Finance Officer (Non-Accounting) in London

Important Information for Current Barnet Council Employees: Where possible, employees who have access to Oracle are encouraged to apply via the Opportunity Marketplace (Internal Career Site). This helps to ensure applications are correctly identified as internal and avoids potential delays during the recruitment process.

About Barnet Council: Barnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centres, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

About the role: The Accounts Payable Administrator is responsible for accurately processing and managing all invoices, bills, and payments for the organization. This role ensures adherence to company policies, timely payments, and effective communication with vendors and internal stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

• Master Data: Creation of suppliers from online and offline requests. Amendment of supplier details from service area requests. Carry out due diligence on new supplier requests. Liaise with service areas on supplier creation and amendments.
• Invoice Scanning: Verification and processing of invoices sent to the scanning solution process. Completing ‘handshake’ for new supplier invoice template acceptance. Ensuring invoices meet the business rules and requirements for payment. Enforcing Barnet Council’s No PO no Pay policy. Extraction of invalid/incorrect documents. Escalating issues to OCS software partner. Contacting suppliers/requisitioners when required to resolve invoicing issues.
• Purchasing Admin: Creation and amendment of Contract and Blanket Purchase Agreements. Purchase order maintenance. Receive, review, and verify invoices for accuracy, completeness, and appropriate approvals. Perform goods receipt matching for purchase order invoices scanned into the system for payment processing. Resolve discrepancies or issues related to invoices and ensure proper documentation and approvals.
• Payment Processing: Process payments to vendors, employees, and other payees in a timely and accurate manner. Verify payment terms, discounts, and payment scheduling to optimize cash flow and take advantage of early payment discounts. Maintain accurate payment records and ensure compliance with payment policies and procedures.
• Vendor Management: Establish and maintain relationships with vendors and suppliers. Respond to vendor inquiries and resolve payment-related issues promptly and professionally. Perform vendor statement reconciliations to ensure accuracy and completeness of payments.
• Month-End Closing: Assist in month-end closing processes, including reconciling accounts payable balances and preparing necessary reports and schedules. Participate in periodic financial audits and provide required information and documentation.
• Recordkeeping and Reporting: Maintain organized and up-to-date accounts payable records and documentation. Generate and analyse accounts payable reports to monitor performance, identify trends, and make process improvements.
• Compliance and Policies: Ensure compliance with company policies, accounting principles, and relevant regulations in all accounts payable processes. Participate in developing and updating accounts payable policies and procedures.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments such as Procurement, Finance, and Operations to ensure smooth and efficient invoice and payment processes. Assist in special projects and process improvement initiatives related to accounts payable.

What we offer: 31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays. Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents. Work-life balance options may include hybrid working, flexitime, job share, home working, part-time. A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more. Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership. Excellent training and development opportunities. Employee well-being training programs including confidential employee assistance.

How to apply: Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact Diane Brown at diane.brown@barnet.gov.uk.

Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Barnet operates stringent safer recruitment procedures, this may include AI Detection Screening, Biometric ID/Right to Work Checks, Qualification and Registration Checks, Up to 6 years of Employment Data and Insights to Accelerate Screening (Konfir), Up to 5 years of Employment History References, DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) Checks, Credit Checks and Social Media, Sanctions and Occupational Health Screening.

To deliver Barnet Council’s commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Barnet Council embraces all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working) and is committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview.

Barnet Council is a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process.

All posts with the council are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient number of applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, as any further communication regarding your application will be sent electronically. Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted.