Finance Officer

Job Title: Finance Officer
Reporting to: HQ Finance Manager
Hours: 37.5 per week
Salary range: £32k to £35k
Principal Location: London, hybrid with a minimum of 3 and an expectation of 4 days in the office per week.

Street Child is one of the world's fastest-growing children's charities. In less than 15 years we have made a material impact on the lives of nearly a million children - but the desire, potential and need to go so much further, and to reach millions more children in need of safety and a quality education, is what motivates us every day. Strong finance functions underpin everything that we want to achieve as an organisation and this role is a vital part of this.

Role Purpose:

This role is a key member of the busy HQ finance function. The role is primarily focused on HQ finances and will also work with the colleagues across our global finance team. The role offers the chance to work across a number of finance functions, including: management accounting, supporting year end audit, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable and working on some of the subsidiary charities; and so it provides a great opportunity to experience the full breadth of finance work in a charity across all functions in a varied and interesting role.

It is essential that the applicant can juggle the complexities of a busy role with has varied work priorities. Key stakeholders are the HQ Finance Manager, Finance Director and the HQ based fundraising team. The role works alongside the Finance Assistant and plays a role in oversight and coaching of this role. Street Child is implementing a new CRM system and this role will feed into the development of new processes and procedures and use both the CRM and finance system and ensure full reconciliation and data trail between the two systems.

Key Responsibilities:

1) (40%) Deliver all functions related to Accounts Receivable and CRM:

• Ensure that all income from a variety of different sources is correctly and accurately recorded in the finance system and CRM (which is under development) on a weekly basis.
• Supporting with work on accounts receivable including accessing, downloading and saving in a systematic manner reports from donor portals, bank account and other sources.
• Working with colleagues in Fundraising to analyse and code income reports in Excel and uploading it to the Finance system on a timely basis, at least weekly. Following up on how to code any income which is not allocated to a source.
• Working closely with colleagues in Fundraising to ensure prompt collection of outstanding balances from customers, and sending out monthly debtor balance statements.
• Raising donor invoices and requests for payments, and issuing donor receipts.
• Income and customer account reconciliations and revaluations.
• Any other responsibilities relating to Accounts Receivable.

2) (40%) Month end reporting and reconciliation and subsidiary accounts:

• Complete all balance sheet reconciliations, including bank and petty cash reconciliations and submit for approval by HQ Finance Manager.
• Once CRM system is in place, undertake reconciliation processes between finance data and CRM data.
• Carry out monthly revaluations of bank accounts.
• Ensuring supporting information for transactions is correctly stored in electronic format on Teams such as bank statements, remittance advices, credit statements.
• Assist in preparation of internal reports, including working with Operations Department and Finance department to review their monthly reports.
• Take responsibility to deliver the management accounts of two subsidiary companies: Children in Crisis and HQ transactions of Africa Educational Trust.
• Compile information for Gift Aid returns.
• General support and assistance to the team including administrative duties and managing the office post.
• Other ad hoc support to the wider operations team as may be required.
• Audit: support with the year end audit and provision of supporting information to auditors.

3) (20%) Lead the Accounts Payable process:

• Whilst the Finance Assistant is responsible for all payments, the Finance Officer has a lead role in ensuring that all invoices are paid on time, in an efficient manner and that the finance system reflects the transactions within the correct accounting period and correctly coded in the system – including account code, cost centre, project code and donor code.
• Determine most efficient payment platform to process international payments, and ensure that recorded in the finance system at the correct conversion rate.
• Be a point of contact with the Foreign exchange agents to quickly resolve any questions.
• Work with the Finance Assistant to ensure accurate and timely recording of all approved supplier invoices, requisitions, staff expenses and other expenditure in the accounting system and that all supporting documentation for all transactions are uploaded.
• Ensuring that there are at least two payment runs a week and additional runs as required; overseeing the process to ensure that all invoices for payment are correctly approved by the budget holder, setting up payments on online banking platforms and sending out requests for payment approvals to payment authorisers and verifying that all payments are fully approved in the banking platforms by the deadline set. Providing cover to set up payments when the Finance Assistant is not available.
• Managing monthly staff credit card reconciliations and ensure that these are returned on time with all receipts and invoices and checking and reviewing classifications, with follow up as required.
• Carry out monthly Creditor account reconciliations ensuring that all balances are valid and backed up with appropriate supporting documentation.
• Fully deliver the set up all payroll payments in time for the monthly pay day. This involves ensuring correct amount and currency of payment (which may differ from the salary of the individual’s employment contract) and method of payment across all HQ staff.
• Any other responsibilities from time to time.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential:

• 5 GCSE at Grade C or above including English and Maths
• Post-GCSE qualification such as A-Level or T-level or equivalent Degree
• A Good understanding of double entry bookkeeping
• Part qualified accountancy qualification

Desirable:

• Full Accountancy qualification

Experience and Knowledge

Essential:

• IT Literate with strong Excel skills
• Familiar with using Teams
• Experience of working in a similar role
• Experience of using a CRM

Desirable:

• Charity or third sector experience

Skills and Abilities

Essential:

• Attention to detail
• Highly organised and self-motivated
• Flexible and able to manage multiple tasks at one time.
• Good written, verbal and presentation skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Fast learner whilst not afraid to ask for help!

Desirable:

• Shows initiative in identifying problems and posing solutions
• Persistence and tenacity

Other:

Essential:

• Pro-active communication style including keeping team-members informed and updated as necessary.
• Work co-operatively and collaboratively with colleagues, other departments and other external contacts
• Strong communicator and able to explain work to other team members

Desirable:

• Good Interpersonal skills