WMG
Senior Accounts Assistant
£26,243 – £29,515 pa
Full time permanent position
Are you an experienced accountant with excellent numerical skills? Do you have extensive experience in project accounting, monitoring and production of claims/invoices?
Due to continued growth, WMG are looking for a Senior Accounts Assistant to support the production of key management information and co-ordinate systems to ensure accurate and auditable finances.
Within the role, you will be responsible for planning, controlling and administering a diverse portfolio of tasks with the ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure.
An Accounting Technician qualification (or equivalent) is essential for the role, together with meticulous attention to detail.
In return we will provide you with a great range of benefits which include an attractive pension scheme, 26 days holiday plus Christmas closure, some fantastic savings on a wide range of products and services, and excellent learning and development opportunities.
JOB PURPOSE:
To provide senior accounting support to WMG, with a focus on project accounting, monitoring and production of claims/invoices; supporting the production of key management information, providing information to assist with the financial planning and co-ordinating systems to ensure accurate and auditable finances.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Research Grants and Contracts
- To administer and monitor the group’s portfolio of research projects budgets and forecasts.
- To liaise closely with academics on progress of project spend and ensuring compliance with the conditions of the award.
- To highlight and take action to avoid potential problems, and loss of income to the department.
- To prepare and submit research grants and contract claims, reconcile individual research accounts and ensure projects are working within specific, often complex rules.
- To work closely with academics to ensure spend remains within the constraints of the award and milestones on the projects are met.
- To liaise with and advise academics and WMG management of any area for concern, implementing corrective action where necessary.
- To implement and maintain processes to ensure audit evidence is complete for all projects (e.g. employee timesheets).
- To arrange audits on projects where necessary, e.g. TSB and EU, liaising closely with and assisting external auditors where required.
Budget and Forecasting
- To monitor budgets for all of the teaching activities.
- To assist with the preparation of costings for new activity and to reconcile income and prepare quarter end reserves.
- To co-ordinate and prepare University and departmental data in respect of bids and tenders submitted to external bodies for the supply of teaching and training activities
Doctorate Accounting
- To manage the doctorate accounts, establish budgets, reconcile costs and income, ensure up-to-date student data is available, and liaise with the Director of Research Degrees and the Academic Office regarding fee and stipend payments.
- To calculate and submit industrial partner invoices.
- To prepare regular management accounting information for senior management.
Departmental Accounting
- To undertake and support quarterly reviews of teaching, research and departmental activities, providing information for the preparation of the quarterly accounts and the five year planning process. To undertake accounting adjustments as required.
- To ensure close control of departmental accounts with the production of reports and by regular contact with budget holders.
- To maintain the integrity of the WMG coding structure taking corrective action where necessary.
Other
- To prepare financial reports to be used as management information e.g. University quarterly accounts and the annual five year plan.
- To provide support to the Assistant Accountant, Head of Financial Operations and Director of Administration (Finance) on an ad hoc basis.
- To develop and maintain financial procedures and systems within the Group, providing training to staff.
- To maintain the WMG Finance intranet page.
Supervision
- To provide cover for the other Senior Finance Assistant posts in times of absence, in order that financial deadlines are met including the supervision of the Finance Assistants.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
DEPARTMENT: WMG
The Person Specification focuses on the knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications required to undertake the role effectively.
REQUIREMENTS The post holder must be able to demonstrate: | ESSENTIAL (E) or DESIRABLE (D) REQUIREMENTS | MEASURED BY: a) Application Form b) Test/Exercise c) Interview d) Presentation |
Accounting Technician qualification, or equivalent | E | a, c |
Ability to work independently and plan, control and administer a diverse portfolio of tasks | E | a, c |
Demonstrable supervisory experience | E | a, c |
Educated to a minimum of GSCE level to include grades A-C in Maths and English or equivalent | E | a, c |
Excellent numerical skills, and the ability to do calculations, manipulate and present financial data using spreadsheets | E | a, c, b |
The ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, with academic staff, departmental administrators and staff at all levels at external sponsoring organisations | E | a, c, b |
High level of motivation and the ability to work both independently and as a member of a team | E | a, c |
Meticulous attention to detail | E | a, c, b |
The ability to work quickly and accurately when under pressure and to tight deadlines | E | a, c |
Experience of working within a HE environment | D | a, c |
FURTHER PARTICULARS
For further information about the University of Warwick, please visit our website at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/jobsintro/furtherparticulars
For further information about WMG, please see our website at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/about/
Working Environment
At WMG we are committed to supporting staff to achieve their potential. We currently hold the Athena SWAN Bronze Award and the University of Warwick holds an Institutional Silver Award: a national initiative that recognizes the advancement of gender equality, representation, progression and success for all in academia. We are supportive of staff with caring responsibilities including a generous maternity/paternity/adoption/parental leave policy, onsite childcare facilities and the childcare vouchers scheme. We will consider applications for employment on a part-time or other flexible working basis, even where a position is advertised as full-time, unless there are operational or other objective reasons why it is not possible to do so.
For further information and how to apply, Please see our Microsite https://www.searchhigher.com/warwick-finance/current-opportunities For any further questions, please feel free to contact Chris Boote on 02476575004 or c.boote@searchhigher.com