Finance Assistant (Trainee)

OBJECTIVES OF THE POST

To provide support to the Senior Finance Officer in delivering an efficient and effective finance service for Knowes Housing Association Ltd. This is a two year fixed term contract. No prior knowledge of housing association accounts is necessary – full training will be given.

ROLE OF TEAM

The Finance Assistant (Trainee) works as part of a team consisting of the Senior Finance Officer and two Finance Assistants. The role of the Finance Team is to:

Maintain the rent accounting system, post all payments timeously and ensure completeness of income through rent and bank reconciliations.

Maintain the nominal ledger and cash books and ensure reconciliations are carried out on a regular basis.

Maintain the purchase ledger and ensure creditors are paid in a timely and efficient manner.

Provide a factoring service for the Association, liaise with the repairs team, raise invoices, collect monies including taking legal action where necessary.

Raise rechargeable repairs invoices and collect monies including legal action where necessary.

Provide the Finance Subcommittee with six monthly reports for writing off.

Collection of former tenant rent arrears including legal action where necessary and providing Head of Finance with six monthly reports for writing off.

Provide reports to Senior Management Team on former tenant arrears, debt write off, monthly rent and voids and other financial matters as required..

Process monthly payroll.

Time Allocation – Ensure timesheets are received from all staff on monthly basis, entered into system and quarterly management report produced for Head of Finance.

Scanning – ensure that Finance maintain the finance section’s scanning.

Maintain the component account system.

Maintain the other asset register

PRINCIPLE DUTIES OF POST

Purchase Ledger

1. Ensure new supplier forms in place for all purchase orders.

2. Ensure purchase invoices are matched to purchase order.

3. Ensure purchase invoices are authorised and coded appropriately.

4. Ensure all purchase invoices are scanned into purchase ledger accounts.

5. Record purchase invoices and the weekly raising of payment batches.

6. Assist the Finance Assistant in raising purchase ledger payment batches to be uploaded to commercial online banking.

7. Raise manual cheques for those payments not paid via bacs and ensure cheques authorised by two members of Senior Management Team.

8. Process utility bills.

9. Pass payment batches to Finance Assistant and Senior Finance Officer for authorisation and payment of batches.

Rent Accounting system

10. Posting of daily income, Universal Credit/housing benefit prints, rent adjustments and voids to the rent accounting system.

11. Collection and processing of monies received, debit/credit cards, standing orders and postal remittances. Also posting of card payments over the telephone.

12. Investigate any daily differences in cash balances and bring to attention of Finance Assistants/Senior Finance Officer

13. Where requested by Senior Finance Officer or Housing Manager, process refunds of housing benefit to WDC and rent to tenants where necessary.

14. Assist Finance Assistants in the production of annual rent letters.

15. Assist the Finance Assistants in raising monthly rechargeable repairs, collection of debt.

16. Assist the Finance Assistants in the Rent Harmonisation of Knowes’ properties.

Cash Book

17. Post cash statements on a daily basis to the housing management system - QLx.

18. Carry out weekly bank reconciliations and investigate outstanding items – bring to attention of Finance Assistants/SFO

Other duties

19. Assist the Senior Finance Officer and Finance Assistants with the update and review of finance policies and procedures as required.

20. Undertake further training and development in accounting and finance skills as recommended by the organisation.

21. Any other reasonable duties as required in relation to finance function of KHA.