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GREATER MANCHESTER LAW CENTRE – FINANCE OFFICER - BACKGROUND
About the role
We are looking for someone who shares our commitment to free access to justice and is an experienced finance worker who can process and maintain records of everyday accounts transactions using accounting software and spreadsheets. Some understanding of the voluntary sector and grant funding would be useful. The role also incorporates legal aid contract administration, but no experience of this is necessary as full training will be given.
The work is split between two affiliated charity organisations who have similar requirements and use similar software and systems. There is flexibility about how the hours are spread through the week. It is not anticipated that there will be a need for travel between the two locations on the same day.
About Greater Manchester Law Centre
After the closure of South Manchester Law Centre in 2014 a group of campaigners said: if enough people wanted a Law Centre, there would be one. In 2016 the doors of 159 Princess Road were opened to the public and there was one.
Since then there have been many successes – we have law students winning appeals for people who have lost their benefits. We have volunteer advisers, week in week out, helping people to avoid and appeal the loss of their Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP). We have frontline volunteers welcomingpeople into the Centre, listening to them (which is often exactly what no one has done before), and trying to help them find a service. And we have sessional solicitors giving up their own time to give specialist advice on issuessuch as employment and community care.
But people remain in vulnerable circumstances, and this is why we campaign on wider issues such as employment, housing and homelessness, Universal Credit and Legal Aid.
To date our Treasurer has kept all the accounts records and handled all the processing. As we have grown and are receiving more grant funding, employing staff and increasing our individual donor base we now need a paid worker to do this job. We expect to have a Legal Aid Agency contract starting later this year and this will increase the accounts administration. April 2018 will see a move to SAGE 50.
About our affiliated organisation The Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit
We work closely with another organisation, the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU). GMIAU are a voluntary organisation supporting people subject to immigration control. They offer legal advice, representation and support services to people seeking asylum, refugees, children and vulnerable adults. Part of their organisation shares our premises at 159 Princess Road. GMIAU have held legal aid contracts for over 20 years and have a long serving experienced Finance Manager. They also use SAGE 50 and we share IT systems. Due to the organisation expanding they need some accounts and legal aid administration support.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 18th April 2018 at 12 noon.
Interviews will take place on Monday 23rd April 2018.
If you would like an informal chat about this role email giving your telephone number and someone will call you back.
Greater Manchester Law Centre Application Form March 2018