Financial Control Analyst

Financial Control Analyst

Pay Grade: Grade 4 - £33,245 Per Annum

Location: Broadstone Building, 50 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9LD. Hybrid Working Available.

Type of Contract: Full-Time, 40 Hours Per Week. Permanent.

JOB PURPOSE

The core purpose of the role is to support the Finance Manager in delivering accurate, timely and compliant financial reporting across the Trust whilst gaining broad exposure to financial control, technical accounting, VAT, Gift Aid, statutory reporting and external audit requirements.

Critical to the success of the role will be developing a strong understanding of monthly processes, key financial controls, external compliance requirements and technical accounting matters. The postholder will work closely with the Finance Manager and the wider Financial Control team to embed this knowledge, contribute to the delivery of an accurate trial balance and support the timely production of management and statutory financial information.

Reporting to the Finance Manager, the postholder will contribute to the achievement of the Finance Team's objectives by ensuring financial information is complete, accurate and compliant, whilst meeting demanding deadlines. The role provides an excellent development opportunity for an ambitious finance professional seeking to broaden their technical accounting knowledge and progress towards a professional accounting qualification.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

·      Working with the wider Financial Control team to develop, maintain and enhance robust financial processes and controls.

·      Working effectively as part of the team to deliver high standards of financial accuracy and compliance within agreed deadlines.

·      Developing and maintaining strong working relationships across the Trust, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing.

·      Supporting Trust-wide projects and initiatives as required by the Finance Manager.

·      Working towards and achieving individual objectives agreed with the Finance Manager.

·      Developing technical accounting knowledge through self-study, training and practical application within the role.

·      Supporting the Finance Manager in ensuring the accurate accounting treatment of VAT and Gift Aid across the Trust.

Monthly Processes

a)    Completion of allocated monthly processes, ensuring appropriate controls are in place to mitigate risk, including but not limited to membership and donation income, holiday let income, rental income, payroll journals, expense journals and Gift Aid processing.

b)    Preparing reconciliations between non-financial systems (e.g. CRM, Estateman, EPOS) and the finance system, investigating and resolving differences in a timely manner.

c)     Working with the wider Financial Control team to review and improve financial processes and data quality to support accurate management and statutory reporting.

d)    Supporting the Finance Manager in reviewing VAT and Gift Aid treatment across the Trust to ensure compliance with HMRC requirements and consistent application of accounting policies.

Month end & Reporting

a)    Completion of month-end tasks in accordance with the month-end timetable, ensuring deadlines are met and work is completed accurately.

b)    Preparing and posting month-end journals with appropriate supporting documentation, including accruals, prepayments, payroll and other adjustments.

c)     Preparing accurate and fully supported balance sheet reconciliations for review by the Finance Manager.

d)    Supporting the Finance Manager with technical accounting matters as they arise, helping to ensure compliance with accounting standards and organisational policies.

e)    Supporting the effective management of balance sheet accounts, ensuring balances are accurate, fully substantiated and resolved on a timely basis.

Statutory accounts & Audit

a)    Supporting the preparation of the statutory accounts in accordance with FRS102 and the Charity SORP, taking ownership of allocated working papers and supporting schedules for review by the Finance Manager.

b)    Supporting the annual external audit process, responding to audit requests and assisting with the provision of information and supporting documentation.

c)     Developing knowledge of statutory reporting requirements and taking on increasing responsibility as experience and technical knowledge grow.

Qualifications

·      Newly qualified or actively studying towards, or intending to commence study towards, a recognised professional accounting qualification (ACCA, ICAS/CA or CIMA).

Experience

Essential:

·      Experience working within a finance or accounting environment.

·      Experience using finance systems and Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

·      Experience working accurately with financial data and meeting deadlines.

Desirable:

·      Experience of preparing journals and balance sheet reconciliations.

·      Experience of manipulating and analysing large volumes of financial data.

·      Exposure to VAT accounting and a willingness to develop specialist VAT knowledge.

·      Experience of Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft Business Central or similar finance systems.

·      Knowledge of FRS102 and/or Charity SORP requirements.

·      Experience working within the charity, heritage or third sector.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

·      Strong numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills.

·      Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain financial information to non-finance colleagues.

·      Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise competing demands effectively.

·      High level of accuracy and attention to detail.

·      Ability to identify issues and take appropriate action to resolve or escalate them.

·      Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines without compromising quality.

·      Self-motivated with a proactive approach to learning and continuous improvement.

·      Strong team-working skills and willingness to support colleagues when required.

Desirable

·      An understanding of the Trust's conservation work and the ability to appreciate the balance between conservation objectives and commercial sustainability.

DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

People Management

·      No Direct reports

·      Reporting to Finance Manager

Financial Scope

·      Not a budget holder.

The Purpose, Context, Key Responsibilities, and Person Specification reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should click the apply button.