Finance Manager

Join us in our aim to reduce carbon emissions and fuel poverty across Merseyside and Cheshire. We support around 10,000 households each year in our vision that sustainable energy should be accessible and affordable to everyone.

We are a small charity, employing an average of 30 staff (21 full-time equivalent), with a turnover of c£600,000 per year through a mix of grants and contracted services, and we deliver a range of advice and support projects, some of which include holding grant funds for payment to residents or directly to contractors or utilities on their behalf.

The primary role of the Finance Manager is to oversee and manage the finances of Energy Projects Plus including providing high quality management information and support to the Chief Executive and Trustees to ensure the strong financial performance of the charity.

You will also be responsible for the accurate production of monthly salary calculations, including HMRC payments, quarterly VAT calculations and returns to HMRC, production of annual accounts, and ensuring a fully compliant annual audit.

You will work with and be Line Manager to a part-time finance assistant, who is responsible for day-to-day entries into the charity’s QuickBooks finance system and arranging day-to-day payments to staff and external organisations.

You will be the main point of contact on behalf of the charity for all financial matters, including influencing future strategy and direction, liaising with the Chief Executive.

Your skills will include:

·         A relevant accounting qualification e.g. CIMA with minimum 3 years post qualification experience.

·         A proven track record in charity management and a good understanding of the environment in which charities operate.

·         Strong computer skills, including advanced user standard for mainstream accountancy software and Microsoft suite software

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

1. Ensuring the effective running of the day-to-day financial operations in line with the charity’s financial policies and procedures and be the main point of contact for all enquiries regarding finance matters.

2. Income: ensuring timely, accurate recording and classification of all income on the charity’s QuickBooks system (including designated restricted funds); issuing sales invoices, including those for vatable sales; recording remittances, electronic banking transactions; carrying out the credit control function reporting potential bad debts to the Chief Executive.

3. Expenditure: ensuring appropriate authorisation is obtained for all expenditure; counterchecking all expenses claims for compliance with charity policy; ensuring accurate recording of expenditure on QuickBooks including correct cost code allocation; ensuring appropriate records of invoices and claims are filed appropriately.

4. Payroll: Liaising with the payroll service provider on a monthly basis to prepare input to salary calculations (new starters, leavers, adjustments etc) and countercheck payroll details from provider, arrange approval of figures, ensure pension and HMRC payments are made in compliance with requirements.

5. VAT return: calculating (including manual adjustments for irrecoverable VAT) and submitting quarterly VAT records, ensuring payment is made in compliance with requirements.

6. Management accounts: preparing monthly and quarterly management accounts, highlighting variances to budgets, liaising with Chief Executive in presenting to Trustees, and providing other financial information requested to inform strong financial management.

7. Annual accounts: preparing year-end accounts, processing year-end adjustments on QuickBooks, producing all supporting documentation required for annual external audit. Ensuring audited accounts are submitted to Charity Commission and Companies House before required deadlines.

8. Working with the Chief Executive to prepare the Trustees’ Annual Report in good time for approval by Trustees prior to inclusion in Annual Report and Financial Statement.

9. Maintaining and updating periodically the charity’s financial procedures policy.