Accountant - Unity House - Wigan, Greater Manchester

Accountant - Unity House - Wigan, Greater Manchester

Job Type: Full Time - Permanent

Accountable To: Head of Finance

Accountable For: Finance Assistants

Accountant

Ensuring the smooth day to day running of the finance function and supporting the Head of Finance in maintaining and developing the service, this role assists in ensuring the charity remains compliant with statutory financial regulations and co-ordinating the preparation of data to meet key reporting requirements both internally and externally.

The post holder will be committed to providing a high-quality finance service which meets the Charity’s needs and ensures that the accountancy function effectively informs the Board and Senior Leadership Team in key decision making.

This role is accountable to the Head of Finance and instrumental in:

• Delivering the charity’s purpose
• Providing sound financial advice 2
• Preparing, developing, and analysing financial data
• Undertaking all activities relating to the Charity’s accounts including trial balance, detailed financial reports, and their interpretation
• Ensuring compliance, with all relevant financial statutory and regulatory matters.

Key Accountabilities:

Management Accounts & Reporting

• Preparation of management accounts, balance sheet, cashflow statement and financial reports within agreed timescales.
• Maintain the fixed asset register.
• Liaise closely with budget holders to provide a comprehensive accounting support service, including the provision of financial information, analysis to budget owners and review of business cases.
• Analyse variances and explore potential problems with budget owners, making and executing recommendations.
• Provide proactive financial advice to the Senior Leadership Team and budget owners, actively promoting financial awareness.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the management accounting service provided to budget holders, make recommendations and document ways of developing and improving the quality and timeliness of management information.
• Implement and document ways of developing the management accounting and reporting systems.

Project Reporting

• Develop and manage project reports with a view to improving the quality and timeliness of management information.
• Assist project teams in developing business cases.

Budgets & Forecasting

• Preparation of annual budgets, including income, expenditure, balance sheet and cashflow for review by the Head of Finance.
• Regular review of budgets and reforecast of outcome.
• Maintenance and development of budget and forecast models.
• Improve systems surrounding all aspects of the budgeting, forecasting, business planning and end user financial systems.
• Establish pricing and costing models.

Maintain Cashbook

• Oversee cashbook to bank statements monthly.
• Maintain bank account/Purchasing card accounts.

Controls

• Manage the development and review of existing financial controls.
• Implement and maintain controls to ensure that all transactions are authorised in line with policies and procedures.
• Develop suitable division of duties to minimise the likelihood of fraud.
• Monthly control account reconciliations.
• Oversee the control of Aged Debt.
• Reconcile membership CRM database transactions to actual cashbook receipts and the accounting systems.
• Develop the reconciliation system for transactions through the CRM database and actual receipts through the website and other payment methods.
• Provide advice on financial policies, procedures, specialist accounting and tax matters as required, and proactively promote a greater understanding of these areas throughout the Charity.
• Deliver training sessions on financial matters to non-financial staff to build capacity and understanding.