Senior Finance Officer

Employers For Childcare is one of Northern Ireland’s largest and most successful Social Enterprises and charities. Our profitable Social Enterprise businesses fund the work of our charity and we are proud to have been 100% self-financing since 2008. It’s an exciting time in our development, with the reopening and expansion of our newest business, High Rise, a family indoor adventure centre. As a result of this growth, we are now recruiting for our finance team, who provide support across the organisation.

Joining the Employers For Childcare team, you’ll benefit from a competitive salary together with a wide range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, company pension scheme, health care cash back scheme, onsite parking, staff discount in High Rise and the opportunity for training, personal and professional development and career progression.

Main Responsibilities

To work as part of a busy, highly focused and professional team providing accurate financial administration of all Employers For Childcare divisions, excellent customer service, advice, guidance and query resolution to the organisation and its clients.

Core Duties

Financial Records

• Adhere to operational procedures which require quotations for all expenditure and that purchase orders are available for all purchases above a certain level.
• Maintain purchase and sales ledgers using Sage Accounts Line 50.
• Prepare accounts up to Trial Balance.
• Manage an effective credit control and purchase ledger systems to ensure payments are made/received in line with our terms and conditions and liaise with the line manager where problems arise.
• Maintain by category a register of all assets purchased and ensure adequate depreciation is provided in the management accounts.
• Assist with the preparation of monthly management accounts.
• Assist Finance Manager with preparing weekly/monthly/quarterly and ad hoc reports for the CEO, Finance Committee and Board.

Bank

• Reconcile weekly/ monthly bank statements to include Sage reconciliation.
• Liaising with bank when required
• Control cash to ensure that adequate funds are available and that the accounts are kept within their limits, including moving of funds between accounts as necessary.

Payroll

• Setting up new employees on Sage Payroll Line 50.
• Processing monthly / weekly payroll.
• Processing BACS payments to employees.
• Making returns and payments to HMRC and pension providers.
• Dealing with payroll enquiries.
• Auto-enrolment services.

VAT

• Assist with completion of quarterly Group VAT returns when required.

Childcare Vouchers

• Processing Childcare Voucher orders and reimbursements in line with agreed processes
• Organise redemption of vouchers, checking childcare provider bank details, entering information onto voucher database, and issuing payments by BACS transfer or cheque.
• Managing Childcare Voucher accounts on behalf of key clients.

General

• Undertake any other reasonable duties appropriate to the achievement of the organisations goals and targets.
• Comply with the organisation’s Security & Confidentiality policy at all times, ensuring the highest levels of information security, data protection and confidentiality.

This job description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and may be reviewed depending upon operational requirements and staffing levels.

Personnel Specification

The Personnel Specification shows essential skills, abilities, knowledge and/or qualifications required to be able to carry out the duties of this post.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• Qualified Accounting Technician or equivalent Finance/Accounting degree  Or where the applicant does not hold the relevant qualification, they must have 5 years’ relevant experience gained during the last 8 years working in an accounts department.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience working in an accounts department to include:
  • Processing payroll
  • Bank and cash reconciliations
  • Preparation of accounts up to Trial Balance
  • Preparation of payment run
  • Working with a computerised accounting package which uses nominal ledger, sales and purchase ledger invoice processing and payroll package

• Extensive use of Microsoft Excel, web-based systems, internet, email, databases and word processing.

Skills & Aptitude

• Good standard of numeracy & literacy
• Good understanding of MS Office (especially Excel) and accounts packages.
• Good organisational skills including ability to prioritise workload and work to strict deadlines.
• Good administration skills including ability to maintain and update records and files.
• Ability to work with figures and check details for accuracy.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and on own initiative.

Special Circumstances

• This post is subject to enhanced criminal record disclosure checks and security vetting.
• All candidates must evidence an existing right to work in the UK

We reserve the right to enhance criteria at shortlisting stage

Fair Employment and Equal Opportunities Statement

Employers For Childcare is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender (including gender reassignment status), sexual orientation, religious belief, political opinion, marital status, age or disability.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. However, as men are currently under-represented in our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from men. All appointments will be made on merit.

Notes

• To apply for this role please click apply now, fill in the short form and upload your CV.
• CVs for this role will be considered immediately upon receipt with a view to appointing the right candidate asap.
• Please note the post will remain open until an appointment has been made and may close in advance of the advertised closing date.