Finance and Operations Assistant - Full Time

About Challenge Partners 

Who we are: Challenge Partners is a practitioner-led education charity that enables collaboration and challenge between schools to enhance the life chances of all children, especially the most disadvantaged. 

How we do it: The Challenge Partners central team works closely with school leaders and other education professionals to facilitate a variety of programmes and networks for schools in our partnership. We ensure the knowledge and skills of the best in our network are available to everyone, reducing the variability in education provision whilst improving the performance of all schools, leaders, and pupils in the partnership. 

Our team: We are a small, but growing, team of around 25 people. We are dedicated to working hard for our schools whilst enjoying what we do and who we work with. You will be working in a friendly and dynamic group with backgrounds in education, the wider social enterprise and charity sector, and the corporate world. The majority of roles are school-facing, and team members work closely with leaders in our schools to generate and refine ideas and create maximum value for the network. 

Job purpose

To ensure the smooth running of Challenge Partners’ finance and operations by performing administrative tasks related to finance and operations. The Finance and Operations Assistant will have lead responsibility for administrative tasks relating to finance, office and facilities management, HR administrative tasks, IT and data. 

Key responsibilities

Reporting to the Finance and Operations Officer, the Finance & Operations Assistant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Finance duties 

• Entering and processing invoices into the finance system (Xero) for payment

• Provide support and training to other members of staff on supplier invoice processing

• Devise and run monthly checks (including reconciliations of key balance sheet accounts) to ensure the completeness and accuracy of all transactions on the finance system

• Allocate payments and receipts to specific records on the finance system and produce aged receivable and payables statements

• Reconcile company credit cards to invoices and staff claims

• Liaise with suppliers to resolve technical or financial problems such as unpaid invoices or disputed services

• Dealing with a range of queries and identifying and resolving issues.

• Carrying out daily petty cash duties to ensure the smooth running of operations when face-to-face delivery resumes

• Liaise with Finance and Operations Officer to resolve day to day issues

• Support Finance and Operations Officer to produce timely and accurate management accounts

• Act as a systems administrator for finance and banking system 

• Obtaining, filing, and processing supplier invoices and credit notes.

2. Office management

• Take overall responsibility and ownership for the office management, ensuring it is a welcoming, secure, and safe environment for staff and visitors. 

• Managing the room booking system 

• Maintain inventory of office assets and accounts to ensure charity property is being used responsibly and in line with GDPR.

• Liaise with John Keats Primary school to resolve general facilities issues.

• Support the Health and Safety lead in identifying and implementing improvements to office safety and security. 

• Ensure cleaning and hotdesking systems are working effectively to create a positive and clean working environment.

• Provide ad hoc support to staff on practical and technical issues. 

3. IT support

• Setup of new equipment, including laptops, phones, tablets and electronic accessories. 

• Reallocating and monitoring existing equipment as necessary.

• Liaise with IT and telephony suppliers to resolve day to day issues

4. General operational support

• Responding to general enquiries or redirecting complex enquiries to different teams. 

• Contributing to the wider team by participating in projects, working groups and other initiatives.

Person Specification

Specific skills and attitudes:

Challenge Partners is a growing organisation and seeks an ambitious and driven individual able to develop with the role, and take on increasing responsibility. Specific skills and attitudes we are looking for in an applicant are as follows:

• Ability to prioritise effectively to meet competing demands, through excellent organisation, time management and relationship management skills

• Excellent financial skills and awareness. Experience of working with Xero would be an advantage, but is not a requirement; high levels of numeracy and close attention to detail are essential

• Determination to see tasks through and to deliver consistently high-quality work to deadlines with limited supervision

• Ability to form and maintain good working relationships with colleagues inside the organisation and partners outside, acting as the interface between Challenge Partners and external providers of finance and IT support

• High computer literacy and adaptability, with experience of using the Google Suite an advantage. While you will not be expected to provide IT support, you will need to be comfortable working alongside our external IT support providers to ensure their service meets our needs

• Experience of using Salesforce (or a similar CRM system) would be an advantage, but training will be provided

• Willingness to learn and give and receive feedback

• An ability to take the initiative and identify solutions or improvements, rather than being satisfied with the status quo

• Flexibility and ability to thrive in uncertain conditions. We are a growing charity, where change is the norm – you will need to be comfortable with this, whilst also being able to develop and implement systems to bring order and clarity to our work

• Previous experience in a similar position would be advantageous

How to apply and our recruitment process

Challenge Partners is committed to further enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our team and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, gender as well as sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. Our approach is to use blind shortlisting in accordance with best practice.

