Assistant Financial Accountant

Assistant Financial Accountant

Salary: £26,000 to £30,000 depending on experience and qualifications, pro rata if working four days
Location: Talgarth
Hours: 4 or 5 days per week, 9.00am to 5.00pm
Hybrid working: Minimum two days per week in the Talgarth office once fully trained
Reporting to: CFO
Holiday: 24 days plus bank holidays, pro rata for four days
Benefits: Flexible working hours and £200,000 Death in Service cover

About The Wye & Usk Foundation

The Wye & Usk Foundation is an environmental charity working to protect and improve the rivers Wye and Usk and their catchments. We are part of the Rivers Trust movement, a network of independent charities working to protect and restore rivers across the UK and Ireland.

We work with farmers, landowners, local communities, businesses and other organisations to find practical solutions to the challenges facing our rivers.

Our work covers a wide range of activities, including river and habitat restoration, farm advice, water quality, monitoring and data, natural flood management and the development of new approaches to funding river restoration.

About the role

We are looking for someone to join our small Finance Team in a varied role covering day-to-day finance as well as project finance and reporting.The role could suit a recent graduate looking to start and develop a career in finance, someone already working in finance who is looking for their next step, or a part-qualified candidate looking to broaden their experience.

The salary within the £26,000 to £30,000 range will depend on the successful candidate's experience, qualifications and the level of responsibility they are able to take on. The role can be worked over four or five days per week.

The role will initially be shaped around the successful candidate's existing skills and experience. The core responsibilities will cover transactional finance and finance administration, with additional responsibilities across project accounting, reconciliations, budgets and financial reporting introduced depending on experience and development within the role.

We are a small team, so the role is varied and offers a good opportunity to gain experience across a broad range of finance activities.

Main Responsibilities

• Manage the purchase ledger, including processing invoices in Sage, obtaining authorisations and dealing with supplier and internal queries.
• Apply the correct VAT treatment to invoices depending on the project. Training will be provided.
• Process staff expenses, checking receipts and supporting information and ensuring claims are authorised.
• Manage monthly timesheet authorisations and maintain accurate supporting records.
• Review farm grant applications before payment and collate financial evidence for grant claims, including payroll information, invoices, expenses and timesheets.
• Maintain finance records and provide supporting information for audit and year-end requirements.
• Assist with quarterly payments to Fishing Passport beat owners.
• Provide cover for sales invoicing, other Finance Team duties, general administrative duties and Fishing Passport telephone queries. Training will be provided.

Further Responsibilities and Development

Depending on experience, and as the successful candidate develops within the role, responsibilities may also include:

• Maintain project cashflows, including updating actual costs and forecasts, and work with Project Managers on budgets and finance queries.
• Maintain project budget templates, including staff day rates and other assumptions.
• Monitor project finances and highlight significant variances or issues.
• Manage pension payments and complete monthly pension reconciliations.
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations and assist with aged debtor and creditor reviews.
• Help prepare and submit grant claims and assist with Gift Aid claims, National Statistics returns and other finance returns.
• Maintain and reconcile in-kind contributions and finance information for new and existing projects.
• Help improve finance processes and reporting, including the use of Sage, Excel and Power Query.

There will also be opportunities to become involved in monthly management accounts and year-end statutory accounts as experience develops.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• A degree, relevant finance qualification, or practical experience working in finance or accounts.
• Good numerical and analytical skills.
• Good Excel skills, including basic formulae and tables.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work accurately to deadlines.
• Good organisational and communication skills.
• A practical approach, willingness to learn and willingness to help other members of the Finance Team when required.

Desirable

We do not expect candidates to have experience in all of the following, but any of these would be useful:

• A degree in accounting, finance, business, economics or another numerate subject.
• AAT qualified or studying towards AAT, ACCA or CIMA.
• Advanced Excel skills, including PivotTables, SUMIFS, lookups and Power Query.
• Experience of accruals, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience of project accounting, budgeting or grant-funded projects.
• Knowledge of VAT, including VAT reconciliations or partial VAT recovery.
• Experience of Sage 50 or similar accounting software.