We have an opening for a Finance Officer or Bookkeeper to start immediately.
fly2help is an exciting aviation charity based at the Cotswold Airport in Kemble, Gloucestershire, that inspires change in people's lives through the wonder of flight. For more information, see www.fly2help.org.
Job Title: Finance Officer or Bookkeeper
Salary: £10 per hour (approximately £20,000 pro rata)
Length of Contract: Permanent, subject to satisfactory completion of 6 month probationperiod.
1.Main Responsibilities
·To ensure that the fly2help offices operate in an efficient and timely manner through managing all aspects of finance administration
·Managing income and expenditure in the bank
·Recording income and expenditure in Sage 50
·Generating weekly, monthly and annual reports in Sage 50
·Managing petty cash and processing staff and volunteer expenses
·Recording and implementing standing orders from donors
·Paying and generating invoices
·Keeping track of donations
·Prepare financial reports for funders and the Trustee Board
·Work with the accountant to prepare end of year accounts according to the (SORP) statement of recommended practice and (SOFA) statement of financial activities
·Work with CEO, Company Secretary and others in preparing annual returns and reports
·Prepare and reconcile all bank statements
·Set up BACS payments, standing orders and direct debits as necessary
·Reclaim tax from HMRC for Gift Aid
·Assist CEO with preparing annual budgets
·Help with financial information for grant applications
2.Person Specification
Experience
At least two years demonstrated experience in managing the accounts and financial affairs of a small to medium charity, including, but not limited to:
· preparing financial reports and statements;
· processing financial transactions and accounts using Sage 50 and internet banking; and
· preparing management accounts and financial reports.
E
Appropriate qualification in business, finance or accounting
D
Experience reclaiming gift aid and preparing charity accounts
E
Demonstrated proficiency in Sage 50
E
Demonstrated ability to present financial information to non-financial people.
E
Well-developed interpersonal communication skills
D
Demonstrated ability to use initiative and achieve results.
E
Excellent organisational skills with the ability to maintain a high level of attention to detail
E
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team
D
Good administrative skills to ensure self-sufficiency, including good proficiency in Microsoft Office packages.
E
Positive attitude towards working for a small but busy charity.
E
E = Essential, D=Desirable
3. Main Terms of Employment
·Salary £4,160 per annum (full time equivalent £20,000 = £10 per hour)
·Hours of Work 4 hours per week (full time equivalent 40 hours). Flexibility is possible, although must be during business hours from the Kemble office.
4. Probationary Period
You will be required to successfully complete a probationary period of 6 months.
5. Application
To apply, please send a cover letter detailing your experience against the person specification to felicia@fly2help.org by 4 June 2013. Interviews will follow.
Did I just accidentally log into the PPH site ... sorry, obviously my mistake. I thought that someone was asking on the BKN site for people with at least two years verifiable experience in a responsible position of a charity to work for a lot less than bookkeeping rate for that level of experience.
If you get someone fitting those requirements to work onsite at that price I will be amazed.... Maybe two years ago when there was no work anywhere for anyone, but not in the current market.
I think that really you need to be looking at a minimum around £17 per hour to get the right people applying for the role.
If you were more flexible on requirements there are plenty of newly qualified bookkeepers available looking for experience who would be eager to work for £10 per hour but for people with the experience and responsibility requirement that you are looking for... (sound effect of plumbers quote intake of breath).
Sorry about the reality check reply.
Good luck with finding the right person for your charity,
kindest regards,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Thanks very much for your comments on the role. Charities - especially non-London based ones, are never able to offer as high rates as we would like, but £20,000 pro rata is a fairly standard rate for a Finance Officer at a regional charity. I'd love to offer more, but our beneficiaries are our priority so we need to send as much of our donations as possible their way rather than paying higher rates to contractors and employees.
It's a wonderful and inspiring place to work which, for all of us here in the office, is the most important thing.
No problem and glad that my message was taken in the manner in which it was intended.
Many in this industry use charities as a training ground for exactly the reasons that you have stated. The problem that I forsee you having is getting people with the experience requirement rather than taking on trainee's who have perhaps passed their ICB exams and then training them on your systems.
Of course, there will always be people on maternity leave, etc. after keeping their hand in until they go back to work. But you are looking for long term commitment rather than someone coming in for a couple of months before moving on.
Personal view is that your money would be better spent on taking on an MICB or MIAB who has also got Sage certification as a trainee and bringing them up to speed within the organisation.
It will take more of your time in training them but you would get the right people in the organisation at the price for you without the constant fear of rapid staff turnover (although such still cannot be written off as a threat).
It will also mean that staff do things your way rather than bringing new ideas to the table that may not fit comfortably with the way that you work.
The key really is finding the right people, with the right bits of paper in the right area who have the determination and motivation to succeed.
And of course, being a charity I am sure that you are more attuned than many to giving people a chance which lets be honest there are just too many inexperienced bookkeepers out there who have done the training but cannot find work because they have no experience (your advertisment for a bookkeeper being a typical example).
Find the right trainee and you will not regret it... But of course, there are plenty of wrong trainee's in the same way that there are plenty of wrong experienced people. Getting the right one is really down to your interviewing skills and how well thaat you can read people.
kindest regards,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
