Citizens Advice Liverpool is looking for a highly motivated Finance Assistant to join the Finance Team.

You will have recent experience of office administration and of meeting deadlines and setting priorities. You will be highly literate and numerate with an interest in developing a role in finance/accountancy. You will have experience of using QuickBooks or a similar accounting/book-keeping package and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.

We’re looking for someone who is self-reliant, able to problem solve and able to input large amounts of data in an accurate and timely fashion.

To apply to join us, please find the recruitment pack and application form on our website available for download.

​Citizens Advice Liverpool recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We aim at all times to recruit the person who is most suited to the job and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from disabled, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic people, as they are currently under represented in our workforce.

Our Governance Co-ordinator keeps the organisation in check, are responsible for the administration of the governance function of Liverpool Guild of Students, ensuring legal compliance and supporting the senior management team in striving towards and achieving our organisational objectives. 
Working closely with members of the Board of Trustees, Senior Management team and elected officers, you will champion our governance structures helping to ensure its robust and properly informed, by providing excellence administrative support at Board and committee meetings.

Specific Duties

Committee Support

For Trustees meetings, committees, Companies Act meetings, members’ meetings, meetings with the University of Liverpool and other internal and external meetings:

• Formulate with the Chair and Chief Executive the agenda, organise the supporting reports and liaise with those members of staff or trustees who may be required to prepare papers for meetings;
• Schedule meetings, providing proper notice to members, coordinate the compilation and distribution of papers in a timely and accurate manner in advance of the meetings;
• Brief Chairs ahead of meetings
• Attend and take accurate minutes of the meetings and produce action logs, complying with the Companies Act 2006 and best practice for charities;
• Check and confirm the quorum at meetings;
• Ensure the safe custody of the official record of the Board of Trustees’ business, including signed minutes;
• Respond informatively to queries from members of committees and attendees of meetings;
• Make the necessary logistical arrangements for meetings, including room booking, refreshments etc;
• Prepare for approval committee terms of reference and rules relating to the composition, quorum, chairing and frequency of committee meetings in accordance with the Governing Documents;
• Maintain an accurate register of the members and attendees of all committees/meetings and their contact details;
• Prepare induction packs for trustees and members of committees;

• Prepare and update an annual schedule of matters detailing the planned detailed work for each meeting/committee;
• Organise the Annual Members Meeting and provide support to the Chair during the meeting;

• Ensure that best practice and legal compliance is adhered to at the Trustees meetings;
• Undertake an annual effectiveness review of the Board; and
• Attend and organise the Board of Trustees annual Away Day.

Company Secretarial Support

• Advise on, and be responsible for the proper approval of changes to, the Governing Documents;
• Ensure that the Guild’s policies and procedures are up to date, accurate, centrally stored and available, and approved;
• Draft policies or procedures that may be required;
• Maintain a database of policies and procedures and their status;
• File returns, appointments, resignations, accounts and other required information to Companies House and to the Charity Commission within the prescribed deadlines;
• Act as the principal point of contact with the Charity Commission;
• Maintain statutory and other registers including the Register of Directors and Register of Members;
• Project manage the production of the Guild’s Annual Report, liaising with the Director of Finance;
• Maintain a database of other key legislation, linked to the schedule of policies and procedures, and ensure that strategies for compliance are developed and implemented;
• Administer the Guild’s risk management strategy, updating and reporting to the Trustees at least annually;
• To keep informed of governance developments for companies, charities and students’ unions and to disseminate this information for the Guild’s senior managers where relevant;
• Lead the process to appoint and induct new trustees including monitoring upcoming vacancies, checking the eligibility of prospective trustees, ensuring that appointments are validly made in accordance with the Governing Documents and relevant legislation, and preparing letters of appointment;
• Undertake an annual skills survey of the board to guide trustee recruitment;

Executive Assistant

• Support the Senior Management Team;
• Work closely with the Democracy Manager to ensure the effective development and implementation of Guild policy;
• Support the strategic and business planning process as and when required;
• Arranging and booking events;
• Booking travel and accommodation for trustees;
• Managing expenses requests for trustees in line with the Expenses Policy;
• Support the administration of the Guild’s relationship with the University of Liverpool; and
• Assist with the administration of the Guild’s pension and insurance arrangements.

Information Governance

• Act as the Guild’s Data Protection Coordinator and ensure compliance under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR inter alia;
• Draft and keep up to date key data protection policies;
• Provide induction and ongoing training for staff in the area of Data Protection and Information Security;
• Maintain Statutory Registers, including a Register of Processing Activity and Breach Register;
• Lead on processing Subject Access Requests;
• Co-ordinate the response to, and investigate, breaches in accordance with the Guild’s Data Breach Procedure;
• Provide advice and respond to queries in the area of Data Protection;
• Formulate Privacy Notices and draft statements provided at the point of data collection;
• Formulate Guild policy for the filing and retention of documents;
• Review potential contracts and agreements for Data Protection compliance; and
• Assist with the undertaking of the Data Sharing Agreement with the University of Liverpool.

Other

• Compile reports and manage records as required, including being responsible for the management of relevant Guild databases.
• Be present at, and assist in the running of Welcome Fairs.
• Attend meetings and training events as required.
• Comply with the Guild’s policies and procedures at all times.
• Comply with and promote the environmental and sustainability procedures within the Guild.
• Undertake any other duties that may from time to time be requested.
• Have a flexible approach to duties and work and, in particular, adopt a team work style with departments and activities across the Guild. This may involve undertaking duties in support of the activities and services of other departments.
• Maintain an appropriate standard of confidentiality.