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This role is a fixed-term contract for six months. Interviews will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams.

The Financial Processing Officer will be responsible for all elements of accounts receivable and payable processing for all the NCIs and subsidiary companies, from raising purchase and sales invoices to ensuring timely payment and receipt of balances by following established procedures and in accordance with agreed Service Level Agreements (SLA).

The Finance department is a shared services function working across the NCIs to provide a comprehensive, cost-effective finance service to each organisation, and helping to co ordinate joint projects where appropriate. The team also provides support to, and promotes best practice across the wider Church in relation to financial matters, including monitoring the financial health of Dioceses, Cathedrals, Theological Education Institutions etc.

The Finance team is currently supporting their NCI clients with some major change and transformation projects, as well as undergoing significant changes to their own ways of working to ensure they can deliver a high-quality Finance service which meets the needs of the NCIs. This includes undertaking a Finance Transformation Programme to help Finance develop their service (replacing an ageing finance system as well as associated process improvement and changes to ways of working) and supporting the Church of England Governance Programme which will reshape the National Church Institutions themselves.

This is a fixed-term contract for a period of six months.

Interviews will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams.

You will support the Finance Processing team to maintain a robust internal control environment, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of invoices and staff expenses and tightly monitoring accounts payable/receivable and expenses, ensuring compliance across the function.

You will take primary responsibility for ensuring that internal and external stakeholders' queries are timely attended to and tightly controlled. Ensuring the completion of all relevant reconciliations and adherence to deadlines to maintain the integrity of finance data on a monthly basis.

You will work collaboratively with the rest of the Finance Processing team and other finance stakeholders to develop a high-quality finance service to the NCIs, including best practice external reporting, robust ledger controls and compliance, timely and accurate invoice and expenses entry, and effective tasks management.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Purchase and sales processing

Responsible for ensuring accurate and timely processing of transactions in accordance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and targets, including:

* Being the first point of contact for all payment queries across the NCIs and will play a key role in customer service management.

* Timely response and management of expectations for request completion.

* Providing administrative and logistical support to the Financial Processing (FP) team, and undertaking efficient and accurate tasks.

* Managing the FP team shared email inboxes and folders, directing queries to the appropriate members of staff, creation of new vendor accounts, expense claim processing, physical cheques logging, mail handling.

* Processing purchase invoices, expense claims, credit card transactions and other payment documents using correct coding and VAT analysis.

* Processing sales invoice requests and other types of income receipts (e.g. credit card transactions) using correct coding and VAT analysis.

* Managing weekly and unscheduled payment runs, ensuring processes and controls around purchasing and payments are followed.

* Managing the clearing process, ensuring payments and receipts are matched and allocated to supplier and customer accounts on a timely basis.

* Undertaking credit control activities to ensure outstanding debt is recovered, and queries or disputes are followed up and resolved promptly.

* Daily monitoring of incoming requests, and their ageing. Communication with responsible officers and requesting completion of tasks. Escalation of issues to line management.

Customer helpdesk

Be proactive and innovative in resolving issues affecting 'customers' (whether customers, suppliers, internal NCI departments or others), including:

* Ensuring all enquiries are answered promptly in line with agreed SLAs and demonstrating the highest level of customer service.

* Providing information and support to finance and non-finance colleagues to aid processing efficiency, promote use of finance systems and ensure compliance with financial procedures.

* Liaising with other members of the Finance team to provide ad hoc support as appropriate.

Internal controls and compliance

Compliance and engagement with internal controls and procedures, including month-end and year-end processes and deadlines:

* Working to month-end and year-end processing deadlines and support the Finance team in production of accurate financial information on a regular and timely basis.

* Monitoring and managing debtor and creditor control accounts, ensuring receipts and payments are timely, and transactions are recorded accurately.

* Reviewing and reconciling purchase and sales ledger control and clearing accounts regularly, ensuring transactions are cleared accurately and anomalies are investigated and resolved quickly.

* Creating and maintaining records for customers and vendors in the finance system, managing and maintaining the integrity and accuracy of master data.

* Undertaking ad hoc checking of expense claims for any out-of-policy amounts or missing receipts and follow up as appropriate.

Process and system improvements

Suggest developments and improvements AP/AR processes and use of key business systems to increase efficiency and ensure a best practice approach, including:

* Working to maximise efficiency and minimise administrative duplication wherever possible, and keep all records clear and up to date within an appropriate control framework.

* Drafting, updating and maintaining comprehensive guidance manuals for all key processes, and provide support and training to other members of the Processing Team where required.

Other

* Providing accurate information for the annual statutory audits and internal audits, in line with the timetables set.

* Providing cover for, and complementing the work of other members of the Processing team and other Finance teams.

* Providing approval for same-day payment runs and BACS payment runs.

ESSENTIAL

Knowledge/Experience:

* Financial administration or bookkeeping experience.

* Experience of working in a team to meet shared goals/deadlines.

* Experience of a customer-facing role and resolving customer queries, with a strong focus on customer satisfaction.

Skills & Abilities:

* Good working knowledge of basic accounting principles, competent numeracy skills and basic understanding of VAT.

* Excellent IT skills, particularly accountancy software and Microsoft Office, and accurate and quick keyboard skills.

* Good attention to detail with the ability to spot and resolve errors or anomalies.

* Good time management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

* Ability to work well and effectively under pressure, well organised and able to prioritise work to meet tight deadlines.

* Good communication skills both written and verbal, and confidence interacting with a wide range of people at all levels.

* Ability to work in excess of the agreed hours at certain times, e.g., year-end, and willingness to accept ad hoc work requests.

* Personable, friendly, self-motivated and enthusiastic.

Qualifications & Training:

* Studying towards gaining a recognised accountancy qualification, e.g. AAT.

DESIRABLE

* SAP experience.

* Experience of working in the finance function of a large organisation, including for example in Accounts Payable or Accounts Receivable teams.

* Experience of working for a charity.