The Missionary Society of St. Columban in Britain, based in Solihull, is seeking a reliable and hardworking Finance Officer to process invoices and payments, reconcile bank accounts and credit card transactions, allocate customer receipts, monitor aged debt and support income reconciliation. The Finance Officer will be a key user of the Charity’s finance and purchase-to-pay systems, ensuring transactions are accurate, timely and compliant with financial procedures.
As a member of the Finance team, the Finance Officer will be responsible for keeping accurate and up-to-date records of the Charity’s financial activities on both the accounting system (Sage) & associated files.
The Columban Missionaries are a Roman Catholic organization whose members work for the spread of the Christian message in Asian and South American countries.
Supporting communities of Christian faith, relieving poverty and hardship, promoting dialogue and reconciliation among people of different races, cultures and religions, and caring for the natural environment are the principle activities of our members.
Job title: Finance Officer
Contract length: Fixed term for 12 months
Days/Hours: 22.5 hours per week, worked over three days (including Mondays, with the remaining days to be agreed). However, we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, with a minimum of 15 hours per week for the right candidate.
Salary: Competitive, depending on experience
This part-time role may be particularly attractive to graduates or those nearing completion of their studies who are looking to gain valuable practical finance experience. It may also suit experienced finance professionals seeking a part-time role to accommodate personal or family commitments, as well as retired or semi-retired individuals wishing to continue using their skills in a rewarding environment.
Working closely with the Regional Bursar, from our offices in Solihull, you will support the day-to-day financial operations of the Charity, ensuring accurate financial records and the responsible management of its resources.
Key responsibilities include processing invoices, payments and other financial transactions; reconciling bank accounts, credit cards and petty cash; and maintaining records using Sage 50, Excel and the Donorflex CRM database. You will also support budgeting, month-end reporting, audits and financial compliance, while liaising with suppliers and responding to finance queries.
You will have a degree or AAT qualification Level 3 (or be close to completing one), or equivalent work experience. Experience with Sage accounting software, CRM databases and Excel is essential, alongside strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills. Experience in the charity sector would be an advantage.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training:
- Has a Degree or close to completion. AAT qualified or equivalent work experience. Demonstrable continuing professional development.
Skills and Competencies:
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
- Good interpersonal and diplomatic skills, with the ability to deal with senior stakeholders with confidence and respect.
- Excellent prioritisation skills and strong organisation skills with attention to detail.
- Resourceful and maintains poise under pressure.
- Able to work flexibly both in terms of time and responsibilities.
- Proactive and able to use initiative.
- Excellent record-keeping.
- Excellent IT skills.
Experience:
- Working experience of SAGE accounting system.
- Experience of working with CRM Databases
- Solid finance experience within a similar environment.
- Solid experience within a customer service environment.
- Working experience of Excel functions and spreadsheets.
Knowledge and Understanding:
- Sound knowledge of financial literacy and governance.
- Good knowledge of accounting procedures and best practices.
Additional Benefits
- An additional week of holiday (vs national entitlement)
- Four discretionary days of holiday over the Christmas period when the office is closed
- Discretionary Christmas bonus
- Discretionary paid compassionate leave
- Discretionary Occupational Sick Pay
- Discretionary paid time-off for dependents
- Discretionary paid time-off for public duties
- Discretionary additional bank holidays
- Flexible working
- Long Service Awards
- Private Healthcare Scheme
- Pension enrolment (optional)
- Invitation to Charity conferences and webinars
How to apply
To apply, please complete the Society’s Application Form and email it, together with a copy of your recent CV, to HR@columbans.co.uk.
Closing date: Midnight on Tuesday 10th November 2026
We reserve the right to close the advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.