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The Society of Authors (SoA) is the UK's largest trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators. We’ve been advising authors and speaking out for the profession since 1884.
We’re currently looking to welcome a Finance Manager to our team.
The role
The Finance Manager leads on the operational management of the finance function to ensure there are robust financial controls, effective reporting and efficient day-to-day financial operations across the organisation, including our ancillary charities and literary estates. The postholder is expected to foster excellent working relationships across the organisation with all staff, member volunteers, senior colleagues, board members and charity trustees.
Reporting directly to the Chief Operations Officer, the Finance Manager has significant responsibility for:
· Management accounts and reporting
· Budgeting and forecasting
· Cashflow oversight
· Audit and compliance
· Financial controls and process improvement
· Operational financial analysis
Responsibilities
Day-to-day financial management
- Manage the day-to-day finances for the organisation. Ensuring all aspects of the financial systems are accurate and kept updated including banking and sales and purchase ledgers.
- Manage the finances for our 14 charities. Ensure all aspects of the financial systems are kept updated.
- Undertake monthly reconciliations ensuring all transactions are properly and efficiently recorded.
- Prepare quarterly VAT returns for the organisation including the partial VAT exemption calculation.
- Oversee the management and appropriate allocation of any restricted funds for the charities ensuring that monies are allocated as per donor wishes or grant specifications.
- Prepare any ad hoc budget request and figures for other departments or the management.
- Regularly review and maintain financial policies and procedures.
- Support with funding bids and reports for donors and grant-making bodies.
Budget process management
- Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer on preparing the annual budgets for the organisation and our ancillary charities.
- Prepare quarterly figures for review, explaining any variation from budgeted figures.
- Monitor the actual spend against budgets for all the charities.
· Ensure adequate cash flow to meet the needs of the organisation and our charities in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Charities.
- Work closely with all Departmental Heads to ensure they fully understand their budgets and ongoing organisational performance against budget.
Statutory reporting
- Assist the Chief Operating Officer with the preparation of the organisation’s accounts.
- One of the main points of liaison with the external auditors, ensuring all supporting papers are collated for an efficient and effective annual audit to take place.
- Maintain fixed asset register and inventory of all equipment contracts and agreements.
- Ensure adequate controls are in place to safeguard the financial assets of the organisation.
- Lead on preparing all our charity accounts.
- Assist the COO to ensure the organisation and its ancillary charities are compliant with statutory bodies and external institutions including:
o Companies House
o Certification office
o Charity Commission
o HMRC
o All banks and payment processors
Financial risk management
- Work with the Chief Operating Officer to ensure that the appropriate processes are in place for the long-term financial viability of the organisation.
- Develop, update and produce long-term cashflow forecasts for both the organisation and our ancillary charities.
· Ensure appropriate financial risk management techniques and controls are in place at strategic and operational levels.
Governance support to the Finance Sub-Committee and Charity Trustees
- Assist in the preparation of all associated papers and minutes for the Finance Sub- Committee.
- Assist the Chief Operating Officer in preparing papers for Board and Charity Trustees.
The duties above outline the broad areas of responsibility. The SoA reserves the right to vary these duties to suit the requirements of the business.
Person specification
Essential
- Minimum part-qualified accountant or qualified by experience with strong financial management experience, with an ability to understand the practical impact of finance decisions and processes across the organisation.
· Strong IT skills including the Microsoft Office suite, in particular Excel, and experience of using databases.
- Experience of using Sage 50 Cloud Accounts.
- Significant experience and confidence in managing a full range of finance operations in a small or medium sized organisation in the not-for-profit sector.
- Confident presenting financial information to non-financial audiences.
- Demonstrates excellent attention to detail, organisation and communication skills.
· Resilience in working under pressure, ability, and willingness to both give and take constructive feedback.
· Bring ideas for improvements and is open and honest in all communications where relevant and appropriate.
- Ability to work with the Chief Operating Officer to develop the formulation of long-term financial plans and strategies for the society and its ancillary charities.
Desirable Skills
· Specialist knowledge of Charities, including Charity SORP guidance and procedures, underpinned by strong theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
· Experience of working for a trade onion or a membership organisation.
· Tax and charities law, including a good understanding of partially exempt VAT status.
What we offer
As a progressive and ethical not-for-profit organisation, we offer a range of benefits to support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. We are a London Living Wage and a Disability Confident – Committed employer.
Benefits include:
- Competitive salary
- Cycle-to-work scheme.
- Death-in-service benefit (8 x salary)
- Employee assistance programme
- Flexible, hybrid working practices.
- Family-friendly, disability-confident inclusive culture
- Generous annual leave, including all bank holidays.
- Salary exchange pension scheme
- Interest-free annual travel card loan
- *Office closure over Christmas
- Private healthcare
*Colleagues can work over the Christmas period, although the building is closed. For those who wish to take additional time off, colleagues take these days from their annual leave allowance.
As an employer, we nurture a working environment in which staff can grow and develop. We recognise the value of flexibility in the way we work with a positive culture of hybrid working practices.
Inclusion, diversity, and representation are at the core of our values, and we work to tackle structural discrimination and prejudice. Part of this commitment means that we are looking to increase diversity in our organisation at all levels. We strongly encourage applications from a broad range of social, cultural, educational, and underrepresented backgrounds
To apply, please send your CV and a personal statement as a single document (max. 3 x A4 pages)
If any part of the application process is not accessible to you, please let us know.
