Education Workforce Council

Job reference: EWC 20

Job title: Finance Officer

Grade: Executive Officer (EO)

Reporting to: Finance Manager

Directorate: Finance and Corporate Services

Location: Cardiff

Contract: Permanent, full time (37 hours per week)

Salary scale: £30,755 - £34,997

Purpose of post

The Finance Officer will provide executive and administrative support within a small finance team. Working closely with the finance manager, budget holders and colleagues across the organisation, you will play a key role in ensuring accurate financial management, effective budget monitoring, and compliance with financial policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

The Finance Officer, under the guidance of the Finance Manager, will:

• Process payments to Welsh Government for all grant-funded activities by verifying payment requests, ensuring supporting documentation is complete, and raising transactions within the finance system. This ensures grant funding obligations are met accurately and within required timescales.
• Process the registration fee income by recording daily fee receipts, maintaining accurate financial records, and completing weekly and monthly reconciliations between income records and the finance system. This ensures all income is accounted for correctly and reported accurately.
• Reconcile all Online and Virtual Terminal registration fee income to banking receipts by reviewing transaction records, investigating discrepancies, processing refunds where required, and undertaking weekly and monthly database reconciliations. This ensures income records remain accurate and complete.
• Process supplier invoices for payment by reviewing invoices for accuracy, obtaining appropriate authorisation, and entering transactions into the finance system in accordance with supplier payment policies. This ensures suppliers are paid correctly and within agreed payment terms.
• Process employee and panel members expense payments including travel and subsistence costs, by validating claims against organisational policies, ensuring appropriate approvals are obtained, and preparing payments for processing. This ensures expenses are reimbursed accurately and promptly.
• Raise and manage purchase orders by creating and maintaining purchase order records within the finance system, updating the purchase order tracker, and liaising with budget holders regarding outstanding commitments. This supports effective budget monitoring and financial control.
• Undertake monthly charge card reconciliations by reviewing transactions, obtaining supporting documentation, investigating discrepancies, and ensuring all expenditure is correctly recorded within the finance system. This ensures compliance with financial procedures and accurate financial reporting.
• Upload budgets and forecasts to finance system by validating data, updating financial records, and ensuring information is recorded accurately and within agreed deadlines. This supports effective financial planning and monitoring.
• Assist with the preparation of financial information for management, Council and committee reports by compiling month-end reconciliations and other financial data, ensuring information is accurate, relevant, and produced within required timescales. This supports informed decision-making and effective financial governance.
• Support month-end procedures by completing reconciliations, reviewing financial transactions, and resolving discrepancies within agreed deadlines. This ensures the accuracy and integrity of financial records.
• Assist with year-end procedures by preparing reconciliations, supporting audit requirements, and ensuring financial records are complete and accurate. This contributes to the successful completion of statutory financial reporting requirements.
• Support the monthly payroll process for employees and panel members by preparing payroll information, validating data, and liaising with relevant colleagues to ensure accurate and timely payments. This ensures payroll is processed correctly and in accordance with organisational requirements.