Accounts payable jobs in bedford, kinondoni

Role: Freelance Bookkeeper / Accountant

Location: Student Minds, Leeds - remote working contract. Some in person work may be required approximately 2 to 3 times per year.

Hours: 15 - 20 hours per week; flexible working Mon - Fri, to suit your availability

Fee: £20 per hour, inclusive of VAT if applicable (open to discussion – please include your rates in your application)

Contract: 6 to 12 months, reviewable

Start Date: July 2025, exact start date to be agreed

About Us

Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. We have a clear vision: No student should be held back by their mental health. We empower students to build their own mental health toolkit to support themselves and their peers through university life and beyond. We challenge the higher education sector, health sector, and government to make student mental health a priority. 

We are looking for a detail-oriented and reliable bookkeeper or accountant to join our friendly team, help manage our financial records efficiently and support day-to-day financial administration.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for a friendly and reliable freelance bookkeeper or accountant to join our extended team and help keep our finances running smoothly. You’ll play a key behind-the-scenes role, working with the Senior Finance Manager to support our charity’s sustainability and activities. Student Minds is a medium sized charity (turnover approx £1m and 27 staff) and we need to make every penny work to support our student communities.

This role would suit someone who enjoys working with purpose-led organisations, and who values flexibility, collaborative working and community impact.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate financial records and ledgers.

• Process accounts payable and receivable.

• Support the invoicing process.

• Reconcile bank accounts, control accounts and company payment cards.

• Reconcile income reports.

• Prepare draft monthly management accounts.

• Prepare financial reports.

• Manage routine credit control.

• Manage the central finance email inbox.

• Ensure financial data integrity and confidentiality.

What We’re Looking For - Minimum Criteria

• Proven experience (at least 2 years) as a bookkeeper or in a similar role, ideally with charities or community organisations

• Proficiency and experience in Xero accounting software.

• AAT Level 3 qualification or equivalent.

• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills.

• Knowledge of financial regulations and tax procedures.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office packages, with advanced knowledge of Excel

• Grade C and above / Grade 5 and above in GCSE Maths or equivalent.

• Excellent communication skills.

We can only accept applicants who are residents of the UK with a valid right to work.

What You'll Gain

• A flexible freelance role with real community impact

• The chance to work alongside a values-driven team

• An opportunity to support a long-standing charity doing meaningful work supporting positive wellbeing and mental health

How to Apply

If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to hear from you! Please send us an email (detailed on our BreatheHR site, and in our recruitment pack) outlining:

• your experience and qualifications, telling us how you meet the role requirements

• your freelance rate 

• include your CV

• if you wish to be considered under our priority interview scheme.

Priority Interview Scheme

We recognise that candidates from ethnically-diverse backgrounds may face additional barriers throughout their careers and when applying for charity roles. We are committed to taking positive action to expand the diversity of our staff team by offering a prioritised interview scheme for candidates from ethnically-marginalised backgrounds.

If you meet the minimum criteria for this role and are from an ethnically-diverse background, you'll be prioritised for an interview under our Priority Interview Scheme.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 6th July, 23.59; interviews during mid July, by arrangement.

Student Minds is committed to building an inclusive team and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life.

We are seeking a new Finance and Administration Officer following the upcoming retirement of a long-serving team member. A key member of the SLA central office team, the Finance and Administration Officer plays a vital role in ensuring smooth financial operations and providing essential administrative support for our membership. In addition to administration support, this role is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, book-keeping and effective day-to-day financial operations, producing financial reports using XERO and our CRM.

You will be experienced in financial and administration operations of a charity or similar , with an AAT qualification or matching worked experience. Familiarity with XERO will be an advantage. You will be able to bring understanding of cashflow and financial analysis of figure, working with accountants as required.

