Finance Officer - Taunton

Finance Officer – Taunton (Temp Vacancy)

Umbrella Pay Rate: £18.00ph

Full-Time (37 hours)

Job Purpose:

• Follows and recommends improvements to established procedures for collection, transfer, collation and checking of financial information and data, manually and electronically.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of relevant software packages e.g. excel spreadsheets & SAP.
• Extracts statistics and other data from a variety of sources and presents in an appropriate format to support analysis.
• Analyses and interprets financial and statistical information identifying variances/anomalies.
• Responds to variances and unexpected problems in a reflective and measured way.
• Identifies financial problems/issues, seeks pertinent information, evaluates data, identifies trends and helps to develop appropriate solutions.
• Applies appropriate tools and techniques systematically to support financial management and statutory accounting.
• Maintains manual and electronic information systems within service area to ensure operational effectiveness in a structured, methodical manner.
• Ensures information and/or data is stored securely in accordance with established formats and standards.

Accountabilities:  

• Compiling detailed estimates for clients based on service knowledge and corporate guidance, and inputting details on to the corporate on-line Financial Information System (SAP);
• Analysing current year’s expenditure to date, using SAP, to carry out a reasonableness check on outturn forecasts and the forward year’s estimates, following up identified problems with client or financial staff and advising them on appropriate action.
• Comparing the total budget figure for each client against the provisional targets set by Cabinet, determining the net position, discussing it with senior client or financial staff and Finance Manager/Strategic Finance Manager, carrying out financial analyses and exploring options for additional resources / and or proposals for budget reductions.
• Producing service and corporate budget reports in conjunction with the Strategic, Service and Finance Managers and briefing client managers on the detail;
• Producing, publishing and distributing detailed budget monitoring reports to Strategic and Service Managers and Directors.
• Producing and analysing outturn forecasts, based on expenditure to date and planned future spending, identifying potential problem areas; carrying out suitable financial analyses; discussing these and possible courses of action, with service managers, and briefing senior finance staff on relevant details;
• Providing the service with monthly financial reports on the financial position, ultimately to be included in monthly and quarterly budget reports to the Cabinet and the Senior Leadership Team;
• Providing the service with regular progress reports on jointly funded projects and monitoring the collection of grants from the external agencies;
• Maintaining accurate accounting records for clients, by checking on the reasonableness of transaction coding in the accounts (SAP), amending as necessary, and ensuring that the accounting code structures and reporting hierarchies used for client accounts are in line with local needs and changes in the Local Authority
• Accounting Code of Practice, SERCOP, CIPFA best practice, as identified by the postholder or advised by senior staff in the Group;
• Training client finance officers and managers in the use of SAP for financial management purposes, or in best practice for accounting processes such as exchequer controls and use of imprest.

We offer:

• 24 hour one on one specialist consultant based within your geographical area
• 4Recruitment Services Employee Benefits Programme
• Our own dedicated payroll support ensuring you get the full benefits of your payment

Recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices. 4Recruitment Services is an equal opportunities employer.

To discuss this vacancy or other vacancies in your area please contact  parbejm@4recruitmentservices.com