Finance Officer – AR in Dorchester

Location: Middlemoor HQ, Exeter or Winfrith HQ, Dorset

Working Arrangement: Hybrid – first 2 weeks office-based for training, then 2 days per week in the office

Contract: Temporary/Contract

Grade: Grade C

Department: Alliance Finance Department

Reports to: Senior Finance Officer

About the Role

We are currently seeking an experienced Finance Officer to join the Alliance Finance Department, supporting the day-to-day purchasing, payments, income and exchequer functions of the organisation. This is a hands-on, transactional finance role involving the accurate processing and recording of financial transactions, purchasing goods and services, invoice processing, cash and banking activities, debtor management and financial reconciliations. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a high level of accuracy, strong organisational skills and the confidence to communicate with internal customers, suppliers and external organisations, while ensuring all financial activity complies with relevant policies and regulations.

Key Responsibilities

• Process purchasing requests for goods and services, including urgent and short-notice requirements.
• Source goods and services through appropriate contracts and approved suppliers, ensuring value for money.
• Liaise with suppliers and internal customers regarding stationery, printing, ICT, travel, accommodation and other purchasing requirements.
• Process and record invoices accurately within the financial system and within required timescales.
• Review and challenge purchasing requests where necessary to ensure compliance with procurement and financial procedures.
• Administer goods received, including storage and distribution where required.
• Maintain supplier records and add new suppliers to procurement systems where necessary.
• Raise sales invoices and maintain accurate records of outstanding debts.
• Produce debtor reports, issue reminders and follow up overdue balances in line with policy.
• Deal with queries relating to invoices, payments and outstanding debts.
• Undertake cash collections from local facilities and arrange the subsequent banking of monies.
• Process and record income received through cash, cheque, card and electronic bank transfers.
• Maintain accurate financial records to support bank account reconciliations.
• Manage the Imprest account, including reconciliation of cash floats, bank statements and claims.
• Process urgent, international and internal financial payments using the organisation’s banking system.
• Provide support to treasury management activities, including updating daily bank statement records.
• Monitor and reconcile expenditure made through issued credit cards and ensure transactions are correctly recorded against the relevant cost centres.
• Input financial transactions onto Agresso and maintain accurate financial records.
• Respond to Freedom of Information requests relating to financial activities.
• Assist with internal and external audits and provide information required for financial scrutiny.
• Ensure all transactions comply with financial regulations, audit requirements and organisational policies.
• Provide guidance and informal support to colleagues where required.

About You

The ideal candidate will have previous experience in a transactional finance environment, with strong administrative and financial processing skills. You should have experience of working accurately with financial information and be confident handling payments, invoices, cash, banking transactions and reconciliations. You will also need to be comfortable communicating with a range of internal and external stakeholders and have the confidence to challenge requests where they do not comply with financial or procurement procedures.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Previous experience working in a finance, accounts or transactional finance environment.
• Strong administrative skills with a proven record of financial accuracy.
• Experience processing financial transactions, invoices and/or payments.
• Experience handling incoming payments by cash, cheque, card or bank transfer.
• Ability to maintain accurate financial records and analyse financial information.
• Strong organisational and time‑management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing workloads and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Confidence communicating with suppliers, customers, banks and other external organisations.
• Ability to challenge and query financial or purchasing requests appropriately.
• Good IT skills, including experience using Excel/spreadsheets and word-processing packages.
• Experience working within financial procedures, controls or regulations.
• Previous experience in a position requiring a high degree of trust, responsibility and confidentiality.

Desirable

• Experience within a local authority, police, NHS or wider public sector organisation.
• Experience of purchasing/procurement processes.
• Experience of accounts payable, purchase ledger or invoice processing.
• Experience of accounts receivable, debtors or credit control.
• Experience of cash handling and banking.
• Experience of financial reconciliations.
• Knowledge of Agresso or similar financial management systems.

Key Competencies

• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Financial administration
• Organisation and prioritisation
• Customer service and communication
• Financial controls and compliance
• Purchasing and procurement
• Cash and payment handling
• Reconciliation and record keeping

Additional Information

The role involves handling cash and sensitive financial information, so the successful candidate must demonstrate high levels of integrity, accountability and professionalism. The role is based at Middlemoor HQ, Exeter or Winfrith HQ, Dorset, with occasional requirements to work from other police stations where necessary. The post is subject to higher-level vetting and the organisation’s required standards of professional behaviour. Flexitime arrangements are available, although occasional additional hours may be required during peak periods.