Job Title: Supervising Sales/Purchase Ledger Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION

Location: Mainly at Head Office with occasional duties elsewhere

Department: Finance

Reports To: Financial Controller

Staff Managed: Two Finance Assistants responsible for Purchase Ledger

Working Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours per week

JOB PURPOSE

Reporting to the Financial Controller to ensure that income and accounting entries arising from the areas of responsibility are correctly calculated and authorised, and to process them efficiently, accurately and in a timely fashion; and to ensure that the knowledge gained is used to improve St Christopher's financial position where possible.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. To communicate effectively internally with other user departments so as to promote good working relationships and promote the sharing of information required to complete own tasks on a timely basis.

2. To analyse, code and upload bank transactions into the accounting system on a weekly basis.

3. To ensure that all sales receipts are posted and allocated correctly to the sales ledger.

4. To produce monthly Aged Debtor analysis and manage the outstanding sales balances falling due.

5. To ensure that rechargeable costs incurred by St Christopher’s are invoiced in a timely manner.

6. To prepare monthly sales ledger statements and send to customers within an agreed time after ledger close.

7. To effectively communicate with all customers so as to maintain good working relationships and contacts that maximise the timely collection of cash.

1 8. Where required, initiate proceedings to ensure outstanding debts are brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

9. To produce the working files for sales and purchases for the quarterly VAT return.

10. To maintain the rent ledger, including updating tenant movements, entering receipts and posting weekly rent debits in a timely manner.

11. To supervise the Finance Assistants with day to day responsibility for purchase ledger. This should ensure that all payments are only made on an appropriate, timely basis after due authorisation, that accurate records of all transactions and amounts owed are maintained.

12. To undertake regular informal and structured supervision of staff who report to the post holder.

13. To seek in the first instance to resolve queries from the Finance Assistants, to be able to identify those issues which should be escalated to the Financial Controller for consideration.

GENERAL

14. Be aware of health and safety issues within the area of control and implement the St Christopher’s Fellowship Health and Safety Policy to maintain a safe environment, complying with health and safety regulations and other legal requirements.

15. Uphold and promote the St Christopher’s Fellowship Equal Opportunities policy in all aspects of the work and comply with all other relevant St Christopher’s policies.

16. Be aware of and adhere to all relevant financial procedures and to report any discrepancies to your manager immediately.

17. Ensure that all the work undertaken by you is conducted to the highest professional standards.

18. Actively maintain and update your professional knowledge, and undertake appropriate development activities.

The duties as outlined in this job description are not exhaustive and may change from time to time, due to the changing nature of the working environment. You are expected to carry out all appropriate tasks necessary to meet the needs of the services or as may be requested by your line manager.

Job description prepared by: Susan Kent

Date: September 2015

2 Person Specification – Supervising Sales and Purchase Ledger Officer

1. A minimum of three years previous experience of supervising staff in a finance team (E)

2. A proven track record working with both sales and purchase ledger (E)

3. Good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing to user departments and other stakeholders such as local authorities. (E)

4. Good demonstrable understanding of double-entry (E)

5. Previous experience of working with finance systems. (E)

6. Intermediate to advanced level skills in MS Excel (using Vlookups, pivot tables, SUMIF). (E)

7. Ability to work methodically and with good attention to detail to produce accurate and high quality work. (E)

8. Ability to follow strict guidelines and complete work to tight deadlines. (E)

9. Ability to work flexibly as a team member. (E)

10. Demonstrable problem solving skills (E)

11. Demonstrable judgement including the ability to identify when issues should be escalated (E)

12. A relevant accounting qualification is preferred but an exceptional track record maybe accepted in lieu of the qualification.

13. Previous experience working for a not for profit organisation or charity (D)