Finance Manager

The Society of Authors (SoA) is the UK's largest trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators. We ve been advising authors and speaking out for the profession since 1884.

We re currently looking to welcome a Finance Manager to our team.

The role

The Finance Manager leads on the operational management of the finance function to ensure there are robust financial controls, effective reporting and efficient day-to-day financial operations across the organisation, including our ancillary charities and literary estates. The postholder is expected to foster excellent working relationships across the organisation with all staff, member volunteers, senior colleagues, board members and charity trustees.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operations Officer, the Finance Manager has significant responsibility for:

Management accounts and reporting

Budgeting and forecasting

Cashflow oversight

Audit and compliance

Financial controls and process improvement

Operational financial analysis

Responsibilities

Day-to-day financial management

• Manage the day-to-day finances for the organisation. Ensuring all aspects of the financial systems are accurate and kept updated including banking and sales and purchase ledgers.
• Manage the finances for our 14 charities. Ensure all aspects of the financial systems are kept updated.
• Undertake monthly reconciliations ensuring all transactions are properly and efficiently recorded.
• Prepare quarterly VAT returns for the organisation including the partial VAT exemption calculation.
• Oversee the management and appropriate allocation of any restricted funds for the charities ensuring that monies are allocated as per donor wishes or grant specifications.
• Prepare any ad hoc budget request and figures for other departments or the management.
• Regularly review and maintain financial policies and procedures.
• Support with funding bids and reports for donors and grant-making bodies.

Budget process management

• Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer on preparing the annual budgets for the organisation and our ancillary charities.
• Prepare quarterly figures for review, explaining any variation from budgeted figures.
• Monitor the actual spend against budgets for all the charities.

Ensure adequate cash flow to meet the needs of the organisation and our charities in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Charities.

• Work closely with all Departmental Heads to ensure they fully understand their budgets and ongoing organisational performance against budget.

Statutory reporting

• Assist the Chief Operating Officer with the preparation of the organisation s accounts.
• One of the main points of liaison with the external auditors, ensuring all supporting papers are collated for an efficient and effective annual audit to take place.
• Maintain fixed asset register and inventory of all equipment contracts and agreements.
• Ensure adequate controls are in place to safeguard the financial assets of the organisation.
• Lead on preparing all our charity accounts.
• Assist the COO to ensure the organisation and its ancillary charities are compliant with statutory bodies and external institutions including:

o Companies House

o Certification office

o Charity Commission

o HMRC

o All banks and payment processors

Financial risk management

• Work with the Chief Operating Officer to ensure that the appropriate processes are in place for the long-term financial viability of the organisation.
• Develop, update and produce long-term cashflow forecasts for both the organisation and our ancillary charities.

Ensure appropriate financial risk management techniques and controls are in place at strategic and operational levels.

Governance support to the Finance Sub-Committee and Charity Trustees

• Assist in the preparation of all associated papers and minutes for the Finance Sub
  - Committee.
• Assist the Chief Operating Officer in preparing papers for Board and Charity Trustees.

The duties above outline the broad areas of responsibility. The SoA reserves the right to vary these duties to suit the requirements of the business.

Person specification

Essential

• Minimum part-qualified accountant or qualified by experience with strong financial management experience, with an ability to understand the practical impact of finance decisions and processes across the organisation.

Strong IT skills including the Microsoft Office suite, in particular Excel, and experience of using databases.

• Experience of using Sage 50 Cloud Accounts.
• Significant experience and confidence in managing a full range of finance operations in a small or medium sized organisation in the not-for-profit sector.
• Confident presenting financial information to non-financial audiences.
• Demonstrates excellent attention to detail, organisation and communication skills.

Resilience in working under pressure, ability, and willingness to both give and take constructive feedback.

Bring ideas for improvements and is open and honest in all communications where relevant and appropriate.

• Ability to work with the Chief…