Management Accountant - #2162994

This is a part-time or full-time post - one year fixed term with possible extension

Aims of the post:

• To ensure statutory compliance and good practice in all aspects of financial activity.
• To be part of the support service for the Trust Company, local churches, Officers and members of Synod committees on finance and related matters.

Scope and dimensions of the post:

• The Trust company holds funds circa £33m of which £29m is held in Investments and on deposit. Within its accounting structures are the Synod general funds together with designated and restricted funds.
• The West Midlands Synod is one of 13 Synods of the United Reformed Church. It covers the area from the Welsh borders across to Rugby, and from Leek in North Staffordshire down to Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire. The Synod covers 91 churches and we have around 40 other properties, mostly manses for ministers.

We may ask you to complete an application form so that we can consider applicants on equal terms.

Key relationships:

• Finance Officer
• Synod Treasurer
• Finance Assistant
• Legal & Trust Officer and Property Officer
• Synod Clerk
• Synod Office Administrative staff
• Church Officers, e.g. Treasurers
• Synod “field officers” (i.e. mission, training, safeguarding, youth & children’s work specialists)

Main duties and responsibilities:

Financial Control and Governance

• Assist in the preparation of the annual budget for approval by the Trust Board after consultation with Synod Officers, Committee Convenors and other budget holders.
• Assist in the preparation of 3-year forecasts with revised updates throughout the financial year, to allow strategic planning of the use of Synod resources.
• Monitor expenditure against budget and report on any variances, and prepare monthly management accounts.
• Monitor Trust investments and contribute to the production of reports to the Finance Officer, Synod Treasurer, Trustees, Synod Executive and Synod.
• Ensure that financial systems and controls comply with best practice and legal requirements.
• To ensure Companies Act, Charity Commission and Synod Financial controls and procedures are followed in relation to authorisation and approval of expenditure and value for money.
• Authorise financial transactions as appropriate.

Accounting

• With the assistance of the Finance Assistant, maintain the records of accounts currently operated under the computerised accounting system.
• Review income and expenditure reports and carry out regular reconciliations of balance sheet and other accounts.
• Produce monthly journals to enable accurate recording and reconciliation of all Trust financial transactions.
• Assist in the preparation of the year end accounts in accordance with company and charity law and fund accounting principles, particularly by ensuring that all accounting entries are fully up-to-date.
• Under the direction of the Finance Officer, liaise with the auditors and provide all information to enable the audit to be carried out.
• Maintain the accounts of the James & Freeman Charity (The Redditch Trust) and the Joseph Scott Charities within the Synod accounting system and assist in the preparation of the year end accounts for an independent examination.
• Maintain records of payments to churches, including recording available balances against particular allowances.
• Undertake the necessary calculations arising from the disposal of properties, including determining the necessary accounting entries.

Salaries and expenses

• Oversee the production of the monthly payroll prepared by the Finance Assistant, ensuring deductions are paid over to HM Revenue and Customs and Pension providers.
• Prepare analyses on a monthly basis for submission to the pension provider.
• Carry out the annual recalculation of pension contributions, liaising with staff and the pensions advisor and carry out the calculations for the contributions in accordance with HM Revenue & Customs rules.
• Operate the salary sacrifice scheme, preparing the revisions and calculations in accordance with HM Revenue & Customs rules.
• Undertake compliance checks to ensure that the reimbursement of expenses of Synod staff, Officers, Committee members and Synod representatives is in accordance with Synod policy and proper practice, liaising as necessary with other Officers or committees, and developing and updating systems as required.

Ministry and Mission Fund

• Contribute to the production of information to churches
• Monitor payments by churches and compare these with the agreed schedules, reporting as necessary to the Finance Officer and Synod Treasurer.

Investments

• Monitor the performance of the Trust’s investment portfolio and contribute to reports to the Resources & Compliance Committee and Trust Board.
• Undertake the necessary accounting entries reflecting the gains or losses on investments.
• Assist in the maintenance of records of Investments and funds held on Trust for local churches.
• Assist the Finance Assistant in recording and distributing investment income to the churches.

Training and support to local churches

• Assist the Finance Officer and the Synod Treasurer to organise and deliver an annual consultation of Church Treasurers plus any other training events.
• Liaise with and provide support to local Church Treasurers on financial matters with the scope of the role.

Synod Grants

• Provide support and advice to churches to enable them to apply for grants.
• Undertake an appraisal of grant applications in order to be able to provide advice and support to the Synod Grants Panel, liaising as necessary with churches.
• Act as Secretary to the Grants Panel, ensuring that all necessary documentation is made available to its members, and follow-up actions documented and co-ordinated.
• Ensuring that all necessary compliance checks are undertaken when grant applications are received, liaising as necessary with other Synod officers and advising the Grants Panel accordingly.
• Provide advice and support to the Grants Panel to aid their decision-making processes.
• Arrange payment/reimbursement to churches in accordance with committee/panel decisions and Synod Policy.
• Undertake the necessary accounting entries arising from Grants Panel decisions

Committee Involvement

Synod Committees

• Under the direction of the Finance Officer, prepare appropriate financial information for the Trust Board, Resources & Compliance Committee, and Synod agenda.

Committee membership / attendance

• Trust Board and Resources & Compliance Committee in support of the Finance Officer and Synod Treasurer if required (may include evenings or Saturdays) (in attendance)
• Investment Sub-Committee (in attendance)
• Synod Officers’ Meetings (Member)
• Grants Panel (in attendance as Secretary)

Other

• Communication by Email and telephone and in face-to-face conversations.
• We are willing to negotiate the working hours between 25 – 35 hours per week, and the working pattern. The postholder must show some flexibility on working hours due to the possibility of attendance at evening and Saturday meetings.
• Provide appropriate cover for the Finance Officer and Finance Assistant as the need arises.
• Other duties may be required from time to time consistent with the level of the post and the expertise of the individual.