Finance Assistant

Finance Assistant 
Haywards Heath, West Sussex 
£18,457 - £19,486 per annum, (starting salary is subject to experience) Plus Excellent Benefits 

Cats Protection (CP) is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity. We now help around 190,000 cats and kittens through our network of over 250 volunteer-run branches and 34 adoption centres and homing centres. 

As a Finance Assistant, you will provide processing and administrative support for the financial accounting activities of the charity, and to provide a high-quality service and be responsible for ledgers they control. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Ledgers 

- To accurately enter, process and post purchase invoices, expenses forms and requests for payment, ensuring that all documents are appropriately approved before submitted for payment 
- To undertake BAC and cheque payment runs, as set out in payment timetable, filing all invoices once paid 
- To set-up new and maintain details of existing suppliers, adhering to the controls in place to ensure that changes are appropriately authorised 
- To reconcile supplier statements to purchase ledger balances and to resolve discrepancies 
- To handle and respond to queries from both managers and suppliers 
- To raise recharge invoices to branches for centrally purchased goods, banking payments, allocating sales receipts and preparing statements 
- To be responsible for the credit control of the sales ledger accounts, sending statements to branches, undertaking credit control activities on overdue accounts, chasing debts and ensuring customer accounts are settled within stated terms 
- To set-up and maintain customer accounts and generate sales invoices 
- To be responsible for raising intercompany recharge invoices between Enterprises and Cats Protection 

Banking 

- To undertake daily banking activities, banking Care income and completing income schedules 
- To undertake bank transfers between CP branch and main CP bank account; including the administration of branch Holding Fund requests, meeting the payment transfer timetable, writing to branches advising that transfers have been made and making corresponding entries in the finance system 
- Ensure that sufficient funds are available for transfer, checking balances before any transaction and acting on any overdrawn current accounts 
- To undertake month end reconciliation of HIBA current account, ensuring all entries are valid and investigating and resolving discrepancies; where necessary to follow up with the bank 
- To ensure balances are correct and to investigate and resolved discrepancies 
- Administer the opening, closing and amending of bank accounts operated by CP branches, liaising with the bank with regard to setting up and amending these accounts 
- Process mandate change requests, check signatures, send to bank and file copy on day of process in the branch files 
- Order bank stationery as requested and forward cheque books/paying in books to branches/ACs as required 

General: 

- Use Excel to analyse data as necessary 
- Understand the complexities of CP structure and the specific sensitivities of working with Branches and volunteers 
- To handle and distribute post 
- To undertake ad hoc tasks and provide administrative support to the department 

In common with all posts, ensure compliance with Cats Protection’s policies and procedures, statutory obligations and best practice, and to undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required by the Chief Executive. This job description may be subject to review in the light of the developing organisation and in consultation with the post holder. 

Person Specification: 

Essential qualifications: 
- A Level (or equivalent) in any subject 
- Five GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Mathematics 

The person will require the following: 
- Ability to process data accurately and quickly 
- Experience of using Microsoft Excel to an intermediate level 
- Experience of using accounting software or a similar type of database 
- A willingness to provide a quality service to customers with experience of working in a customer orientated role 
- Experience of working within an office environment 

The person will ideally have the following: 
- Experience of working within a finance team 
- Experience of working in either accounts receivable or accounts payable departments 

Please refer to the job description and person specification when submitting your cover letter. Please note that this role supports the possibility of AAT funding. 

Closing Date: Friday 9th June 2017 
Interview Date: to be confirmed 

To reward you, we have a pay scheme which provides the opportunity to progress within your pay band, subject to satisfactory performance. We also offer a range of benefits which include a generous holiday entitlement, a competitive pension offering, a private medical scheme, and a death in service scheme. 

Cats Protection is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. 

To apply for the role of Finance Assistant, please apply via the button shown. 

This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency. 

Additional Keywords: Finance Assistant, Accounts Assistant, Accounts Payable Clerk, Accounts Receivable Clerk, Accounts Clerk, Finance Clerk, Finance Administrator, Accounts Administrator, Accounts, Finance, Financial. 

Working Hours: 35 hours per week, permanent