FINANCE ASSISTANT - GRADE 3 POST: Finance Assistant – 1 yr Fixed term in the first instance REPORTING TO: Finance Manager HOURS OF WORK: 36.5 hours per week – all year round WORKING PATTERN: Monday to Friday – daily work patterns will be agreed post appointment SALARY: £27,248 – £33,699 pa (Grade 3) LOCATION: Shared Services Office, based at St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Sisefield Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham B38 9JB Lumen Christi Catholic Multi Academy is a thriving group of eight Catholic schools – (seven primaries and one secondary), with 400 employees based in South Birmingham. We are focused on establishing a culture of vibrant and explicit Catholic life in the communities we serve and are led by the Gospel values of integrity, compassion, and service to others. Reporting to the Finance Manager, the Finance Assistant will be part of a busy team who provide a consistent and supportive financial service to our Academy Schools. You will assist with the effective operation of the accounting system, procedures and administration and have excellent communication, organisational and customer service skills. This is a varied role where no two days are the same, it is essential therefore that the successful candidate must be able to work under pressure. You will need to be able to form positive relationships with our children, staff, parents, governors and visitors. You will need to be flexible, with a willingness to respond to priorities and problem solving as required. Confidentiality and professionalism are key attributes for this role. We can offer you a fresh, new challenge with a supportive and welcoming team and although ideally you would have previous experience in a finance role, full training will be given. We also offer an opportunity for hybrid working – combining some working from home with working from our offices at St Paul’s Catholic Primary School in Kings Norton. For further details about the role, please contact: Denise Ward, Finance Manager Lumen Christi Catholic Multi Academy Tel: 0121 675 5344 Closing date: 09:00, Tuesday 30 th Sept. Completed application forms to be submitted to: c.tullett@lumenchristi.org.uk JOB DESCRIPTION Post: Finance Assistant Reporting to: Finance Manager Hours of Work: 36.5 hours per week – all year round Working pattern: Monday to Friday – daily work patterns will be agreed post appointment Salary: £27,248 – £33,699 pa (Grade 3) Liaising with: Internal: Shared Services colleagues, Office Managers, school-based staff. External: Suppliers, Customers, Other Outside Agencies. Location: Currently based at St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Sisfield Road, Kings Norton B38 9JB, which is located approx. 20 minutes from central Birmingham with good transport links and staff parking. Some travel to other sites may be required. Core Purpose: To provide financial support and guidance to our schools. To carry out a range of finance duties and assist with the daily operation of Lumen Christi Catholic Multi Academy. Duties and Responsibilities Raise purchase orders and process invoices in accordance with the finance system and procedures. Check coding accuracy and liaise with finance team colleagues and school-based staff regarding discrepancies and queries ensuring the completeness of postings and correcting errors in a timely manner. Use finance system (Access) or email as appropriate to distribute purchase orders to suppliers. Liaise with suppliers regarding order and invoice queries as necessary and assist the finance team colleagues in resolving disputes. Ensure the maintenance of clear and effective filing. Ensure all transactions are properly authorised. Set up new supplier / customer accounts on the finance system and maintain these as necessary. Monitor the finance mailbox and sort incoming communications in accordance with protocols. Chase aged debtors regarding unpaid invoices and related correspondence. Sending out statements and ensuring debt recovery is completed in a timely fashion. Assist finance team colleagues and finance manager with preparation of records for the year end audit. Maintain a high degree of confidentiality. Maintain accurate financial records for Lumen Christi as required by the company’s financial procedures and in keeping with statutory guidance. Provide data on request to office managers regarding expenditure or any other financial assistance requested. Working with colleagues and other professionals Communicate effectively with other staff members and develop professional relationships with colleagues. Understand their role in order to work collaboratively with colleagues and other relevant professionals within and beyond Lumen Christi. Promote and demonstrate adherence to Lumen Christi values, policies, financial procedures, GDPR and statutory guidance across the MAC. Advice and Support Support the Finance Manager in delivering a finance helpdesk service to all schools within Lumen Christi. Additional Duties: To perform any task or duty under the reasonable direction of the Finance Manager. Lumen Christi will endeavour to make any necessary reasonable adjustments to the job and the working environment to enable access to employment opportunities for disabled applicants or continued employment for any employee who develops a disabling condition. Whilst every effort has been made to outline the key duties and responsibilities of the role, it is not an exhaustive list. The duties and responsibilities of the role may vary from time to time, commensurate with and without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed and would not in itself justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post. All shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online media search prior to interview. Lumen Christi is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to satisfactory references, which will be requested prior to interview, an enhanced DBS check, medical, evidence of qualifications plus verification of the right to work in the UK. PERSON SPECIFICATION – FINANCE ASSISTANT Training and Qualifications Essential /Desirable A minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) including a grade C in Maths and English Y Commitment to ongoing professional development Y Experience of processing data Y Experience of producing reports and documents with a high level of accuracy. Y Experience Essential /Desirable Experience of working in a financial role Y Experience of working in a school / educational / Multi Academy financial role Y Experience of using a range of office equipment including office 365. Y Experience of providing support to colleagues in a busy environment. Y Experience of using Access Budgets and Finance Y Professional Knowledge and Skills Essential Desirable Strong ICT skills with experience of using Excel, Word & Outlook. Y Excellent verbal and written communication skills Y Excellent planning and organisation skills and ability to work on own initiative. Y Strong numeracy skills and attention to detail along with an ability to stick at routine tasks. Y Ability to manage a varied workload as well as delivering to timescale Y Professional demeanour and good interpersonal skills. Y Ability to build effective working relationships with a wide variety of individuals. Y Working knowledge of finance systems including Access Finance Software Y Personal Attributes Essential Desirable Willingness to support Catholic life in school Y Attention to detail Y The ability to self-evaluate and reflect Y The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and new ideas Y The ability to multitask Y Ability to be respectful and promote equality of opportunity and diversity Y Ability to cope resiliently with the demands and responsibilities of the post Y