|
Job title:
|
Project and Management Accountant
|
|
Responsible to:
Staff responsible for:
|
Finance Director
Student Finance Assistant (in liaison with Assistant Management Accountant and Student Finance Officer); secondary responsibility for Finance Assistant, Assistant Management Accountant and Student Finance Officer
|
|
|
In addition, the Project and Management Accountant will be expected to oversee day to day operations across the Finance team in the absence of the Finance Director
|
|
Salary:
|
£17,485 per annum, plus 2% pension contribution after qualifying period
|
|
Benefits:
|
Staff discount for CAT shops, restaurant, and postgraduate courses; participation in two free short courses per annum; subsidised staff lunch
|
|
Hours:
|
40 hours per week, flexible hours within core working hours
|
|
Contract:
|
Permanent, subject to satisfactory completion of a 6 month probation period
|
Introduction
With over 35 years’ experience, CAT is Europe’s leading centre for education and inspiration in the field of sustainability. Undertaking a wide range of activities including research, demonstration and education, we are concerned with the search for globally sustainable and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life.
CAT has a holistic approach to its work and a continuous commitment to the highest educational and environmental standards
The Centre offers information, education and has a visitor and conference centre. We attract around 60,000 people a year and employ more than 100 dedicated and creative staff.
Based in beautiful mid-Wales, the Centre overlooks the Snowdonia National park, renowned for its stunning scenery and outdoor activities. Within easy reach of the local beaches and University town of Aberystwyth, Machynlleth has a vibrant local community, has a lively arts and music scene and is a great place for families.
About the Finance Department
CAT’s Finance Department performs a vital role. The department ensures that CAT maintains a balance between its charitable missions and its available financial resources. Strong financial procedures and accurate financial reporting are vital not only from a financial management perspective, but for the effective delivery of CAT’s aims and objectives.
The department has grown in recent years, and now comprises six members of staff, some part-time, some full-time: the Finance Director, the Project and Management Accountant, the Assistant Management Account and Payroll Officer, the Student Finance Officer, and two Accounts Assistants.
This reflects CAT’s own growth. The organisation now has around 140 employees (FTE 80) across two companies – CAT Charity Limited and CAT plc – and, in addition to CAT’s main site, three locations in Machynlleth.
Financial management of a diverse organisation, operating a Visitor Centre and a number of additional trading activities, school-age and postgraduate education, research and campaigning, and maintaining a large site with many innovative facilities, can be both complex and challenging.
This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to CAT’s mission through a key supporting role.
About the job
To undertake the preparation, development, analysis and explanation of management accounting information and provision of a high quality support service to budget holders of CAT Charity Limited and CAT plc.
The review and development of management and project accounting procedures and reporting.
To follow a rolling programme of costing of CAT’s standard activities and packages.
Responsibilities
Management Accountant Responsibilities:
- Produce financial reports for Charity and plc departments and projects (with some reports to be drafted by the Assistant Management Accountant following a transitional period), analyse variances and explore potential problems with budget holders.
- Ensure accounting entries are correct.
- Review inter-company transactions and balances.
- Prepare VAT returns.
- Assist in providing financial support for funding applications and reports to funders.
- Monitor the fixed asset registers and undertake capital expenditure variance analysis.
- Assist in monitoring cashflow and updating rolling cashflow projections.
- Line management/assistance with line management as listed under ‘responsible for’ above.
- Ensure staff adhere to financial policies and procedures.
- Maintain financial procedures manual.
- Ensure correct authorization of purchase invoice batches.
- Authorise month end journal adjustments.
- Review income and wage recharges journals.
- Ensure accurate maintenance of deferred income schedules.
- Prepare deferred income, prepayments and accruals schedules.
- Complete month end checklists.
Payroll Responsibilities
- Ensure that the payroll is kept up to date and processed on time.
- Ensure that salaries/wages and Inland Revenue (PAYE and NIC etc.) payments are made on time.
- To review payroll payments before processing.
- Ensure that payroll year end returns are completed.
- Ensure that pension payments are maintained and processed as appropriate.
- Ensure that payroll and Inland Revenue control accounts are balanced.
- Ensure that credit union payments are made on time.
- To ensure sufficient familiarity with payroll operation to provide cover if necessary due to sickness, holiday or other staff absence.
Other Finance Department Responsibilities
- Review bank reconciliations.
- Ensure funds are transferred between banks.
- Review income and wage recharge journals.
- To take money to the bank if necessary from time to time.
- Ensure that receipts are banked on a timely basis.
- Assist the Finance Director in reviewing variances with and providing advice to budget holders.
- To support the Finance Director in advising the management group on financial issues.
- To keep abreast with technical and other financial developments which may affect CAT.
- Ensure sales and purchase ledger control accounts agree to nominal ledger.
- Review budgets for new projects.
- Ensure projects are correctly accounted for.
- To attend budget group meetings and to assist and advise the Finance Director regarding budgeting and forecasts.
- To maintain the register of leases and contracts.
- To maintain the register of projects.
- To deputise for the Finance Director from time to time, as required.
- To attend and participate in team meetings as required.
- To ensure monthly reconciliation of the Z999G, Z400G, Z500G, Z600G and other suspense accounts.
- To reconcile quarterly balance sheets to budgets, and to assist the Finance Director in preparing flexed projections.
- To pro-actively review CAT’s accounting and financial reporting systems, and to introduce improvements when necessary in liaison with the Finance Director.
- To assist the Finance Director in training staff across CAT regarding financial systems, procedures, and reporting.
- Any other duties as requested by the Management Groups, Budget Group or Finance Director.
To apply and for a person specification, please see our website: www.cat.org.uk/jobs
