Finance Officer

The Finance Team at Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) is responsible for maintaining the financial records of the Charity and providing timely and accurate financial information. The team provides support and advice on all finance matters to staff within all other teams in the Charity and is responsible for ensuring there is a strong financial control environment.

This role is focused on the purchase ledger and working both independently and collaboratively to ensure that the purchase ledger is maintained accurately and promptly, as well as carefully following all controls and procedures in place. The purpose of this role is to ensure:

•          accurate figures within Microsoft Business Central (BC) for both internal reporting and analysis and for statutory reporting such as year end accounts

•          prevention of fraud or incorrect payments

•          timely payments to ensure no delay to ARUK goods and services received, and no implication for supplier relationships.

This is a part time role of 0.6 FTE / 21 hours per week.

This is a 12-month fixed term contract, or on return of the substantive post holder, to cover a period of maternity leave.

Main duties and responsibilities of the role:

Key Responsibilities:

Management of purchase ledger

·         Make day-to-day decisions about the purchase ledger such as prioritising payments and workload to ensure purchase invoices are paid within agreed timescales.

·         Regularly review all purchase ledger accounts to ensure that there are no outstanding issues such as non-payment, missing invoices, mismatched or unmatched entries.

·         Make correcting entries as required where errors are identified within the purchase ledger area.

·         Regularly liaise with the Research team to ensure that the folder of invoices awaiting processing matches their records.

·         Reconcile all debit balances on the purchase ledger and chase suppliers for any missing invoices.

·         Identify and resolve any ad-hoc issues within the purchase ledger, escalating them to the manager if needed.

·         Verbal checks of supplier bank account details where we are informed that details have changed, to safeguard against supplier fraud.

Processing of purchase invoices and credit notes

·         Check purchase invoices received match purchase orders in BC.

·         Where the purchase invoices match purchase orders, convert the purchase orders in BC to invoices, ready to be paid.

·         Chase people responsible for raising purchase orders where they have not been raised previously, making sure they raise the purchase orders in accordance with documented procedures going forward.

·         Investigate any discrepancies between purchase invoices and orders with the relevant budget holders.

·         Check invoices for prepayments or fixed assets, clarifying with the person who raised the purchase order where needed, and post these in line with the documented procedures.

·         Check purchase orders for administrative errors when converting to purchase invoices and correct where necessary.

·         Post invoices and credit notes in BC, ensuring that prepayments and fixed assets are added correctly and advising others around the charity of criteria for these.

·         Attach copy invoices to the purchase invoices in BC and ensure invoice filing is kept up to date for payment runs. 

·         Follow the documented controls and procedures to pay invoices via payment runs and make additional ad hoc individual payments if required.

Month end reconciliations

·         Maintain Fixed Asset register in excel and reconcile to BC, checking that balances are correct.

·         Post acquisition, depreciation, and disposal of fixed assets in BC.

·         Maintain prepayments in excel and reconcile to BC, checking that outstanding balances are correct.

·         Ensure purchase ledger is up to date for month end, i.e. all issues dealt with and balances correct or flagged to manager.

·         Liaise with other team members to ensure clarity around purchase ledger cutoff for month end postings.

What we are looking for:

·         GCSE in Maths at a grade C or above (4-9) or equivalent

·         Knowledge of Excel functions and formulae

·         Previous knowledge of finance systems

·         Understanding of book-keeping and reconciliation work

·         Finance experience

·         Excellent attention to detail

·         Strong organisational and time management skills

·         Able to pick up tasks quickly and effectively

·         Able to problem solve

·         Proactive and helpful attitude

·         Methodical approach to workload

·         Able to work with a wider team across the organisation

Additional Information:

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £17,400 pro rata salary (£29,000 FTE 1) per annum, plus benefits.

Please download the Vacancy Pack for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 4th February 2024, with interviews likely to be held week commencing the 12th February 2024. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity as the closing date may be brought forward at any time. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone is able to be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures.  Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via the channels on our website. 

How to apply:

Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment System which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV and covering letter to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK:

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure.  Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope. 

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure. 

In 2022, we were incredibly proud to be awarded a 3-star accreditation by Best Companies which recognises ‘World Class’ levels of workplace engagement and were also listed in the prestigious Best Companies lists:

• 48th in the 100 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK.

• 19th in the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.

• 3rd in the 50 Best Companies to Work For in the Charity Sector.

In addition, we were also shortlisted for a special award recognising the work undertaken on reducing our environmental impact.

In 2021, we were awarded the HR Management award by The Charity Times for our Wellbeing initiatives throughout the pandemic.

In 2020, we demonstrated our commitment to changing the way we think and act about mental health in the workplace and signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. 

ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference. 

To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK