Support and information team members jobs in south ockendon, thurrock

About the RSPCA

Founded in 1824, we have been saving animals for almost 200 years and are proud to be the oldest welfare charity. It has always been our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion, so our volunteers and employees work tirelessly to ensure that all animals can live free from pain and suffering.

We seek to raise standards of care through our numerous campaigns and awareness of issues affecting animals today. We rely heavily on our volunteers, who play a significant role in enabling us to carry out this important animal welfare work every day!

The RSPCA Buckinghamshire South Branch

The RSPCA Buckinghamshire South Branch is one of the branches of RSPCA, but we are also a separately registered charity looking after animals in our local area. Much of the animal welfare work of RSPCA is carried out through local branches, which is run by volunteers who have the support of the National Society of RSPCA.

The main activity of our branch is specialised in the rehoming of small animals including cats, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs and hamsters. The animals come into our care from various sources such as those which are rescued, abandoned, neglected or given up by their owners. Each animal is medically and characteristically assessed to ensure it is fit and well before being available for rehoming. This all costs money, and could not be achieved without your support. 

Job Summary

This role is responsible for the development, implementation and operation of appropriate financial and business management tools to support the day-to-day business and financial administration of the Branch.

Reporting to and working closely with the Chief Executive Office (CEO), you will be expected to make use of the full capability of the Branch’s existing software systems (Google Workspace, and Quick Books) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery and develop management information to aid the Trustees & CEO in decision making.

You will be responsible for all financial management across the charity. This includes bookkeeping; financial statements; financial planning; financial policies, processes and controls and budgeting. 

You must ensure that all activities are carried out in compliance with current legislation, Branch and Society policy, relevant Health & Safety regulations and any associated statutory or legislative requirements.

Note: Branch targets and budgets are agreed on an annual basis and these will inform the personal targets agreed at the annual performance review. Progress towards personal targets will be reviewed at regular one-to-one meetings with your line manager.

This role is home based, with occasional travel across South Bucks.

Principal Accountabilities

Financial Management & Operations

• Support the CEO as a key strategic and operational partner, acting as second-in-command and deputising in their absence where appropriate.

• Maintain all financial records and accounting systems (the Branch currently uses Quick Books accounting software), registers and statistics as required by the CEO & Branch Trustees.

• Work with the CEO and Branch Trustees to develop financial plans and an annual financial budget.

• Maintain close oversight of the branch’s budget in collaboration with the CEO, proactively identifying and addressing any discrepancies, overspend, or unplanned financial activity to ensure effective financial control and informed decision-making.

• Process, monitor, record and manage all receipts & payments to/from the Branch in accordance with the agreed procedures and in liaison with the appropriate staff and volunteers including weekly banking, cash handling, invoice creation and processing, Branch payments (including those made via credit cards and petty cash) and account reconciliation.

• Monitor, review and reconcile monthly receipts & payments on the Quick Books accounting system.

• Produce monthly management accounts which include bank reconciliations, balance sheets, Branch/departmental profit & loss statements, departmental comparisons and performance against budget and such other financial reports/management information as may be required including monthly reporting to the board of trustees.

• Coordinate bank accounts across the charity, including set-up and balance management.

• Prepare and submit quarterly VAT returns.

• Prepare annual financial statements and coordination of annual audit review.

• Support the staff and volunteers with day-to-day financial operations and ensuring departmental financial records are maintained and that monies received or expended are accounted for correctly.

• Work with the RSPCA Society National team regarding legacies, submission of care contribution funds, renewals of insurances etc.

• Ensure that strict protocols are followed for cash handling and that unbanked cash remains within the insured limit for cash held at each premises.

• Liaise with the Branch’s payroll provider to ensure staff hours are submitted and salary payments processed on a monthly basis and within the appropriate timescale.

• Process all staff and volunteer expenses in a timely manner.

• Manage all bookkeeping processes and functions, including the asset register, ensuring annual accounts are produced no later than the end of March each year.

• Develop, implement and maintain appropriate financial administrative procedures and processes.

Business Administration

• Responsible for day-to-day financial administrative support for the CEO and Trustees.

• Ensure that all administrative paperwork, including external correspondence is processed in accordance with Branch and Society procedures, including completion of all appropriate records for insurance and risk management purposes.

• Ensure financial data processing, retention and destruction conforms to the relevant policies such as GDPR.

• Ensure regulatory and legislative compliance of financial charity policies.

• Work closely with relevant operational staff to ensure appropriate responses are issued to all enquiries whether from members, supporters & volunteers, RSPCA colleagues or the general public.

• Liaise with staff and volunteers to facilitate the ordering of materials, supplies and equipment for the effective operation of the Branch, ensuring budgetary controls are maintained at all times.

• Work with the CEO and other staff to manage relevant licences, vendor relationships, service agreements and invoicing.

