Circuit Treasurer/finance Officer

**Job Title**:Circuit Treasurer/Finance Officer**

**Lay Employee in the** North Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit

**Location**:As required, based at employee’s home or circuit office (to be

discussed)

**Responsible to: Circuit Leadership Team**

**Accountable to**:Circuit Superintendent

**Purpose and Objectives**:We are looking for a Finance Officer to lead and manage our finances. You should have good office skills, experience of managing financial software and of maintaining accounts. A good understanding of budget management would be helpful, as well as good organisational skills. Qualified to A level with relevant financial qualifications, you must be used to working to deadlines and be able to work on your own for periods of time without close supervision.

Ideally you will have experience of working within the charity or church sector but in any case, you should be sympathetic to the values we stand for.

**Main Responsibilities**
- **Budgeting, accounts preparation and reporting**

Report and provide financial guidance and management accounts as required to the monthly Circuit Leadership Team meetings and the Circuit Meetings.

Prepare a draft annual budget each year. Calculate the contribution due from each church in the Circuit to meet the budgeted costs. Present the draft budget to the Circuit Leadership Team and the individual church treasurers for discussion and amend as necessary. Present the final budget for approval by the Circuit Trustees’ meeting Prepare the draft year end accounts for approval.

Prepare the annual Reserves Policy for approval by the Circuit Trustees’ meeting.

Prepare the formal statutory charity accounts and financial notes in compliance with accounting standards, using the accruals basis, which form part of the Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts. Liaise with the Circuit Superintendent, the Co-ordinating Circuit Steward and the Circuit Manager to complete the narrative parts of the Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts, ready for the independent examination, and approval by the Circuit Trustees’ meeting.

Liaise with the independent examiner (auditor) to arrange for the examination of the annual accounts to be completed in advance of the Circuit Trustees’ meeting.

**Bookkeeping, payments and receipts**

Check and arrange for payment of supplier invoices and minister and lay employee expenses promptly. All transactions of income and expenditure to be entered onto the Data Development system.

Monitor receipts of assessments from churches and chase up arrears.

Monitor monthly rent receipts from lettings agents.

Complete all analysis schedules on the spreadsheet for salaries, expenses and income at least monthly and monitor against budget.

Prepare a bank reconciliation at the end of each month.

Manage cash flow and ensure there are sufficient funds in the relevant bank accounts.

Ensure all churches pay their assessment on time

**Payroll**

Set up and pay new employees with the payroll and pension scheme as required

Pay employees every month, in accordance with signed timesheets or approval from managers

Calculate annual inflation increases in lay employees salaries for approval by CLT (in accordance with the agreed policy).

Maintain records and prepare P11D’s for staff benefits (following guidance on HMRC rules on the Methodist website).

Administer the lay staff pension scheme.

Μaintain staff sickness records

**Other matters**

Review telephone contracts/ broad band, council tax and water rates are provided and paid for all the manses and renegotiate when due for renewal.

Prepare and submit bank mandates for signature changes.

Obtain year end accounts, reserves policies and Trustee reports for Churches within the Circuit for checking and action as appropriate.

Work with the Circuit Property Steward regarding insurance and other matters affecting the property

Keep adequate records of work undertaken.

Advise CLT and the Circuit Trustees’ meeting of the financial implications of any new initiatives

In consultation with CLT, consider the long term financial position of the Circuit.

Any other duties and responsibilities, identified by the Superintendent minister as are within your capabilities and level of responsibility, in order to meet the needs of the Circuit.

**Meetings and training**

Meet with or talk to the line manager once a month to review the work undertaken, and change where necessary the focus of work.

Attend the monthly CLT meetings

Attend the tri-annual Circuit Trustee meetings.

Attend the annual District treasurer’s meeting.

Attend the Circuit Stewards meetings.

Attend the bi-annual District Synod (as appropriate)

Convene and lead meetings with the treasurers of the Circuit churches once or twice a year.

Undertake any courses for changes in Charity financial legislation and update Churches within the Circuit as required.

lProvide training courses for Churches if necessary.

**Terms and conditions**
- Terms of appoi