Recruitment

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAMRecruitment Role Profile Form

Job Title: Accountancy Assistant

School/Department: Financial Management Department

Salary: £22,249 - £26,537 per annum, depending on skills and experience. Salary progression beyond this scale is subject to performance

Job Family and Level: Administrative, Professional & Managerial Level 3

Contract Status: Permanent

Hours of Work: Full-time (36.25 hours per week)

Location: Varied

Reporting to: Finance Manager

Purpose of the New Role: Accounting Assistant (based in Financial Management Department comprising approximately 90 staff) will provide day-to-day operational and project support to finance managers and/or heads of Financial Management teams. The operational support will include but will not be limited to:

- Assisting with preparation of budgets, project costing and forecasts- Assisting with drafting monthly management accounts- Assisting with analysis of budget variances- Carry out finance-related tasks associated with supporting research activities- Journal and accrual processing and other data entry- Investigation and resolution of queries as directed- Coordination of year end processes as directed- Maintaining a high level of customer service as required

Financial support provided by the role-holder will aim to cover research, teaching and other activities (e.g. project management will include R*, A*, S* and other project types).

The percentage split below is indicative only; it can change at any time depending on the specific business unit demands or Financial Management’s requirements.

Main Responsibilities % time per year

1. Support the preparation of management and year-end accounts and project monitoring

Undertake month-end processes ensuring all tasks are completed to timetable and the accounts present accurate financial results.

Produce and analyse supporting information to assist in the identification of key research and operating variances, trends and issues for review.

Identify and investigate variances from budget through Agresso enquiries.

Investigate research grant budget variances, liaise with grant holders and take corrective action.

35%

Acquire information and documentation from a variety of sources to complete reconciliations, calculations, accruals and prepayments as directed.

Input amendments to the financial system, organise and keep detailed supporting records in order to satisfy the requirements of auditors as appropriate.

2. Support budgeting and forecasting processes Assist in the preparation of annual budgets and quarterly forecasts

(including operating and research activities) by collating data, performing calculations, obtaining information from business units and information systems as directed.

Meet with business units to discuss pay budgets and produce detailed pay variance analyses as required.

Assist with maintaining the pay database and process changes agreed by Finance Managers and Business Units as directed.

Update the financial system and action budget and forecast changes during the year as directed.

25%

3. Provide financial and business services• Application of knowledge to interpret and analyse schedules produced

to identify anomalies, errors and further work (such as highlighting areas for senior staff to challenge).

• Liaising with various stakeholders i.e. relevant schools, professional services and external bodies to explain and correct issues and anomalies on a timely basis to ensure that reporting deadlines are met and reporting can be robustly supported.

• Provide research project management support to management and academics (including pFACT costings and post-award cost management).

• Provide first line educational support and guidance to non-financial managers to aid their financial management role.

20%

4. Support other financial activities Support line management in providing operational support as required. Support academics in providing research support as required. Assist with gathering information and preparing calculations for costing

and pricing and business case activities. Resolve daily issues and problems and respond to queries as required.

10%

5. Personal and professional development and training Identify, highlight and address development needs to ensure continuing

professional development and the necessary experience by attending relevant courses.

Communicate and share best practice. Proactively identify new opportunities and work with management to

develop solutions.

5%

6. Other responsibilities Any other duties as appropriate to grade and role

5%

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & ExperienceEssential Desirable

Qualifications/ Education

AAT qualified OR broad substantial relevant experience in finance

AAT qualified and studying to become CCAB qualified

Skills/Training Proven ability to communicate successfully with staff at all levels

Proficient IT skills with MS Office, financial and other business systems

Ability to define and manage own priorities and work flexibly and effectively under pressure to meet demanding and sometimes conflicting deadlines

Ability to explain complex finance

Knowledge of:-higher education sectors-University decision making with a detailed knowledge of University structures and procedures

• Advanced MS Excel user

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concepts in layman terms An appreciation of the need to

maintain accuracy, and the ability to proactively check work

Understanding of budgetary control processes and the principles of devolved budget management

Good analytical and problem-solving skills

Experience Application of financial/business processes and controls

Practical experience in managing budgets

Delivery of excellent customer service

Use of accounting software packages

Management and improvement of finance processes in a large/complex organisation

Knowledge Understanding of fundamental accounting principles and transactions

Understanding of systems/services and their dependencies across organisational functions

Decision Making

i) taken independently by the role holder Resolving queries within remit Calculating project costs pFACT costings, post-graduate funding allocation, research activity monitoring Processing ATFs, purchase orders, journals and other transactions Performing calculations and reconciliations Advice on expenditure commitments based on allocations of funding and appropriate end

dates Ensuring that the allocations of income and costs are correctly posted, and determining the

appropriate method of verifying this to source documentation Determination of appropriate action to be taken following a review of project codes with

respect to closure of the project, extension, transfer of overspends or central reclaim of funds

ii) taken in collaboration with others Queries that require input from finance managers and other departments Management account commentaries Supporting month-end, budgeting, forecasting and year-end processes

iii) referred to the appropriate line manager by the role holder Complex issues to be referred to line manager Issues requiring management consideration or with wider implications for the

team/University Issues that must be referred under University policies and procedures

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