• Work with staff and volunteers across the whole charity on financial processes and controls.

Fundraising & Donations

• Identify, assess, and apply for appropriate grants and funding streams to maximise income for the branch, ensuring applications are timely, well-prepared, and aligned with funder criteria to support the branch’s strategic and operational objectives.

• Ensure that all donations (financial or otherwise) are acknowledged in a timely manner, receipts are issued for financial donations and the banking of all funds raised.

• Responsible for the accurate recording and banking of the funds raised.

• Develop, and manage relationships across relevant stakeholder groups, both within and outside the charity.

Gift Aid

• Ownership of the Gift Aid process.

General

• Attend meetings and training courses as required.

• Undertake such other duties as directed from time-to-time by your line manager.

Essential skills, qualifications and experience:

• A finance qualification or working towards level 3 AAT or ACCA with proven experience in charity financial operations.

• Good general level of education.

• Strong experience in financial reporting, budgeting and compliance.

• Demonstrable experience of managing small to medium size budgets (circa £400,000) & accounting systems (ideally with experience of Quick Books software).

• Proven experience of cash handling and financial management procedures. 

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

• Proven ability to work to tight deadlines, be proactive and work autonomously.

• Proven IT literacy including use of business software and accounting packages (including Quickbooks), and Google Workspace.

• Strong numeracy and analytical skills.

• Experience supporting audits and implementing robust financial controls.

• Knowledge of Charity and Company Law.

• Proven ability to work under direction from superiors but equally able to use their own initiative.

• Proven ability to prioritise workload and meet tight deadlines.

• Proven ability to complete essential management paperwork and analyse data.

• Personable and with an open, positive approach to new ideas coupled with drive and enthusiasm.

• A flexible and collaborative approach to colleagues both staff and volunteers.

• Honest, trustworthy and reliable.

• A calm and friendly approach particularly when working under pressure.

• Sympathy for animal welfare and the work of the RSPCA.

• Full valid UK driving licence.

• Willing and able to travel around the Branch area on occasions.

Desirable skills, qualifications and experience:

• Experience of management & leadership.

• Training, coaching & mentoring skills.

• Experience of working with the general public and/or in a customer care environment.

• Experience of managing change in the workplace.

• Experience of managing small projects.

• Good basic knowledge of employment law.

• Knowledge of data protection requirements.

• Willingness to learn and acquire new skills through training.

We promote an inclusive working environment in which diversity is recognised, valued, and encouraged. We acknowledge the multi-cultural and diverse nature of the UK workforce and society in general. We are committed to principles of fairness and mutual respect where everyone accepts the concept of individual responsibility. 

We’re looking for a Policy and Public Affairs Manager with a proven ability to manage relationships with key stakeholders at a national level and a deep understanding of the education policy landscape. This is a great opportunity to join an ambitious team redefining public service delivery through tech innovation and strong partnerships.

Oak is the publicly-funded provider of free, high-quality digital curriculum and teaching resources for schools. We are a pioneering organsation, fully remote and mission-driven, working to support teachers and improve pupils’ access to quality education. Oak offers high levels of flexibility, autonomy and purpose.

Our culture has been independently recognised through:

• Flexa verified (93% overall score, including 95% for working hours and 97% for role modelling)

• Escape the City's Top 1% Employers – based on anonymous colleague reviews of culture, development, and impact

�� About the Role

Oak's success is built on a wide range of partnerships across the education and wider public sector. This is a fantastic opportunity for a policy and public affairs professional to manage key relationships and develop Oak's policy role.

�� What You’ll Be Doing

• Manage relationships and inputs with important stakeholders across the education, political and commercial sectors. Act as the lead policy liaison between Oak and the Department for Education

• Work with partners and the Department for Education to develop, agree and fulfil Oak’s policy role and remit within the curriculum, education, AI and edtech landscape.

• Write speeches, presentations, briefings and public papers to communicate Oak’s role and impact, and support Oak’s proactive and reactive media work. You will also represent Oak at public events and in meetings with key figures interested in our work.

• Ensure the continuous improvement of Oak’s external monitoring, stakeholder engagement and policy work.

• Deputise for the Head of External Relations and take on other general responsibilities as required.

• Regular travel to London for in-person meetings and events, including some overnight stays

• As a member of the Oak Team, you will contribute to the wider success and culture of the organisation as well as support and model our five values: create the right environment, be a great colleague, own your role but work for the team, make things happen and keep getting better.

• Work in cross-functional and product-oriented squads with colleagues from across the organisation, as required.

�� What We’re Looking For

• 4+ years holding responsibility for the development of policy and stakeholder relations.

• Extensive knowledge of the education landscape and policy agenda plus developments in AI and edtech.

• A skilled communicator, able to analyse, distil and convey complex information succinctly and build positive relationships with external stakeholders.

