Finance Officer

General Description of the Role

The Finance Officer (FO) is a Crown Servant and civilian employee of the Reserve Forces’ & Cadets’ Association for the North West of England & Isle of Man (NW RFCA). The FO provides financial and administrative support across the Association, ensuring compliance with Government, MOD, CRFCA and NW RFCA directives, regulations and instructions. The FO supports the Head of Finance and is required to attend internal and external finance meetings as directed.

The FO must be IT‑literate on appointment and, within six months, be fully conversant with the Association’s Management Information System (Symphony), payroll system (Cascade), and the PH2 (RFCA) network.

The FO is required to undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade and competencies of the post as directed by the Head of Finance or Chief Executive.

Principal Areas of Accountability, Tasks and Duties

Financial Management and Accounting

• Maintain and reconcile Symphony nominal ledgers accurately and in accordance with departmental timetables.
• Assist the Head of Finance in delivering an efficient and effective financial support service across NW RFCA.
• Process payroll for 100+ staff using Cascade and the Isle of Man payroll workbook; administer P11D, Company Pension Scheme, Private Pension Scheme and all statutory returns including Isle of Man requirements.
• Conduct weekly payment run checks, ensuring correct funding sources and nominal codes; reject incorrect batches; authorise BACS/Faster Payment files in Lloyds Bank once verified.
• Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations including payroll controls, aged creditors, aged debtors (liaising with AV team), manual creditors/debtors, control total adjustments and accruals.
• Ensure costs are correctly attributed to nominal codes; arrange journals or correction payments where required.
• Extract and manipulate data from Symphony using Excel or Access for reports and returns.
• Monitor expenditure from establishment, consolidated and travel grants; advise Head of Finance on potential over/underspend.
• Monitor funding requests and receipts to ensure adequate cash flow.
• Administer payroll and pension accruals; produce monthly and annual analysis data and returns.
• Assist with periodic and year‑end reports to external departments and agencies; produce end‑of‑month and end‑of‑year reports as directed.
• Assist with year‑end audit preparation, final accounts and posting opening balances.
• Deputise for the Head of Finance during periods of absence, undertaking critical finance functions.

Charitable Funds Administration

• Deliver day‑to‑day administrative duties for NW RFCA charitable funds.
• Liaise with Charity Commission, Trustees and members of the public as required.
• Arrange annual charitable fund meetings; compile funding requests, approvals and minutes.
• Monitor completion of successful funding requests.
• Produce required documents in Excel or Word.
• Liaise with Investment Brokers for investment advice and attendance at annual meetings.

General Administration and Support

• Provide administrative support to colleagues across NW RFCA.
• Deliver finance induction briefs to new employees, ensuring understanding of forms such as travel expense claims.
• Communicate with third parties to ensure tasks are completed and issues identified.

Budgetary Responsibilities.

The FO monitors expenditure across multiple grant lines and advises the Head of Finance on variances. The FO ensures correct coding of expenditure and supports the Head of Finance in preparing management and budgetary information.

Success Profile

Technical Skills and Qualifications

Essential

• Experience using Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel, with the ability to learn bespoke MIS systems.
• Self‑starter, highly organised, able to work effectively without supervision.
• Recognises the importance of accuracy and timeliness in financial information.
• Experience of payroll.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and pressure.

Desirable

• Extensive finance experience.
• Near completion of a recognised accountancy qualification (ACA/AFCA/ACCA/CIPFA/CIMA/AAT) or qualified by experience.
• Experience of budget monitoring.
• Working knowledge of trust/charitable funds.
• Experience of auditing public or non‑public accounts.
• Experience working in a small team within an open‑plan environment.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in financial administration and payroll processing.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively.

Desirable

• Experience of year-end financial processes, statutory returns and charitable fund administration.

Behaviours (Civil Service Success Profiles)

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Bigger Picture

Post Mandatory Training

• In accordance with People Learning Plan

Additional Requirements

The job holder is required to comply with the RFCAs’ Code of Conduct and to avoid any conduct which discriminates against colleagues, potential employees or contractors on the grounds of any protected characteristics, as identified by the Equality Act 2010.

The job holder will be required to be vetted to Security Check (SC) level and DBS check.

The job holder may be requested to undertake additional or other activities of a similar nature to those within this job description, which fall within the capabilities and which are commensurate with the grade.

As part of our commitment to integrity and safeguarding all applicants for Crown Servant posts are required to declare whether, within the past five years, they have been dismissed from any employment for gross misconduct involving bullying, harassment, discrimination, or victimisation, or have left a role following a formal disciplinary process where a finding of gross misconduct related to these behaviours was made, even if dismissal did not occur.

This declaration requirement applies regardless of whether the previous employment was within the Civil Service, Armed Forces, private sector, or another public body.

A disclosure will automatically disqualify a candidate so the application must be rejected. All personal data will be treated confidentially.

Pay: £30,740.00 per year

Work Location: In person