April 2021 Dear Applicant, Post of Bookkeeper
Thank you for your interest in the above post. Please find enclosed: • Job Advert
• Details of the post – job description and person specification
• Guidance Notes (to be read before completing the application), Job application form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (to be separated on receipt)
Completed application forms must be returned no later than 12 Noon Friday 28 May 2021.
Please note that CVs are not accepted, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview. For more information about Positive Action in Housing’s work, go to our website
www.positiveactionh.org Yours sincerely,
Razgar Hassan Office Manager
Positive Action in Housing Charity Bookkeeper 21 hours per week Office based – Glasgow
£23,145 - £25,186 pro-rata + 4% Contributory Pension
Positive Action in Housing is an independent, anti-racist homelessness and human rights charity (SC027577) dedicated to supporting women, children and men from refugee and migrant
backgrounds to rebuild their lives. We believe in a society where everyone has the right to live safe and dignified lives, free from poverty, homelessness or inequality.
We wish to recruit an experienced Bookkeeper to assist with the finances of a small but busy charity based in Glasgow’s city centre. You will be responsible for undertaking accurate and timely recording of income and expenditure, bank reconciliation, purchase ledger, donor’s database, payment of invoices and reclamation of Gift Aid. You will prepare and post general ledger journals and prepare reports as requested. You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You will have excellent numeracy skills. You will have the skills and aptitude to accurately maintain our computer-based finance records. You will pay meticulous attention to detail and have the aptitude and skills to learn on the job. You have excellent IT skills, and are familiar with spreadsheets, word processing, email and MS Office. You will be educated to degree level or equivalent. You know how to plan, manage and prioritise a varied workload under pressure. You are self-motivated and know how to work as part of a team. Download a Job Application Form here.
Email your completed application to [email protected] by the closing date noted below. Closing date: 12 Noon, Friday 28 May 2021.
For all posts successful candidates will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and Disclosure Scotland documents.
PROJECT BRIEF - FINANCES Introduction
Positive Action in Housing is an independent, anti-racist homelessness and human rights charity (SC027577) dedicated to supporting women, children and men from refugee and migrant
backgrounds to rebuild their lives. We believe in a society where everyone has the right to live safe and dignified lives, free from poverty, homelessness or inequality.
The charity has been in existence since 1995 and employs around 15 staff members. What We Do
We assist refugees seeking sanctuary from war and persecution to rebuild their lives and overcome crisis situations, for example, the removal of basic human rights such as refuge, shelter, the right to work or hold a bank account.
We provide practical advice and representation to asylum seekers living in accommodation provided by the Mears Group.
We provide proactive advice, emergency support via our Emergency Relief Fund and free shelter to those at risk of destitution through Room for Refugees.
We support migrants to know their rights, secure paid work and stabilise their lives. We assist established ethnic minority communities to overcome bad housing.
We support victims of racist harassment and hate crime, to successfully challenge unfair homelessness decisions.
We provide signposting, proactive casework, emergency humanitarian support to assist refugees and asylum seekers to rebuild their lives quickly and stand on their own resources.
We offer welfare advice and money skills to refugees and migrants to assist in their resettlement in Scotland. We provide volunteering and training.
We lead human rights campaigns and humanitarian appeals. We persistently challenge anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiment, and the indefinite detention of innocent families and individuals. In all these areas we use our expertise to effect policy change.
Finances
We receive grants and donations from government, trusts & foundations, companies and private donors. We also receive membership fees and send out invoices for advertising and training. This involves keeping a clear audit trail of all income and expenditure in order to be ready for monthly/quarterly reporting and the annual audit. We also prepare gift aid submissions weekly or monthly. We also distribute small crisis payments from our Emergency Relief Fund to people from refugee, asylum seeking and immigrant backgrounds who are struggling to make ends meet. This involves ensuring proper receipts and records are kept of all expenditure. The organisation is in the process of upgrading its financial management procedures and accounts package.
Key Objectives
• Collate accurate, up-to-date financial information showing all sums of money received and spent by the charity, date and the nature of those transactions and a record of the assets and liabilities of the charity.
• Ensure that accounting records comply with accounting regulations and meet regulations set by the Companies Act and the Scottish Charity.
• Report to senior management to help them make decisions with trustees. • Liaise with auditors as required.
• Assist the organisation to seamlessly move to a comprehensive accounts package designed to cope with accounting information with reporting and invoicing built in.
• Include all the evidence from outside the organisation about why we’ve paid or received money – you should have a document to support every transaction in your accounts, including things like
o For receipts:
▪ Grants – confirmation letter with grant details, plus grant conditions. Remittance advices for each grant payment
▪ Room hire/lettings – copy of your invoice plus evidence of receipt of payment ▪ Donations – accompanying letter/email
▪ Cash from events – Cash sheets properly signed off o For payments:
▪ Invoices (addressed to the organisation), clearly showing goods or services supplied ▪ Shop receipts for smaller items - properly authorised with explanation of
goods/services purchased
▪ Volunteer expenses – claim form with travel tickets, food receipts etc, showing reimbursement of actual expense not round sum payments
▪ Travel expenses – travel tickets, or details of mileage with explanation of purpose of journey
Positive Action in Housing March 2021
Job description – Charity Bookkeeper Job Title Charity Bookkeeper
Purpose of Job You will be responsible for keeping the charity’s financial records meticulously up to date. You will liaise with debtors and creditors to ensure income is received and bills are paid.
