible employees will be automatically enrolled into the company’s Group Personal Pension Scheme. The minimum employer contribution to the scheme is currently 6%, while the employee contribution can be at any level, with Embrace matching employee contributions of up to 3%, in increments of 1% (ie maximum employer contribution of 9%). Salary sacrifice is available.

Death in service:Life Assurance (Death in Service cover) of 3x salary will be provided for your spouse/dependants in the event of your death whilst you are an active employee of the charity.

Holiday:The standard annual holiday entitlement in any holiday year is 30 days, inclusive of recognised public holidays. In addition, the office is closed between Christmas and the New Year.

Circumstances:Able and prepared to work from the Embrace office in Amersham (the role is not suitable for home based working). The role is not suitable as a job share post.

Part 5: How to apply

To apply, please go to our website, .

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