3 months contract with a Local Authority
Job Summary:
• The Finance Support Assistant will provide essential financial and administrative support within Somerset Council’s Adult Social Care Finance Team.
• The role includes maintaining financial systems, processing invoices, managing payments and records, supporting statutory returns, and acting as a key point of contact for colleagues, suppliers and service users.
Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample):
• Maintain financial systems and procedures, including administering imprest and unofficial funds and verifying clients’ personal financial records.
• Ensure the security, management and accurate recording of cash and financial information.
• Prepare purchase orders, check delivery notes, match invoices and process payments following certification.
• Review and amend financial information, including monthly downloads and journal uploads.
• Respond to routine supplier, staff and client enquiries regarding payments and financial processes.
• Prepare invoices for services or goods provided, receive and check payments and update financial records.
• Support debt recovery by investigating outstanding payments.
• Use IT systems (including SAP, spreadsheets and databases) to input, extract and distribute financial information.
• Extract statistics to support the completion of statutory returns, highlighting any issues to senior officers.
• Act as a point of contact for staff, clients and suppliers, providing routine advice and information.
• Produce and process routine correspondence, reports and other documentation.
• Contribute to the general office management of departmental buildings, helping resolve issues related to ICT, accommodation and health & safety.
• Uphold and promote Somerset Council’s values, including equality, diversity, inclusion, health, safety and wellbeing.
Skills/Experience:
• Experience working in a busy administrative or finance support role (public sector experience is beneficial but full training will be provided).
• Ability to use financial and administrative systems confidently, particularly SAP, Excel and other IT systems.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when handling financial information.
• Ability to process invoices, manage orders, handle cash and reconcile financial records.
• Good communication skills, with the ability to deal with staff, suppliers, clients and members of the public.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
• Ability to extract and interpret data for reports and statutory returns.
• Reliable, organised and able to follow set procedures and controls.
• Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion practices.
Additional Information:
• The closing date: 21/11/2025.
• The position is temporary for 12 weeks, with training provided, and requires one day per week in the office at The Crescent, Taunton.
• Council: Somerset Council.
• Hours: 37 per week.