Finance Controller

The Role

The Financial Controller supports the whole organisation in managing the financial processes, controls and functions of the Foundation. The Financial Controller will support and oversee the Finance Officers and Payroll Officer in undertaking their duties in a timely and efficient way. Support the Director of Finance by providing accurate figures for the monthly management accounts and reports to the Joint Principals and Trustees. You will also have oversight of the running of ‘Access’, online banking and other finance related software systems.

Reporting Structure

You will report to the Director of Finance who is part of the Executive Leadership of Chetham’s.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Line Management and oversight of the work of the finance team, which includes:

·        Maintaining financial records and producing and presenting accurate reports and financial summaries as requested.

·        Maintaining and operating the nominal, fees, purchase and sales ledger systems. This includes:

·        Overseeing the purchase cycle and advising on supplier queries, when necessary.

·        Managing the proper collection, reconciliation and banking of monies, including debt collection processes for all fee and non-fee income

·        Processing and posting of journals

·        Monthly balance sheet reconciliations

·        Preparation and submission of VAT Returns on a quarterly basis

·        Input extra charges onto student accounts as they are incurred

·        Invoicing with regard to all non-fee income sources

·        Oversight of credit card expenditure

·        Monitoring expenditure budgets on a monthly basis, and reporting to budget holders as appropriate, offering advice to them to ensure that best value is achieved

·        Managing the filing, storage and security of financial and accounting documents

·        Responding promptly to all enquiries from staff, parents, suppliers and others

·        Maintaining records for the external audit and preparing for audit visits

·        Ensuring Real Time Information reports are made in accordance with HMRC deadlines

·        Overseeing the payroll process, including:

§ Ensuring the calculation of all salary deductions are made accurately

§ Working with the Payroll Bureau to ensure that the pension schemes are administered in accordance with the relevant schemes’ specifications

§ Processing the Monthly Data Collection for Teachers’ Pensions

§ Maintenance of Auto Enrolment as per the legislation

§ Maintenance of all salary records to meet statutory requirements

§ Year end processing including producing P60s and P11d’s

§ Calculation of employees’ entitlement to Occupational Sick Pay, SSP, SMP and SPP

§ Ensuring the accurate and timely completion of annual pension returns

§ Dealing with pay and pension queries from staff

·        Act as a Deputy for the Director of Finance as required.

The Director of Finance leads on all strategic management of finance and the Financial Controller will support them in:

·        Setting budgets for each of the charities

·        Monitoring and forecasting performance to ensure that the charities are within budget and to provide explanations for variances from budget.

·        Managing cash flow and maintaining cash flow projections for the current and future years.

·        Preparing the management accounts for the charities and preparing the annual Statutory Accounts for the individual charities.

·        Managing the submission of returns to the Charities Commission, HMRC, Companies House, National Statistics returns and ensure ongoing compliance in these areas.

·        Managing and overseeing contacts, lease, service level agreement and renewals.

·        Reviewing the applications for bursarial/MDS support and advising on scholarship and bursary funds and undertaking assessments of parents’ income and assets prior to making bursary awards. Managing debt resolution.

·        Ensuring that the charities have adequate insurance at all times.

·        Liaising with external agencies on compliance issues including making official reports if required.

Person Profile

Essential

• Qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with a demonstrable track record of success in effective financial management.

• A competent self-starter, able to create and take initiative with a willingness to ‘roll up your sleeves’ and get ‘stuck in’

• Willing and able to take responsibility

• Articulate, with high degree of professionalism and an ability to maintain confidentiality

• A friendly nature, with a sense of humour

• Personal integrity and the drive to do what is best for the organisation

• Professional, flexible, reliable and well organised

• Experience in being an influential part of a team and a strong team player

• Ability to manage and stretch budgets

• Strong ICT skills and the ability to use management information systems and other computer applications

Desirable

 Experience of Charity accounting & Fund Accounting

 Experience in using PASS, ACCESS, Sims

• Experience of working in an education or charity environment with trading activity / subsidiaries

• Experience of working in a regulated environment