Job Description – BioRegional Finance Manager

Job title:	Finance Manager
Responsible to:	Finance Director
Place of work:	BedZED Centre, 24 Helios Road, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 7BZ. Nearest stations Hackbridge or Mitcham Junction.
Contract period:	Permanent contract, subject to a probationary period of six months and subject to funding.
Hours of work:	Up to 37.5 hours per week; 9.00am - 5.30pm. Evening and weekend work will occasionally be required. Out of hours working will be compensated with time off in lieu. Applications for part-time work and/or flexible working will be considered positively.
Holiday entitlement:	25 days per annum, plus public holidays, increasing by one day for each year of service up to 30 days.
Salary:	£25,000-£35,000 (subject to skills and experience, pro rata)
Grade:	Technical grade: high level of responsibility
Pension:	6% ethical employer stakeholder contribution after 3 months service, in line with BioRegional Development Group policy at the time

Background
BioRegional is an independent, entrepreneurial charity which aims to implement real-life, viable solutions for sustainable living, to bring local sustainability into the mainstream of our economic and social life. We develop methods and technologies by which society can meet more of its needs from sustainable local resources, such as farming, forestry, renewable energy, and recycled waste, and reduce the ecological footprint of our activities to a globally equitable level. This allows us to strengthen regional economies and communities, reduce our contribution to global warming, reduce waste and maintain or increase quality of life while leaving space for wildlife.

Central team
BioRegional’s project work is supported and enabled by a Central team made up of the Finance Director; a Director of Planning and Performance, responsible for legal, planning and personnel issues; a Resources Manager responsible for fundraising for our work; a Communications team and administration staff.

Finance Manager
BioRegional offers a varied and fast moving work environment. The group of organisations includes both the parent charity and companies that have grown out of the work of the charity. Our consolidated turnover in 2007-8 was £1.9 million. This is a new post created to enable the Finance Director to continue to manage the growing and diverse nature of our operations.

Through this post you will support BioRegional’s project work. You will work closely with the Finance Director and Project Managers on developing budgets and will give regular financial updates to support timely decision making and help with future strategy.

The Finance Manager must be confident, able to use their initiative, self-motivated, a supportive and an efficient worker able to meet deadlines. You need to be extremely numerate and confident in understanding budgets and accounts. BioRegional will thrive if you have a helpful, team-working ability to enable you to work constructively alongside the existing staff team.

Detailed Job Description

Your professional skills together with your knowledge of charity law and SORP will help you work with the Finance Director to shape this progressive organisation and to meet statutory requirements. You will be a hands-on financial manager with responsibilities at all levels who delivers accurate financial information.

With time, you will be expected to take real ownership of the role and to develop it by gaining further exposure to the Finance Directors responsibilities.

Budgets and Forecasting

• Assist the Finance Director in the day-to-day management of the finances, including all aspects of the day to day financial transactions of the charity and its trading companies.
• Reporting to the Finance Director, and other Directors and Project Managers relevant financial information as and when required.
• Hold regular meetings with the finance director and project teams to review budgets and ongoing resources need.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of accounting records.
• Assist the Finance Director in forecasting and costing of new work, working with budget holders to ensure integrity.
• Monitoring performance against budgets, investigate variances and reporting findings to the Finance Director.

Financial Control and Accounting Systems

• With the Finance Director continually review internal controls, procedures, processes and financial systems. Implement any agreed changes.
• Maximise efficiency gains from the effective use of IT.
• Operate and reconcile petty cash and our online payment system with Worldpay.
• Maintain the organisation’s computerised financial accounts (Sage Line 50) including some data entry as part of the team.
• Produce invoices for some of the Charities work.
• Monitor cash flow.
• Ensure we meet statutory financial requirements such as record keeping, corporation tax and employers returns.

Accountants and Audit

• Assist the Finance Director in producing end of year reports for auditors in line with the current Charity SORP.
• Assist the Finance Director with liaison with external auditors and the resolution of any audit related queries.

VAT, Tax and Gift Aid

• Regularly review our VAT system to ensure we meet statutory requirements.
• Assist in preparing the VAT partial exemption for BDG and liaise with HM Revenue and Customs.
• Prepare accurate VAT returns for BRMM, BCL and OPP Ltd.
• Undertake Gift Aid claims.
• Review and advise on tax implications.

Trustees

• Assist the Finance Director in reporting quarterly to the Internal Board and the Trustees board.

Research and Advice

• Provide sound financial advice to trustees and other colleagues. Including research on international financial regulations.

Line Management

• Manage and motivate a team of two part time members of staff who work on the finance function.
• Oversee their work which includes payment of supplier invoices and credit control.

Payroll

• Manage the relationship with our payroll outsourcing agency.
• Regularly review payroll arrangements, which may include setting up and running an in-house payroll in the future.

Purchasing

• Oversee purchasing to ensure cost efficiency.

Companies

• Responsibility for all financial transactions and production of management accounts for BioRegional Minimills (UK) Ltd (reporting to Sue Riddlestone, Executive Director, BRMM), BioRegional Consulting Ltd and One Planet Products Limited. Provide advice to BioRegional Charcoal Company Ltd.
• Investigate the financial implications of further trading subsidiaries.

Other

• Manage Insurance register with guidance from Director of Planning and Performance.
• Undertake any other duties as may be required within the scope of the post.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of producing management accounts and working with auditors.
• Experience of working on the day to day finance activity.
• Relevant experience may have been gained within any sector of the economy but you should be keen to work within the charity sector and be ready to become an expert in charities SORP.
• Experience of accounting for VAT including communicating with HM Revenue and Customs and expertise in VAT partial exemption is desirable.
• Experience of using a variety of computerised accounting packages, especially Sage Line 50.
• Knowledge of PAYE and N.I.
• An understanding of Gift Aid legislation would be desirable.

Skills

• Highly numerate with the ability to understand, create and revise project budgets.
• A qualified accountant with experience of liaising with senior and non-finance staff. You will have a recognised professional accounting or auditing qualification such as ICAEW, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA or IIA.
• Excellent written and spoken English, able to communicate effectively with colleagues, suppliers, customers and funders.
• Confident in use of Microsoft Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Email and the Internet
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to prioritise workload.

Attributes

• Flexible, reliable and responsible
• A helpful personality with a desire to work for the benefit of the whole organisation
• A team-worker skilled at working constructively with colleagues
• Understanding of and interest in sustainability issues

Application procedure

Closing date for applications: 3rd of April 2008

Applications should include:

• an up-to-date CV
• a covering letter clearly demonstrating how you meet the person specification and your salary and working hours requirements

Please email applications to Emma Croxson on ec@bioregional.com

Interviews

Interviews to be held: The week of the 7th of April 2008

Interview procedure will include candidates giving a five minute presentation on a set of management accounts produced in a previous or current role.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. Appointment will be made subject to satisfactory references.

• BioRegional is an equal opportunities employer
• Employees will be expected to work with due regard to health and safety
• BioRegional’s offices operate a no smoking policy