A just World free from Poverty

Positive change through the power of entertainment

JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title / Management Accountant
Grade / 4
Department / Operations/Finance
Reporting to / Head of Financial Planning & Analysis
Employment / Permanent
PURPOSE OF ROLE
To business partner with senior managers across the organisation, produce monthly management accounts with insightful variance analysis and prepare and deliver budgets and forecasts.
Team Context
You will work as part of a new Financial Planning & Analysis team working to embed finance business partnering across the business and develop enhanced organisational management reporting capability. You will work closely with the Financial Control team to ensure joined up finance delivery focused on integrity and accuracy of data.
This role has no direct reports, but will work closely with the financial accountants on management account production.
Key Stakeholders: Heads of Departments and budget holders.
SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES
BUDGET /
  • Working with the Heads of Departments and budget holders, produce the annual budget for Comic Relief (including campaign specific budgets for Red Nose Day and Sport Relief), ensuring that it is robust, realistic and in line with the 6 year plan
  • Load the budget/forecasts into Great Plains
  • Prepare monthly management accounts narrative, highlighting variances against budget/forecast and steps being taken to address variances
  • Undertake the forecast each trimester; producing templates and reports as appropriate, capturing the output of budget holder meetings and challenging as appropriate
  • Support organisational effectiveness and cost management across the organisation

BUSINESS PARTNERING /
  • Act as finance business partner to nominated managers, providing support and financial advice to ensure that organisational aims are achieved
  • Deliver financial training to non-finance staff as required
  • Produce reports & analysis as necessary to support the business

GENERAL /
  • Work as part of the Finance project team to implement new reports and models and develop processes
  • Keep up to date with developments in charity finance
  • Work closely with others in the team to ensure an efficient and effective finance team
  • Support the business with ad hoc questions & new projects as they arise
  • Work as a full member of the Finance team, Operations Directorate and wider Comic Relief staff team to support cross-organisational activities & undertake any other appropriate duties as required

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A just World free from Poverty

Positive change through the power of entertainment

PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR: MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT
EXPERIENCE / WHY / IMPORTANCE
Experience of producing reports and analysis to drive financial decision-making at organisational level / Need to be able to produce analysis to inform and influence at senior levels / Essential
Experience of producing financial information for communication to a non-finance audience / To effectively implement business partnering and build finance capacity across the organisation / Essential
Extensive experience of computerised financial reporting, and other IT systems / To prepare standard reports querying the financial system for production by the finance team and members of the management team on a regular basis. / Essential
SKILLS / WHY / IMPORTANCE
Relationship management and influencing skills / Identifies, nurtures and advocates key contacts of significant importance to Comic Relief over an extended period of time. Understands what motivates and drives others and adapts style, approach and content to engage and gain support up/across/down. Builds good relationships and works collaboratively. / Essential
Creativity and problem solving skills / Uses modern, fresh and forward thinking ideas, proactively seeking out new and different ways to add benefit. Uses a reasoned methodology to address a problem and learns from experience but also learns to adapt and evolve and come up with creative solutions when necessary. / Essential
Strategic thinking / Can define the end goal with clear outcomes in mind and design the journey to get there. Thinks systemically and laterally across the organisation, joining the dots. / Essential
Good analytical, and decision making skills / Needs to be able to draw management information from raw data.Combines evidence, analysis, intuition and business sense to make sound decisions to build trust. Before acting, considers the relevant risks and potential consequences. / Essential
Planning & implementation / Can prioritise and manage competing requests/activities. Allows sufficient time to prepare in order to produce high-quality work that is consistently accurate. Can plan with business needs in mind and drives initiatives through to completion, then systemises them to embed in the organisation. / Essential
Effective Communication / Need to be able to communicate effectively with trustees, external contacts and staff at all levels. Can construct and deliver clear ideas and messages with good narrative in a straight forward, confident and compelling way. Must be able to prepare and explain financial reports for non-finance people. Needs to be able to prepare and present reports at meetings. / Essential
Emotional intelligence and resilience / Can operate independently, has good self-knowledge, is smart, open to feedback and knows when and how to ask for help. Has a balanced outlook - demonstrates passion & energy but knows when to be patient. Can have open and honest conversations. / Essential
IT literacy in MS Windows and MS Office, including excellent spreadsheet skills / Is able to create and edit documents using word processing or spreadsheet software, and to store and retrieve them on the network. Is able to use e-mail, an electronic calendar and the Internet effectively. / Essential
KNOWLEDGE / WHY / IMPORTANCE
Solid business acumen with an understanding of commercial finance / To be credible in role / Essential
Some knowledge of charity/grant accounting / Must work within these guidelines. / Desirable
An understanding of diversity / In order to promote diversity throughout the organisation. / Desirable
Some knowledge of the issues funded by Comic Relief / To make a persuasive argument in support of the work we do. / Desirable
QUALIFICATIONS / WHY / IMPORTANCE
CIMA qualified or equivalent / To prove financial competence. / Desirable

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