Finance Manager

**Finance Manager**

**Salary: £50,000 - £55,000**

**Location: Colchester**

**Benefits**:

- 36 days holiday (inc. bank holidays)
- Hybrid working
- Competitive Employer Pension - matched from 5% up to 9%
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Discount Scheme
- Wellbeing Day
- Weekly extended lunch breaks
- Expert Supervision & Peer Support
- Training & Development opportunities
- Free on site parking

The role of Finance Manager encompasses all aspects of organisational and financial compliance and reporting and sits within the senior management team structure, with regular interaction with the Board of Trustees.

You will be responsible for assisting with the preparation and analysis of working papers relating to month end and year end reporting, in line with SORP guidance and auditor advice. In addition, you will lead on organisational compliance and look to improveupon systems and process while line managing both the IT and Estates functions.

You will need to keep up to date with financial policies, practices and regulations and assist with the compliance of financial standards and other financial legislation including the charity commission.

**Key areas of responsibility**:

- Prepare and update annual income and expenditure budget in consultation with the Chief Executive and Finance Committee
- Monitor the budget against actual and in relation to approved expenditure and to take up any major variations in budget expenditure through the Finance Committee and reconcile any differences
- Involvement in strategic and business planning projections with the Chief Executive and Senior Management team
- Manage all income and expenditure processing
- Maintain and improve bookkeeping and accountancy systems (both computerised and manual) including:

- Bank reconciliations
- Cash management
- Income and grant analysis
- Bank receipts and payments
- Purchase approval and recording processes
- Prepare the statutory accounts of the year-end audit and liaison with auditors
- Provide regular monthly management financial information (including management accounts and cash flow forecasts)
- Quarterly financial reports for the Board of Trustees including detailed analysis of income and expenditure
- Reports on individual activities including grants and trusts
- Filing Annual Return to Charity Commission
- Attend Trustee meetings as required to provide information and analysis
- maintain a good working relationship with bankers, investment managers, auditors, and grant giving organisations
- Keep up to date with financial developments across the sector, changes in requirements for charity reporting and changes in legislation
- Maintain and monitor the Internal Financial Procedures policy document and make recommendations on best practice, good governance, policies and procedures
- Maximise business efficiency within an embedded risk, safety and compliance culture while overseeing and maintaining audit accreditation across the organisation, such as ISO:9001 and MQM Standards
- Improve profitability and cash flow through the execution of effective financial control.
- Improve the speed, efficiency, and accuracy of internal operating processes

**About you**:
**Education & Qualifications**:

- Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACMA, ACCA or CIPFA) or Qualified by experience

**Essential Experience**:

- Experience of using computerised systems for accessing and updating information for report purposes and compiling reports using data.
- Experience of dealing with and managing confidential and sensitive information.
- Experience of monitoring investments and cash.
- Management in a non-profit environment.
- Experience of managing the audit process.

**Desirable Experience**:

- Experience of working for a charity.

**Skills, Abilities & Knowledge**:

- Excellent organisational and planning skills, including the effective performance management.
- Strong presentation, influencing, coaching and communication skills, in both oral and written forms.
- Highly effective at prioritisation, able to manage multiple priorities.
- Forward looking, innovative thinker with an ability to identify the opportunities offered by technology to improve finance function.
- Able to analyse and evaluate data.
- Well-practiced and effective at identifying risks and acting upon early warning signs of emerging issues.
- Capable of providing a decisive response to delivery risks and issues

**Personal Characteristics**:

- Car driver
- Empathetic and understanding
- Reliable and flexible
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills