Finance Assistant

The Missionary Society of St. Columban in Britain, based in Solihull, is seeking a reliable and hardworking individual to assist primarily, in the essential day to day financial processing, support and advice. As a member of the Finance team, you 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 Assistant

Contract length: Fixed term for one year

Days/Hours: 15 hours per week (Flexible approach – days and split of hours to be discussed with the shortlisted candidates)

Salary: £10,000 pro-rata (£25,000 full time equivalent)

Job description

To provide essential day to day financial processing, support and advice. As a member of the Finance team, the Finance Assistant 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. They will also contribute to the effective guardianship of the Charity’s resources.

Key responsibilities

To create and maintain the finance processes and systems to ensure the smooth running of the finance function;
To be responsible for keeping up to date and accurate records of financial transactions on Donorflex and Sage 50 accounting system;
To process all bank receipts through Donorflex to enable a smooth interface to Sage 50;
To liaise with suppliers and creditors to maintain relationships as part of cash flow management;
To check and reconcile purchase invoices ready for payment, and to investigate and resolve any issues;
To be responsible for the petty cash system in line with the Charity’s Financial Procedures.
To manage the purchase order process to ensure financial compliance in line with the current policy;
To complete regular bank, petty cash and credit card reconciliations;
To oversee the credit card processing, ensuring security at all times;
To reconcile control accounts and deal with discrepancies;
To ensure all contracts/agreements are filed centrally and updated on the database;
To manage and reconcile the financial records of fundraising and memberships to ensure accurate reporting and to liaise accordingly with the Mission Office team;
To support the preparation for the annual audit, e.g., stock take reconciliation and fixed asset records;
To record Legacy paperwork and liaise with Solicitors and/or Lay Executors. Also, to keep record of a Legacy Debtor Account
To undertake any other work or responsibility within these areas of work as directed mainly by Regional Bursar and the Regional Director. The main responsibilities of the post are outlined above. This list is not exhaustive and is intended to reflect main tasks and areas of work.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training:

AAT Level 1 and 2 or equivalent is a minimum requirement.

Skills and competencies:

Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
Good interpersonal and diplomatic skills, with the ability to deal with senior people 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.
Solid finance experience within a similar environment.
Solid experience within a customer service environment.
Working experience of Excel functions and spreadsheets.
Minimum of two years’ experience is preferred.
Employment/volunteering in a charity or Catholic organisation.
Experience of working in a small office/team.

Special Aptitudes and knowledge:

Sound knowledge of financial literacy and governance.
Good knowledge of accounting procedures and best practices.
Empathy with the charitable aims of the Columban Missionaries. Discover at: www.columbans.co.uk

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
Annual training subscription (commitment to CPD)
Long Service Awards
Private Healthcare Scheme
Pension enrolment (optional)
Invitation to Charity conferences and webinars

Please use the application form and process to demonstrate how you fit the person specification and your ability to perform the key responsibilities of the role.

How to apply

Please download and complete the Finance Assistant Job Application Form and send this by email to: hr@columbans.co.uk

Application deadline: Midnight on Thursday 29th June 2023

To find out more about the role please email hr@columbans.co.uk and we will contact you as soon as possible.