JOB DESCRIPTION

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

(2 days/week)

Effective from July 2011

Reporting to: Executive Director

Close relationship with: Finance Administrator, Fundraising Manager, Programme Manager.

Main Purpose

The Rainforest Foundation UK requires a motivated, highly organised individual to ensure sound management and control of its finances, including providing the necessary periodic reports to the Executive Director and Board of Trustees, including management accounts, cashflow projections and any other relevant analyses, liaising with our bankers, overseeing the annual audit, and supervising the Finance Administrator.

This role would suit an individual who is very familiar with charity finance, has several years of experience of use of Sage Line 50 and Excel, can work as part of a small team, is self-motivating and can work under pressure.


Key responsibilities

Financial management and planning:

·  Overall responsibility of the sound financial management of RFUK.

·  Development and implementation of efficient finance policies and procedures.

·  With the ED, development and management of the organisational budget and the strategic management of restricted and unrestricted funds.

·  Preparation and management of 12 month cash-flow projections, together with the management team.

·  Ensuring proper use of the Foundation’s various bank accounts including reduction of any risks and maximising of efficiency of any reserves held

·  Ensuring best practice is implemented in all areas of legal compliance with particular reference to the Charity Commission requirements.

Fund monitoring and reporting

·  Accounting - reconciliation & preparation of monthly financial statements including a Statement of Financial Activity, P&L statement, balance sheet and analysis of restricted and unrestricted fund movements, monthly budget/actual variance report.

·  Preparation of monthly project financial activities’ statement reconciliation & analysis.

·  Bank reconciliation for all RF UK bank accounts .

·  Nominal ledger reconciliation and rectifications.

·  Accruals & prepayment accounts reconciliation.

·  Petty cash reconciliation for all sterling and currency accounts.

·  Preparation of quarterly financial reports for Trustees.

Audits and annual reporting:

·  Overseeing the timely completion of yearly audit reconciliation and liaising with auditors as required.

·  Submission of accounts to the Charity Commission and Companies House.

·  Preparation of half-year ‘mini-audit’

Payroll:

·  Overall responsibility of the payroll functionincluding preparation of monthly payroll information for the external payroll agency, payment of salaries and monthly pensions contributions. Preparation and submission of all relevant payments to HMRC

·  Salary reconciliation and analysis.

·  Overseeing monthly payment of pension contributions.

Other:

·  Supervision of Financial Administrator.

·  Streamlining finance procedures with fundraising and programmes teams, including the use of the central database system.

·  Providing advice to staff on taxation regulations rules as occasionally required.

Note that applications from one person to cover both this post and the post of Finance Administrator as a full-time post will be considered.

Person specification

Detail / Essential / Desirable
Knowledge and Experience / ·  A minimum of 5 years of experience working in financial management.
·  At least 3 years bookkeeping experience/ use of SAGE, in a charitable organisation context/ compliance with SORP and grant-management
·  A minimum of 5 GCSEs, or equivalent, including English and Maths, and two A-levels.
·  Professional qualification in book-keeping
·  Strong experience of using Microsoft Office applications.Well organised, very strong numerical and analytical skills
·  Experience of Relational Database Management Systems (pref: DonorStrategy) / ·  French language skills.
·  Accounting qualifications
·  Experiences in working with multiple currencies
Detail / Essential / Desirable
Personal Skills and Attributes / ·  Careful and conscientious with strong attention to detail.
·  Good command of the English language, written and spoken.
·  Ability to work in a team, or alone under the direction of the Executive Director.
·  Good organisational and time management skills with the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines. / ·  Empathy with and commitment to the Rainforest Foundation’s Vision and Mission.
·  Interest in human rights & environmental issues.

Summary Terms and Conditions

(Subject to contract and Staff Manual)

Hours, remuneration and place of work

The post is offered on a permanent basis, with a 6-month probationary period.
14 hours are to be worked each week, with flexibility around agreed core hours.

The starting salary is £10,802 (£27,007 pro rata) per annum, including London weighting.

Monthly salary is paid by Bank Automated Credit transfer, on the 25th of every month.

Holidays, sick pay and other benefits are provided in accordance with statutory requirements. At present, 30 days paid leave per month are offered.

Non-contributory pension (4% of salary, commencing on satisfactory completion of 6 month probationary period).

The place of work is Kentish Town, Imperial Works, Perren Street, London NW5 3ED, close to Kentish Town West London Overground line.

This is a non-smoking environment. There is no car-parking provided for the post-holder, although bicycles are allowed in the building.

Equal Opportunities

RF UK is an equal opportunities employer, and makes no discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, age, physical abilities, religious or sexual persuasion.


Imperial Works unfortunately is not as accessible to those with physical disabilities as the organisation would like but every effort will be made to provide an accessible and pleasant working environment for all staff, trustees, volunteers and visitors.