Responsible to Office Manager
Salary £23,145 - £25,186 pro-rata + 4% Contributory Pension Type of contract Fixed Term for 12 months (subject thereafter to funding)
Location Glasgow G2 1PJ - The post may require a blended working approach during Lockdown. Hours Part-time position, 3 days per week 21 hours per week
Holidays 30 days per year + 15 public holidays (Pro Rata) Closing Date 12 Noon Friday 28 May 2021
MAIN DUTIES & TASKS
You will be responsible for keeping the charity’s financial records up to date. You will liaise with debtors and creditors to ensure income is received and bills are paid. You will undertake accurate and timely recording of income and expenditure, bank reconciliation, purchase ledger, donor’s database, payment of invoices and reclamation of Gift Aid. You will prepare and post general ledger journals and prepare reports as requested. You will follow all finance procedures are followed and that records are kept meticulously updated and accurate. You know how to plan, manage and prioritise a varied workload under pressure. You are self-motivated and know how to work as part of a team.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Key Performance Indicators:
1. Ensure an effective and smooth-running finance function. 2. Ensure accurate recording of all finance related tasks
3. Ensure good communication with donors and maintain current data Key responsibilities and accountabilities:
Administrative
1. Assist with updating and maintain filing and other systems.
2. Assist with archiving of old files and data, and general housekeeping. 3. Assist with general admin tasks including photocopying, scanning and filing. 4. Assist with processing of Emergency Relief Fund.
Finances – general
1. processing of expenditure and income 2. monthly reconciliations
3. responsibility for banking
4. Assist with finance matters as instructed
5. Record all income received to the charity on our computerised system; 6. Electronically back up all documents relating to income and expenditure.
7. Check all expenditure claims for authorisation. 8. Prepare list of payees each week.
9. Update and maintain a bank analysis of all income and expenditure 10. Cross checking audit documents and back-up.
11. Assist with preparation for year-end audit Invoicing
1. Send out invoices to customers, members and others 2. Check invoice queries
3. Send out invoices to customers
4. Chase up outstanding invoices to ensure that there is no more than 3 months outstanding. 5. Prepare regular invoicing reports as requested.
6. Assist with sales of publications, advertising etc.
7. Assist with securing advertisers for wall planner, directory and annual report. Donor Databases
1. preparing for and making gift aid claims 2. Maintain gift aid records
3. Process gift aid reclaims
4. Thank donors via email and attach certificates Record Keeping
1. Assist with archiving of past records and maintain filing systems. 2. Update all members details.
General
1. Prepare regular reports as required.
2. Attend training to develop relevant knowledge and skills. 3. Undertake any other duties relevant to the post.
4. Assist with review of financial management procedures 5. Assist with implementation of new finance system
6. Maintain and improve bookkeeping and accountancy systems (both computerised and manual) including: Bank reconciliations; Cash management; Income and grant analysis; Bank receipts and payments; Purchase approval and recording processes
7. Update inventory
8. Contribute to the Risk Register on financial matters
9. Keep abreast of current legislation and practices also, best practices with peer organisations and preparing reports
10. Work closely with other colleagues as part of a mutually supportive team. 11. To carry out other duties appropriate to the post as requested
Equal opportunities
Be committed to Positive Action in Housing’s anti-racist mission and equal opportunities policy. Health & safety
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, all employees are required to take care of their own health and that of other employees in complying with their statutory duties.
PERSON SPECIFICATION: CHARITY BOOKKEEPER
CRITERIA ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE
Previous Experience Administrative and finance
Financial administrative experience
Administrative experience in an office environment Windows and Office programmes (esp. Outlook, Word, Excel and Access)
Maintaining and updating filing system and databases Book-keeping incl. petty-cash, invoicing and bill payments Working in the voluntary sector Experience in the management and delivery of a range of administrative tasks and financial reporting
Skills Numeracy and IT skills Organisational Skills
Interpersonal and communication
Excellent verbal and written communication skills Organised
Accuracy and attention to detail
Abilities Know how to work equally with people from diverse backgrounds
Work as part of a team
Self-motivated and goal orientated
Prioritise a varied workload under pressure Work under minimum supervision
Work on your own initiative
Ability to work to deadline and under pressure
the ability to grasp new systems quickly evidence of using relevant financial software strong all-round communication skills can-do attitude
Education/Knowledge Good general education to at least Degree level or Equivalent
understanding of accounting principles and processes
Administrative or finance qualification
Preferably qualified or part-qualified AAT or 2+ years’ experience in a similar bookkeeping role experience in
developing
administrative systems Knowledge of Xero or equivalent.
Other Commitment to equal opportunities
Commitment to Positive Action in Housing’s aims Able to work occasional unsocial hours
Keep up to date with financial developments across the sector
Other Relevant qualifications