If you would like to be a part of our team, then please apply via Charity Job no later than midnight on Sunday 13th February 2022, but we will review applications on a rolling basis and would encourage early applications. 

• A CV of no more than two pages 

•  A statement of no more than two pages demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the role and the person specification

Job title: Finance Business Partner

Region: London or Home based

Directorate: Finance

Contract: Permanent, Full Time, 35 hour per week

Salary: £41,000 - £44,000 per annum including market supplement where applicable, plus £4,452 London Weighting if applicable

About The Royal British Legion

Careers in Finance, Commercial and Projects

Across the country, in every city and on every street, the Legion is there to support our Armed Forces community. As the largest charity of our kind, we have 235,000 members, 60,000 volunteers and a network of partners all helping us give support wherever and whenever it's needed.

When it comes to providing this support to such a deserving community, every penny counts. Not just because we owe it to those who have served for us and their families, but also to those who choose to support us. They need to trust that we do the right thing and make the most of their contribution.

It's this mission, this scale, this challenge and the values we all live by, that makes the Legion such a fulfilling place to thrive.

Our Finance, Commercial and Project directorates consist of various sub departments – such as Business Processes, Financial Planning and Analysis, Procurement, Facilities, Property and the Transformation Office. If you were to join any one of them, you’d help ensure these financial responsibilities are achieved. While seeing that RBL has the means to go on innovating and developing.

The Role

We’re looking for a technically strong qualified accountant who is passionate about the charity and welfare sector to deliver high quality financial, commercial and business advisory support in an effective manner to the Assistant Directors and Management Teams responsible for:

• Remembrance & Marketing

Responsible for championing Remembrance and supporting Remembrance services and events across the UK,  as well as providing Marketing, Brand, Digital and PR services across the organisation.

• Membership & Volunteers

Support our 200,000 strong Membership community and 120,000 volunteers who give their time and energy to collect for the Poppy Appeal, organise fundraising events and offer advice through branches and events.

• HR and L&D

Support the HR teams responsible for development and implementation of policy, ways of working, learning and development programmes and reward and recognition 

You will develop trusted relationships to produce financial projections, budgets, forecasts and business cases, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy. You’ll be a keen problem solver with an eye for detail, an effective communicator and have a strong focus on customer service, planning and organising. 

The successful candidate will be a key member of the Financial Planning & Analysis team, working closely with the Senior Finance Business Partner and budget holders to deliver robust financially planning and advice.

Please note that this role can be based at our London office, which is located at Haig House, 199 Borough High Street, London SE1 1AA, or can be home based. London Weighting will be offered to candidates based at Haig House with an expectation to attend the London office regularly. Candidates taking up the role on a remote basis will not be eligible for London Weighting, however all work-related travel expenses will be paid.

As an inclusive employer, we welcome conversations on flexible working and any reasonable adjustments that may be required.

Diversity Statement

We believe that the compassion, understanding and service we show each, and every individual customer should be reflected in the way we all support, respect and include every individual who works with us.

It’s because of this that we have strived hard to create a One Legion culture that we can all feel part of and succeed in. It’s why we make sure that you have the opportunities you need to learn and develop. It’s why we’re invested in making RBL a truly inclusive place to work, where everyone can be themselves. It’s why you’re welcome, whoever you might be.

It’s why we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

How to Apply

Please click ‘Apply Online’.

Closing date for this role is: Thursday 3rd February 2022