Job Profile

Core job information
Job Title / Finance Assistant
Dept./School/Inst. / Students’ Union / Section/Centre/Unit / Finance Dept.
Career Family / Professional Services / Grade / 2
Working hours per week / 35 / Appointment period / Permanent
Reports to (job title) / QMSU Finance Manager / Current location / Mile End
Job purpose
The post provides financial services and support to the Student Union Management, Officers, Commercial Outlets and Clubs & Societies to ensure that all financial transactions are processed in an accurate and timely manner in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Procedures of Queen Mary Students Union (QMSU), and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), and the requirements of external statutory bodies including Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).Working in a team, including liaison internally within QMSU and QMUL, and externally with Customers, Suppliers, Banks, HMRC and Auditors, the main role of the Finance Assistant is to ensure effective financial control through accurate and timely financial processing and ensuring that QMSU personnel understand and comply with financial systems. The post holder is expected to work with minimal supervision.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Requirements / Essential/desirable
Qualifications / GCSE/O level (Grade C or above) or equivalent in English and Maths
AAT or equivalent / Essential
Desirable
Experience / Minimum 3 years financial department experience
Experience of working in higher education, NHS or public sector
Experience of Partial Exemption VAT requirements
Knowledge of Financial Accounting Systems, including Agresso Back Office / Essential
Highly Desirable
Highly Desirable
Desirable
Knowledge, skills & abilities / Good interpersonal skills, demonstrated by an ability to develop and progress
Ability to communicate verbally with people of all levels in a confident and polite manner
Demonstrate ability to prioritise own workload in order to meet deadlines
Good numerical skills
Accuracy and attention to detail
Good IT skills, including spreadsheets and email (Microsoft Office)
Good working relationships with staff, students and external contacts / Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Attitude & disposition / Good team member with friendly, positive disposition.
Able to work unsupervised and exercise initiative. / Essential
Essential
Other circumstances / Flexible and cooperative. / Essential
Main Duties and Responsibilities of the Role
1. Accounts Receivable & Credit Control
  • Set up and maintain Customer Details on Agresso
  • Raise and Code Sales Invoices, and send to Customers with supporting documentation
  • Allocate cheques or bank receipts to Customer Accounts and Invoices
  • Produce and send monthly statements to customers
  • Produce Customers Aged Debtor Report, and reconcile to General Ledger Control Account
  • Review Customer Accounts and progress chase debts older than 1 month
  • Resolve Customer and internal queries, communicating any issues to relevant personnel
  • Report on progress to the Finance Office Manager
2. Accounts Payable – to include Supplier Invoices, Staff Expenses and Student Expense Claims re Clubs & Societies
  • Set up and maintain Supplier, Staff and Student Details on Agresso, including Bank Details
  • Scan and process Purchase Invoices and Credit Notes onto Agresso, matching to Purchase Orders where applicable, and ensuring General Ledger and VAT codes are correct
  • Process Staff and Student Expenses onto Agresso, ensuring General Ledger and VAT codes are correct
  • Review and resolve Purchase Invoices not authorised
  • Process Supplier, Staff and Student payments by BACS and ensure Remittance Advices are automatically emailed
  • Reconcile NUSSL Central Billing Statement to ensure the Direct Debit is correct and all invoices are correctly posted
  • Produce Suppliers Aged Creditor Report, reconcile to General Ledger Control Account and review for debit balances to be recovered from Suppliers
  • Resolve Supplier and internal queries, communicating any issues to relevant personnel
  • Report on progress to the Finance Office Manager.
3. Float Management
  • Assist Finance team with periodic float checks safe counts where necessary.
  • Resolve any queries, communicating any issues to relevant personnel
4. Financial Systems Training & Compliance
  • Assist Finance team with training and support to Managers, Staff, Officers and Student Representatives
  • Report on progress to the Finance Office Manager
5. Other
  • Receive Finance Post – open and distribute
  • Ensure all financial documents and supporting documentation are filed
  • Assist Finance team with periodic internal and external audit requirements and personnel
  • Carry out responsibilities with due regard to the College's Equal Opportunities and Health & Safety policies
  • Undertake such other duties as may be reasonably expected by the QMSU Finance Office Manager
This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.
Working Environment
  • 2 operating companies QMSU & QMSU Services Ltd
  • Commercial outlets: 3 cafes, 3 bars, 2 fitness centres, 3 retail outlets
  • Clubs & Societies 280
  • Approximate number of transactions processed:
  • Accounts Receivable – 185 customers, 190 invoices pa, 100 receipts pa
  • Accounts Payable – 739 suppliers, 6,770 invoices pa, 2,106 payments pa (1,983 manual, 123 automatic)
  • Bank Management – 7 bank accounts, 3,650 Bank Receipts re Daily Returns & Float Returns

Freedom to Act & Decision Making
Use experience and judgment to decide on:
  • Organisation and prioritisation of workloads to meet deadlines
  • General QMSU compliance with Finance Systems, and recommendations for further training/corrective action

Communication & Networking
The QMSU Finance Assistant assists the Finance team both internally and externally, with QMSU financial matters, professionally dealing with a wide variety of telephone and personal callers, and liaising with other staff and members of QMSU.
  • Internal contacts:
  • QMSU personnel: Management, Staff in Commercial Outlets, Officers and Students
  • QMUL finance staff
  • External contacts:
  • Banks
  • Suppliers
  • Customers
  • HMRC
  • Auditors

Finance/Resource Management
People Management
This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.
Organisation Chart


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Finance Assistant Job Profile August 2014