Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer
Salary: £33,000-38,000
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: home-based
Purpose of Job
The Finance Manager/PA to Chief Executive Officer role comprises 4 key elements:
- Finance – Responsible for the day-to-day management of the charity’s finances including preparation and reporting on annual budgets, auditing process and management accounts.
- Financial Assistance Programme – Responsible for the administration, management and promotion of Forces Children Scotland Financial Assistance programme.
- PA to CEO – Providing PA support to the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Trustees
- People Support – Responsible for HR processes and procedures (with 3rd party support) recruitment, onboarding and health and safety, including direct line management of Administration and Fundraising assistant.
Specific Tasks
Financial Management
- Ensuring that all financial activities are carried out, recorded and accounted for in accordance with Charity Commission and OSCAR regulations and auditor’s recommendations.
- Oversight of Bankline including staff salary payments, online payments, donations, office financial transactions, and credit cards. Updating the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) re-forecasting of finances as required.
- Liaise with Forces Children Scotland accountants in relation to the processing and recording of transactions ensuring monthly financial transactions are actioned.
- Processing financial transactions through Quickbooks, Monthly reconciliation, posting of annual budgets and running monthly payroll journals.
- Preparing management reports and cashflow information for CEO.
- Payroll: ensuring staff salary payments are actioned and/or amended as necessary on a monthly basis and PAYE payments are made monthly to HMRC by the deadline.
- Managing the annual audit process, liaising with the auditors during the audit period ensuring all information is up to date and in compliance with regulatory bodies Charity Commission and OSCR.
- Support the Business Development manager with accurate financial information to inform Funding Bids and reporting.
- Provide live budget information for the management team including providing financial and budget training and support for staff.
Financial Assistance Programme
- Be responsible for the administration, management and promotion of Forces Children Scotland Financial Assistance Programme.
- Ensure correct assessments are undertaken to identify children’s and families’ needs and provide direct support based on those assessments.
- Within the criteria agreed by the CEO, taking responsibility for making decisions on financial assistance awards up to a pre-agreed level of funding.
- Maintain child and or family case files and share relevant information with other agencies to work towards an integrated assessment of a grant and service delivery.
- Manage applications with partners via the CMS system.
- Develop effective relationships with children, young people and parents which will enable positive experiences for children and their families.
- Develop and maintain links with external agencies and actively contribute to relevant meetings as required.
- Have an understanding of and comply with Forces Children Scotland’s procedures for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
- Ensure the financial assistance programme complies with GDPR.
- Develop and maintain accurate recording and evaluation of grant-giving programme.
- Contribute to reporting and the research and development of new programmes to promote the overall well-being and educational opportunities of children and young people using the service.
- To attend conferences, review meetings, supervision and training sessions as requested.
PA support to the CEO and Board of Trustees
- PA support to the CEO including assisting in preparation for meetings and appointments.
- Managing the CEO and office diaries.
- Assisting CEO in the preparation of documents, reports, applications and presentations.
- Support the CEO during the organisational planning cycle working with managers to prepare annual budgets.
- Organising appropriate travel arrangements for the Chief Executive and Board of Trustee members and preparing detailed itineraries.
- Supporting CEO with budget monitoring and preparation.
- Assisting the CEO in preparing the agenda for each Board of Trustee’ Meeting and other meetings as required.
- Attending and minuting Board of Trustee meetings. Obtaining approval of minutes, ensuring the signatures and circulating as appropriate.
- Servicing the administrative requirements of other Forces Children Scotland meetings as required by the CEO.
People Support
- Overseeing HR processes across the team with support from external agences.
- Attending the Melting Pot on a regular basis to deal with incoming mail and processing as appropriate.
- Maintaining all Forces Children Scotland subscriptions, memberships and insurances.
- Support staff with home working arrangements and act as key contact for health and safety concerns.
- Act as organisations GDPR officer.
- Liaising with the Forces Children Scotland’s IT support as necessary.
- Signposting to the London Metropolitan Archive regarding the Forces Children Scotland’s archives as required.
- Maintaining the Organisational Handbook on all aspects of organisational policy and procedure.
- Maintaining relevant HR paperwork on behalf of the CEO.
- Overseeing the recruitment and onboarding process, including the processing of disclosure documents.
- Maintaining an inventory of office equipment.
- Answering general calls and enquiries made to Forces Children Scotland via telephone, email, and responding to website and social media enquiries.
- Creating and maintaining the schedules of all Forces Children Scotland meetings and events and coordinating dates by which papers are to be prepared and circulated.
- Organisation of staff training schedule, sourcing suppliers and recording and updating records.
- Processing all invoices, staff expense claims and preparing credit card reconciliations.
- Assisting with the organisation, and attending such events, where appropriate, including sourcing and preparation of relevant resources, event bookings and maintaining relevant paperwork.
- Such other tasks as shall reasonably be required by the Chief Executive
Person Specification
Skills and Experience
Essential
- A minimum of 3 years experience working in a similar role within the voluntary or statutory sector.
- Ability to manage multiple work streams across a range of organisational functions.
- Experience in managing budgets at an organisational level.
- Experience in providing support to senior staff and/or Trustees.
- Experience of using and developing of financial business systems.
- Experience across a range of administrative tasks, including excellent verbal and written communication.
- Experience of minute taking.
- Strong organisational skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Experienced people manager.
- Solid IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook).
- Ability to work effectively within a small team, using own initiative, prioritise and organise own workload. Being strongly self-motivated.
- Demonstrate a professional manner when dealing with both internal and external stakeholders.
Desirable
- Experience of managing charity finances.
- Experience of writing and maintaining organisational policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of GDPR, Health and Safety and Safeguarding.
- Knowledge of Quickbooks, Donorfy, Dext and Case recording systems.
- Understanding of the issues affecting the Armed Forces Community and the Scottish Education system.
- Experience of managing grant giving programme.
- Experience of contributing to funding applications and reporting.
- Experience of supporting home based/nationwide staff team.
- Experience of working to Board level.
Pension Scheme. Forces Children Scotland offers a Pension Plan, with Smart Pension. The Plan is a money purchase arrangement. You can choose at what rate you wish to contribute (subject to statutory minimums) with Forces Children Scotland contributing up to 4% of gross salary.
Annual Leave. Forces Children Scotland leave year runs from 1st April to 31st March. Employees are entitled to 36 days annual leave (including public holidays). These allowances are pro-rata for part time employees.
