Senior payroll manager jobs

Please note there are two positions available: 1 Permanent and 1 Fixed Term Contract (12 Months)

Location: Office Based - London (Southwark) (due to the nature of this role, it cannot be offered on a home-working or hybrid basis)

Job Profile

Are you interested in an opportunity in the charity sector? Would you like to develop an understanding of internal processes and liaise with multiple teams in the organisation? Are you someone who likes to work with money, data and people?

The post holder will contribute to ensuring the Supporter Donations Team (SDT) manage and administer supporter donation activity on behalf of CAFOD, providing a high level of supporter care while delivering within agreed service levels and Key Performance Indicators. SDT has the overall responsibility for managing and thanking all supporter donations to CAFOD made through a variety of channels and schemes. SDT works within the Finance and infrastructure group, liaises across all teams in CAFOD, and external service providers to ensure donations are processed within agreed service levels and quality standards. Due to the nature of SDT’s role, SDT has particularly close ties to CAFOD Fundraising activities and actively engages in our fundraising programmes and schemes.

Key Responsibilities

Supporter Care:

• Handle telephone, email and postal enquiries from supporters; identifying and resolving queries in a prompt, warm and sensitive way.
• Provide phone cover to the Supporter Care team as required.
• Provide reception cover to the Supporter Care team as required.

Donations:

• Accurately code donations received, ensuring agreed departmental procedures are followed.
• Process, set up and administer instructions and payments through a variety of donations channels and schemes such as Online, Direct Debit, standing orders, BACs, Payroll giving schemes and online giving platforms.
• Input and maintain data on CAFOD’s supporter database, ensuring high degrees of accuracy on our donor records.
• File and archive financial data, while adhering to strict audit controls.

Gift Aid:

• Understand Gift Aid and its application within CAFOD.
• Assist with all aspects of tax effective giving, in accordance with agreed procedures and priorities, including preparation of regular tax claims for submission to HMRC.

Thanking:

• Produce and dispatch letters to thank and acknowledge donations received.
• Write bespoke letters of thanks to supporters to respond to exceptional donations and provide a personal touch.
• Contribute to ongoing enhancement and improvement of supporter thanking

Post/banking:

• Assist with all incoming and outgoing postal duties held by SDT to maximise effectiveness of processes and delivery of key service levels.
• Preparation of daily banking, cash handling and initial reconciliation of all monies received daily.

 All SDT staff are expected to:

• Attend and contribute to regular team, section, divisional and CAFOD-wide meetings and briefings.
• Work as a supportive member of the team, providing cover for and training of the section staff and volunteers as required.
• Participate in training and other activities as requested by the line manager
• Assist with the rapid set up of projects and work packages in response to major emergency and disaster appeals.
• Rotate through all key tasks within the team / section.

This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.

Safeguarding

All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

Job Specific Competencies 

• Displays a methodical approach to administrative tasks to meet processing deadlines, whilst maintaining an excellent standard of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to communicate professionally with supporters, from individual givers to religious communities.
• Displays excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build strong collaborative relationships with colleagues.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience with CRM software/ database

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

• Provide inspirational leadership and clear strategic direction for the Freshly Greated CPP programme.
• Lead the implementation of the programme with creativity and a strong commitment to its aims and objectives.
• Develop and nurture the key partnerships in Great Yarmouth and beyond that support the programme’s sustainability and growth.

The Executive Director leads the Freshly Greated programme, working closely with the Freshly Greated Consortium, Arts Council England (ACE), freelancers, volunteer Community Producers and the wider local community. The Director manages a small, multi-disciplinary team and is responsible for the programme’s creative direction, partnership development, financial sustainability, evaluation,  compliance and will also develop and lead an ambitious, co-created community-led arts and culture programme that has action research and evaluation at its core. 

Freshly Greated is a year round programme which includes award winning youth participation and intergenerational projects across three neighbourhoods. In partnership with Out There Arts, Freshly Greated create vibrant public celebrations across parks, beaches, and town spaces, inspired by local stories. Last year, 61,942 residents took part in workshops, events, and festivals that are free, inclusive, and locally led. All Community Producers agree Freshly Greated proves everyone is creative, builds skills, and strengthens community spirit - 94% say it increases local pride, and 91% believe it makes Great Yarmouth a better place to live. 

Introduction:

Norfolk Rivers Trust’s ambition is to deliver catchment-scale change to our water environments. We are dedicated to protecting our watercourses from pollution, improving habitat and ecological functioning of chalk streams and rivers whilst enhancing resilience to climate change.

Since its founding in 2011, the charity has grown to a team of over 30 passionate and enthusiastic employees. Together, we are delivering major projects such as river re-meandering and floodplain connections, farming and land management advice, new constructed wetlands, native species work and community engagement.

We’re now looking for a Finance Officer to help support our finance department and wider team with the daily finance needs of a small but ambitious environmental charity. Joining our diverse and passionate team means you’ll have the chance to make a real impact, not only on our people, but also on the environment we work so hard to protect.

Job description:

We are looking for a motivated Finance Officer to join our team and support the day-to-day accounting functions across Norfolk Rivers Trust and its trading arm Rivers Ecology Limited. In this role, you will work closely with the Head of Finance, helping to maintain accurate financial records, provide timely reporting, and support project teams with budget monitoring. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone keen to learn, develop, and implement new systems and technology to improve efficiency, while playing a key role in helping the Trust achieve its mission to protect and enhance our water environments.

Key duties and responsibilities

1. Financial Processes

• Ensure all financial activities are correctly entered into the company’s accounting system, including both purchase and sales ledgers, and the general ledgers for Norfolk Rivers Trust and its trading arm, Rivers Ecology Limited.
• Oversee supplier payments and prepare regular payment runs, managing new supplier details and bank amendments securely.
• Manage the sales invoicing process to ensure income is invoiced, recorded, and followed up promptly.
• Oversee monthly entry of staff timesheets and expenses into the accounting system.
• Complete and maintain timely bank reconciliations.
• Assist with preparation and submission of quarterly VAT returns.
• Manage intercompany transactions, ensuring accurate and consistent recording across the Group.
• Support the Head of Finance with the annual audit process through preparation of required schedules and documentation.
• Assist with monthly payroll tasks as required.

2. Financial Reporting

• Assist in the preparation of monthly financial reporting to ensure timely and accurate submission of management accounts with variance analysis and supporting schedules for internal review.
• Provide regular financial data and insights to the Senior Leadership Team as may be required.
• Provide financial reporting support for clients and funders, ensuring grant-related reports are accurate, compliant, and submitted on time and in accordance with grant conditions.

3. Compliance, Controls and Data Management

• Ensure all financial processing complies with internal policies, financial regulations, and relevant legislation.
• Maintain accurate, secure, and up-to-date financial records, ensuring appropriate document retention and audit trails.
• Ensure GDPR compliance when handling financial data.

4. Budgeting and Forecasting

• Support the Head of Finance in preparing annual budgets and forecasting tasks.
• Collaborate with Project Leads to track and report project finances, ensuring a clear understanding of income and expenditure to support budget management, facilitate decision-making, and handle project claims and variance requests effectively.
• Assist in preparing and managing cash flows as needed, ensuring effective monitoring and timely provision.

5. Systems

• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of financial systems, controls, and procedures.
• Support the implementation and adoption of new accounting software and related financial systems, including assisting with data migration and process training where required.

6. Stakeholder and Funder Engagement

• Engage with external clients, grant funders, and partners on financial matters including income, expenditure, and reporting, ensuring clear and effective communication.
• Address finance related queries from both internal and external stakeholders promptly and professionally.
• Collaborate with external consultants, such as accountants and other service providers, to support financial processes as needed.
• Share and exchange best practices and innovative ideas within the Rivers Trust network to foster continuous improvement.

7. Communication and Development‍

• Ensure consistent and proactive communication with the Head of Finance, providing regular updates and ensuring alignment on financial matters.
• Support the Head of Finance in delivering internal financial training to teams, including training on budgeting and financial management.
• Provide updates and engage in team meetings as required.
• Contribute to a collaborative and positive working environment within the Finance Team.
• Ensure clear communication, collaboration, and consistency across teams, promoting shared learning and continual improvement in financial processes.

8. Other Responsibilities

• Undertake additional tasks or projects as reasonably requested by the Head of Finance or Senior Management Team.

Person specification:

Education and experience

Essential:

• Bookkeeping qualification equivalent to AAT Level 3.
• Experience of working within a finance or accounting role.

Skills and knowledge

Essential:

• Clear commitment to the vision, mission, and values of Norfolk Rivers Trust.
• Strong financial process management, including understanding of the general ledger, purchase and sales ledgers , and ensuring accurate account reconciliations.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and reporting skills, capable of presenting financial data clearly.
• Ability to build and maintain positive and productive relationships with partners and stakeholders while maintaining confidentiality and managing sensitive information professionally.
• Skilled in using accounting and financial software, with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft 365.
• High level of numeracy, accuracy, and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management and planning abilities, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team depending on the requirements of the task at hand.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle insured for business use.
• Right to work in the UK.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of charity accounting and reporting standards, including restricted and unrestricted funds, grants, and donations.
• Experience in intercompany accounting, ability to develop, implement, and maintain effective systems and processes.
• An interest in wildlife conservation.

Employee benefits:

• Employee assistance programme.
• Free eye test and support with cost of glasses.
• Enhanced leave policies including maternity, paternity and sickness.
• Excellent pension scheme.
• Flexible working opportunities.

Applications:

You will need to send a completed Job Application Form, Equal Opportunities Monitoring Information Form and a covering letter/email by 09:00am on Monday 19th January 2026.

Interviews will be held week commencing 2nd February 2026.