Work With Us: Finance Officer

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a personable and enthusiastic Finance Officer who is willing to support and enable the work of others through effective financial administration.

The successful candidate will be a team player, assisting the Director of Finance, and supporting our education and hospitality colleagues, students and guests.

The person appointed to the post of Finance Officer will need to combine:

• accuracy and attention to detail with timely provision of figures;
• the ability to work with colleagues across education and hospitality departments to continue to develop effective systems of financial administration; and
• the ability to work with colleagues on the College Leadership Team to develop departmental financial reporting.

What we offer

We offer

• a college community where each staff member is known and valued, a vibrant community of learning, with an eclectic and interesting mix of people coming for study, short courses, conferences and B&B;
• a unique setting within Salisbury Cathedral Close, with easy access to the city centre;
• a salary commensurate with the sector, with non-contributory pension provision and 27 days holiday and 8 Bank Holidays for full time employees;
• free college lunches on work days when the Refectory is open.

About Sarum College

The College’s location in Salisbury Cathedral Close means that Sarum’s community of learning and hospitality is infused by a strong sense of history, and it is an attractive place to work. The learning includes: undergraduate and postgraduate ministerial formation for lay and ordained ministries validated by the University of Durham Common Awards programme; Postgraduate (PGCert, PGDip, and MA) and PhD study validated by the University of Winchester; Spiritual Direction courses; and a lively and varied short course programme. We host visitors, national and international, staying for conferences or simply for B&B. A diverse mix of people gather in the building including around meals, often sharing ideas and making new connections.

Formal education programmes at Sarum are delivered through residential, online and blended learning patterns, which combines online learning and tutoring through Zoom and residential teaching at College. The postgraduate Winchester programmes are blended with an intensive teaching week running for each module from Mondays to Thursdays.  Spiritual Direction has all three delivery patterns depending on the cohort. Each of the modes are effective and offer flexibility for our students, which relies on supportive communication, usually email and phone, and careful administration.

Sarum College is an incorporated charity with a trading subsidiary called Sarum College Services Ltd. The consolidated income is around £1.8 million from a range of educational programmes, hospitality, and property income.

If you are excited about this role, then we would be very pleased to receive your application.

Download the application here

Applications can be sent by email to Mr Mark Manterfield, Director of Finance mdm@sarum.ac.uk. Only completed application forms will be considered for the post.

For postal / hand delivered applications:
Mr Mark Manterfield
Sarum College
19 The Close
Salisbury SP1 2EE

Please contact Mr Mark Manterfield on the email above to arrange an informal conversation about the post.

Timeline

Applications to Sarum College by 10.00 am Monday, 13^th May 2024
Shortlisting: Monday, 13^th May 2024
Interviews: Week commencing 20^th May 2024

Job Description

Job Title                 Finance Officer

Line Manager         Director of Finance

Salary                     £26,000 p.a. plus a pension contribution of 8.5% of salary to the nominated pension scheme, currently the Church of England Church Workers Pension Fund (Pension Builder Classic) and lunch in the College Refectory when available.

Hours

Please note this role is unsuited to remote working.

Hours of Work: 35 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm with a daily unpaid break of one hour. Work may be required outside these hours to assist the College with events and additional work may also be required to cover other staff absences, for which time off in lieu will be given.

Holiday: The post’s annual leave entitlement is 27 days plus statutory holidays; this includes the days when the College may be closed over the Christmas period. Holidays are to be taken with due regard to the needs of the College, in particular the deadlines for financial reporting and year end, and following consultation with the Director of Finance.

Job purpose  This is an operational role to ensure that the College’s financial transactions are accurately recorded, authorised, reconciled where necessary from which the management accounts will be produced.

To perform these tasks for the College, trading subsidiary and any organisations the College may enter into agreement with.

To assist the Director of Finance as required

 Main duties and responsibilities:

1. Payroll

• To perform payroll tasks as required through to annual returns including liaison with pension providers, HMRC and other statutory organisations.

2. Financial Management

• To reconcile the College’s bank accounts;
• To clear the control accounts and reconcile courses;
• To administer student fees including raising invoices, processing receipts, keeping abreast of unpaid fees and sending reminder letters;
• To operate procedures and systems for controlling, recording and processing income and expenditure transactions
• To process the purchase ledger and sales ledger including reconciliations, taking action for the recovery of overdue fees in accordance with the current policy on the treatment of debtors.
• To undertake routine reconciliation processes
• To assist with the smooth running of the hospitality finance systems and to perform month end procedures, reconciliations and invoicing in relation to each department.
• To produce and send invoices for the College where they are not raised by other departments.
• To assist the Director of Finance in the preparation of forecasts and cash flow forecasts.
• To produce the quarterly VAT returns.
• To prepare and submit the Gift Aid declarations.
• To prepare for the drawing up of the year end accounts by completing necessary reconciliations and schedules.
• To support Heads of Department in expense monitoring including providing cost centre reports for budget holders.
• To meet and work with appointed auditors, as required.

4. Administrative

• To assist the Director of Finance with the preparation of statistical returns;
• To be a proficient user of the College’s finance, hospitality and database software;
• To assist in the smooth running of the College administration, the Finance Officer may occasionally be required to stand in for absent staff which may include assisting with staff, students, customers and prospective customers.

5. General

• To provide support as required to the Director of Finance;
• To respect at all times the confidential nature of the information which passes through the finance office.

7. To contribute to the overall aims, ethos and targets of the College, appreciate and support the roles of other members of the College and attend and participate effectively in relevant meetings as required.
8. To be aware of and participate in the College’s performance management framework and training and development activities as required, sharing information where appropriate.
9. To comply and assist with the development of policies and procedures relating (but not limited) to safeguarding, health and safety, welfare, security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
10. To carry out such other duties as the College may from time to time reasonably require.

The list of duties is not exhaustive or prescriptive and this job specification will be reviewed and updated periodically, after consultation with the post holder. The post holder will be expected to approach the role with enthusiasm and play their part as a full member of the College’s support staff.

Person Specification

Please note:

• Only candidates eligible to live and work in the UK should apply for the post and shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK at the selection process.
• Any offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references, medical questionnaire, Confidential Declaration relating to safeguarding, and a satisfactory Basic DBS check.
• Appointment to the post is subject to a 3-month probationary period which may be extended.