Finance & Operations Officer

We are looking for a freelance Finance & Operations Officer - ideally with charity experience and familiar with Xero - who can support our core team of four as it takes the charity to the next level.  Preferably able to work flexibly, the average time required is estimated at one day per week. This may mean dealing with an email or phone call in an ad hoc way from time to time.

Using a network of music industry professionals and youth workers, School Ground Sounds offer engaging, top quality programmes in a highly welcoming and supportive environment. The programmes are for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds - both 11 – 16 year olds in schools or youth centres and for 16 – 24 year olds (often NEET) with an interest in music. The programmes don’t just develop musical talent; they build young people’s confidence and life skills.

As Finance & Operations Officer, you will report to the Chief Executive and help with all ‘back office’ activities for the charity.  These include: all bookkeeping activities; producing monthly and annual financial reports; managing and overseeing the use of Views, our Monitoring and Evaluation system from Substance; supporting the Chief Exec in ensuring policies and procedures are kept up to date; and supporting the team with analysis and reporting to funders.  You will also run the payroll.  The Treasurer, one of the trustees, who has been doing the accounts and performing many of the back office activities up to this point, will support you.

Summary of responsibilities

• Bookkeeping

• Bank reconciliations, posting of transactions, logging invoices and receipts 

• Allocations, e.g. of team costs based on timesheets and of justgiving donations

• Maintaining chart of accounts and tracking categories in response to new project reporting requirements

• Management reporting and cashflow planning

• Monthly management accounts and other regular programme financial reports

• Liaison with CEO and Fundraising Manager to understand / update latest project and funding status and refresh cashflow forecasts

• Financial reports for trustee meetings (4 per year)

• Financial reports for funders as required

• Budgeting

• Liaison with CEO, Programme Managers and Fundraising Manager to create and maintain programme and organisational budgets and three year financial plan

• Gift Aid

• Preparation and submission of Gift Aid claims to HMRC

• Annual Accounts

• Production of annual accounts for submission to Charity Commission

• Support for fundraising

• Updating funding status tracker with funds received / expected

• Restating budgets in formats required by funders

• Payroll & pensions

• Running the payroll monthly – using the Iris Kashflow payroll system

• Submitting monthly pension contribution schedule to NEST

• Updating records for new joiners and leavers

• Other HR admin

• Setting up timesheets for the team for the year

• Maintaining a salary and cost to employ spreadsheet and advising on budget impact of proposed salary rises

• Management of Views

• Managing users and data access

• Creating new questionnaires and application forms requested by the team

• Analysis of participant profiles and questionnaire responses (outcomes) for reporting to the team and to funders

• General housekeeping

• Over time, becoming an expert user, able to train / advise others in the system

• Mobile Device Management

• Keeping track of our stock of iPads and laptops

• Using MDM software to manage security and control configurations

• Policies and procedures

• Managing an annual review of the charity’s policies and procedures, ensuring they are up to date and, with the Chief Exec, refreshing as needed

Skills / Experience Required

Essential:

• Bookkeeping and financial management

• Strong skills with spreadsheets

• Passable understanding of IT, willing to learn new systems

• Able to work independently

• Organised

• Good attention to detail

Desirable:

• Ability to work flexibly, adjusting hours worked each week to what is required

• Experience of working in the charity sector

• Knowledge of Xero

• Knowledge of Views from Substance (we realise this is very unlikely)

• Payroll and pensions administration experience

• Interest in music and young people