Non Charity Employer
21 - 50
Empowering authors since 1884. We have been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession for more than a century.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
ABOUT THE PASSAGE
Our vision is of a society where homelessness no longer exists, and everyone has a place to call home.
The Passage is based in the heart of Westminster, providing practical support and a wide range of services to help transform the lives of people who are, or are at risk of, street homelessness.
We are guided by our Vincentian values and offer our clients resources and solutions to prevent or end their homelessness for good, including routes to employment, benefits, and stable accommodation.
Our current 3-year strategy ‘The Art of The Possible’, outlines the innovative approach we will be taking over the next 3 years building on a foundation of collaboration and focusing on three goals: preventing, convening and sustaining.The Passage is in a secure and financially stable position and is viewed by central, regional and local government as a key strategic partner.
JOB PURPOSE
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, and reporting directly to the CEO, this role is of critical importance in supporting The Passage to achieve its vision and mission.
The Executive Assistant provides dedicated support to the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team, with key tasks including action tracking, minute taking, developing resources and materials for events, diary management and regularly being the first point of contact for individuals and organisations seeking to liaise with the CEO/Senior Leadership Team. We expect the post holder will have excellent relationship management skills, sound experience of using Office 365 products, strong organisational skills and the ability to support the smooth running of the Executive Team and governance functions.
The post holder will facilitate effective governance support systems, including organising meetings and supporting Trustees and Committee members to fulfil their roles where needed. They will also have excellent professional standards of confidentiality and discretion in all areas of work, including assisting and supporting high profile events at The Passage.
MAIN DUTIES
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Support the effective governance systems of The Passage Group (P2000, Passage Housing Services and Passage Trading Services) by ensuring effective Trustee and Committee member recruitment, induction and continued professional development.
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Support each Chair of Board with the implementation and ongoing review of a skills matrix system.
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Act as the first point of contact for external bodies and individuals who wish to communicate with the Chief Executive, ensuring that the organisation is professionally represented and seen as accessible and responsive.
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Liaise with Board members, teams and external organisations as necessary to facilitate the work of the Senior Leadership Team.
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Assist the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team to project manage specific pieces of work and assist with the relationship management of key stakeholders.
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Maintain professional standards of confidentiality and discretion in all areas of work.
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Develop and manage systems that provide effective support for the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team, including diary management, scheduling and servicing meetings, project planning and monitoring communications.
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Assist in producing resources and other materials for the Senior Leadership Team as required.
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Assist and support the CEO and Senior Leadership Team with the management and running of high-profile events as required.
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Provide administrative support to Senior Leadership Team, Board and all Governance Committees including the production of annual governance meeting schedules, correspondence and minutes, and compiling and circulating papers.
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Maintain an up to date and accessible filing system for the Chief Executive and ensure that all information is stored in an accessible manner on SharePoint, adhering to data protection requirements.
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Arrange meetings for the Chief Executive providing links with those involved and preparing hospitality, papers, and all practical arrangements.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
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In conjunction with your Line Manager, continuously develop the role to ensure that all tasks are being undertaken in an effective and appropriate manner which meets the strategic aims and objectives of The Passage.
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Participate in internal/external meetings as required, and attend training events, conferences and other functions as necessary.
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Participate in regular supervision, annual appraisal and identifying individual professional and personal development and training needs.
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Ensure that all The Passage policies and procedures are being adhered to, particularly those relating to Health and Safety, Code of Practice and Confidentiality.
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Contribute to the effective implementation of The Passage’s Diversity and Equality Policy as it affects both The Passage and its work with vulnerable adults.
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Undertake your role in a professional manner at all times to maintain a high-quality standard of work in accordance with the aims, values and ethos of The Passage.
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Undertake any other duties that may be required which are commensurate with the role.
Note: The details contained in this Job Description summarise the main expectations of the role at the date it was prepared. It should be understood that the nature of individual roles will evolve and change as service, service users and commissioner needs change. Consequently The Passage will review and revise this Job Description as required in consultation with post holders.
Person Specification: Executive Assistant
The person speification sets out the essential abilities and qualities that will be used in the selection criteria for this post.When completing your application form, please address criteria E1 to E6 and K1 to K4 demonstrating your experience and knowledge, giving evidence of your experience and abilities.
EXPERIENCE
E1 Experience of working as an Executive Assistant or equivalent senior support in a similar context.
E2 Experience of devising and maintaining governance support systems (recruitment, induction, training and development and skills audit support).
E3 Experience of administering effective governance cycles; including minutes, action tracking and preparation of papers.
E4 Experience of diary management, inbox management and stakeholder coordination.
E5 Experience supporting strategic projects, programmes, or organisational planning.
E6 Excellent communication skills, with ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a range of diverse stakeholders, both internal and external.
KNOWLEDGE
K1 Knowledge of Office 365 products and project tracking tools.
K2Enhanced knowledge of governance and committee structures within a charitable organisation.
K3Knowledge of GDPR and Charity Commission guidelines for good governance.
K4Knowledge and experience of working as part of a senior leadership team or similar.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.