• Organised and detail-oriented.

�� Our Benefits

• 25 days annual leave, plus one extra day for each year of service (up to 28)

• Additional Oak closure days over Christmas/New Year

• 11% employer pension contribution (with no minimum employee contribution)

• A 36-hour working week, with half-days on Fridays or every other Friday off

• Fully remote working — we’ll support your home set-up and offer coworking options if preferred

• Twice-yearly in-person offsites to collaborate, connect, and have fun

• A culture that genuinely supports flexibility, autonomy, and trust

�� Inclusion and Belonging

We believe diverse teams build better products. We warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly those who are underrepresented in the tech and education sectors.

We use the Applied recruitment platform to help reduce bias in our hiring process. 

�� Key Info

• Location: Remote, but you must be based in the UK with the legal right to work here

• Sponsorship: Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time

• Closing date: 23:59 on 31 August 2025

If this sounds like the kind of role and team where you would thrive, we'd love to hear from you.

Next steps

You’ll answer some questions related to your day-to-day job. After the advert closes, your answers will go through our sift process: all answers will be anonymised, randomised, and then reviewed by a panel of reviewers (real humans). 

If you are shortlisted, we’ll invite you to the next stage.

We love giving feedback, so at the end of the application process we'll share how well you performed.

We are aiming to start interviews in early September 2025.

We are experiencing really good responses to our job adverts. This may lead us to close the role early, so if you are considering applying then please get your application in early to avoid missing out.

We are an equal opportunities employer.

We are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

About the Choir with No Name

The Choir with No Name has been running choirs involving people impacted by homelessness and marginalisation since 2008, and we currently have choirs in Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Cardiff, Coventry, Sheffield and Brighton. We were founded on the premise that singing makes you feel good; it distracts you from all the nonsense in life and helps you to build confidence, skills and genuine, long-lasting friendships. Each choir gets together to rehearse every week and share a meal together at the end of rehearsal. Our values are family, fun, inclusion and integrity.

Job Purpose

We are looking for maternity cover for our part-time Finance and Data Administrator role. As Finance and Data Administrator, you should have a proactive mindset and a positive attitude. You should have some previous administrative experience and a meticulous attention to detail. You will be responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the Choir with No Name’s finances and impact data. We are looking for someone who is comfortable working independently with a helpful and can-do attitude, a quick learner with a calm disposition when under pressure and able to work accurately and to deadlines.

We particularly welcome applicants from people with lived experience of homelessness.

• Reports to: Head of Development
• Hours: avg. 12 hours a week, flexible across the month to account for busier times/finance deadlines
• Location: Work from home (home working allowance given) 
• Salary: £24,722 (pro rata)
• Annual leave: 25 days per year, pro rata, increasing 1 day per year pro rata with each year of service (to a maximum of 30 days)
• Employee benefits: Employee assistance programme, flexible working
• Contract: Fixed term 11-month contract

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 9am Monday 15th September 2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

Invoices and expenses

1. Inputting all expense invoices, staff expenses & petty cash transactions into accounting software (Xero), ensuring everything is coded to the right budget line
2. Issuing invoices for suppliers, ensuring payments are received in a timely manner and recording them in Xero.
3. Sending a monthly reminder to freelancers and choir managers to submit invoices & completed petty cash books in time for month end deadline
4.  Saving invoices into SharePoint and ensuring these records are complete and up to date every month
5. Cross checking bank statements with income and expenses, ensuring all transactions are accounted for, identifying missing invoices/receipts and chasing the relevant staff
6. Updating our contact and invoicing details with suppliers and freelancers

Donation administration

1. Recording all donations & donor info in our donor CRM database (eTapestry)
2. Producing income queries and reports when required

Impact data

1. Inputting member survey data as well as other impact data as needed
2. Producing reports on impact data as needed

Finance reporting

1. Input cash basis income and expenditure into a monthly cash flow spreadsheet and create summaries for Choir Managers
2. Consolidating income data from multiple online donation platforms and in varied formats into a single monthly report
3. Producing month end platform and database income reports for our bookkeeper
4. Support the Head of Development with month and quarter end reporting for the board of trustees.

General administration

1. Minuting quarterly board and committee meetings

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Alignment with our values of family, fun, integrity and collaboration
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Confident with numbers/maths
• Good time management
• Good communication skills
• Excellent knowledge of Excel and use of formulae
• Ability to work to hard deadlines
• Plenty of common sense
• Ability to learn quickly and use initiative to get the job done
• Trustworthy and honest when handling confidential information

Desirable

• Knowledge of basic bookkeeping
• Experience using of online accounting software ie: Xero
• Experience of using donor databases/CRM systems such as eTapestry/Raisers Edge
• Experience using Microsoft 365 programme suite incl. Teams, Outlook, Excel