You will also have excellent customer service skills and be able to work effectively with all stakeholders from our members, to funders to suppliers. You will be determined and have an excellent eye for financial and administrative detail. Your duties will include general administration and:

Financial operations and record-keeping

• Manage day-to-day financial transactions and maintain accurate records of all SLA accounts and petty cash; book-keeping
• Process and record all incoming payments, including foreign cheques (into bank account)
• Monitor cashflow and expenditure, keeping track of spending
• Pay invoices upon approval and ensure timely monthly payments (e.g. pensions, HMRC)
• Handle creditor and supplier communications and resolve related issues
• Monitor and follow up on overdue payments with a focus on membership payments

Invoicing and income tracking

• Issue and track membership and subscriber invoices and reminders
• Keep office team informed of payment statuses
• Prepare sales, cost, and profit reports for SLA publications
• Conduct annual publications stock take

Payroll and reporting

• Liaise with the accountant on salary payments; process salary BACS payments
• Support year-end financial reporting by providing necessary documentation to accountants
• Produce regular financial reports and analysis as required
• Supporting preparation of budgets, working with accountants as required

 Event financial administration

• Manage financial aspects of SLA events, particularly the annual conference (e.g., exhibitors, sponsors, and delegates)
• Process and record staff/trustee expense claims
• Support with bookings accommodation and travel for Board meetings

To be successful in this role you should demonstrate:

• Strong experience in financial and office administration
• Knowledge of accounting principles  
• Experience of working with XERO or similar
• Experience of using CRM systems (ideally IMIS)
• Experience of working for a small charity and / or membership association
• Accuracy, numeracy, attention to detail
• Ability to manage own workload, prioritise and meet competing deadlines
• Excellent customer service manner
• Being a team player

The Association is a UK wide organisation, working mostly remotely. Working patterns can be negotiated and we welcome applicants from all over the UK. We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. Each new role provides us with an opportunity for us to bring in a different perspective, and we are always eager to diversify our team. The SLA is committed to building an inclusive, supportive place, where you can do brilliant and rewarding work.

To apply please send a one page covering letter and CV with the job title in the subject line by 11th July.  Applications without a covering letter will not be considered. No agencies please.

Due to the volume of applications we cannot provide individual feedback. We really appreciate your interest. If you haven’t heard from us within one week of the deadline, it means we’ve moved forward with other candidates on this occasion. We encourage you to apply again in the future. Please note we may close recruitment early should the right candidate be identified.

The Grants Officer will support the Senior Manager to develop and implement monitoring and reporting
processes across the Foundation’s grant-giving activities. To be successful in the role, you must have
excellent knowledge of results-based monitoring and reporting, demonstrate strong organisational and
administrative skills, and ideally have experience working with colleagues from different cultural
backgrounds.

The initial focus of the role will be monitoring and reporting in relation to the implementation of a Big 6
EU funded programme, the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF). This programme focuses on supporting
youth-led initiatives, giving young people the means to be effective agents of change. The YEF is global
in its reach but will focus on supporting local solutions and grassroots initiatives that young people
develop on the ground. The Officer will play a key role in supporting the Senior Manager to maintain and
grow Big 6 advocacy and partnerships for the short and long-term. This role will also work closely with
colleagues from the Operations and Finance team to ensure accurate information is delivered to key
stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities 

Youth Empowerment Fund (60%):

• Support the monitoring and reporting of the EU funded YEF programme. Including coordinationwithin the IAF and with the Big 6 designated leads.
• Communicating with and activating networks of national organizations to participate in the YEF,including sharing opportunities to take part in Big 6 advocacy activities and applying for youthled solutions open-call Local Solutions grants.
• Issuing of grants to successful national organizations and monitoring and evaluation, including regular reporting on outcomes and impact of national projects to the YEF project team.
• Sharing success stories from the YEF to support the Big 6 communication, storytelling and creative reporting efforts.

Other Grant based support (40%):

• Oversee grant-giving financial processes, creating and issuing of grant payments.
• Support the Senior Operations Manager with the reporting of grant activities for Senior Management and various stakeholders.
• Support the ongoing development of other Foundation grant reporting efforts as required.
• Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required for the successful delivery of the Foundation’s business objectives.