At a Glance
- Tasks: Administer payments for children's social care and ensure accuracy in financial transactions.
- Company: Join Essex County Council, a leader in disability confidence and community support.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible working, and great employee benefits.
- Other info: Work in a dynamic team with opportunities for growth and process improvement.
- Why this job: Make a difference in children's lives while developing your finance skills.
- Qualifications: GCSEs in English and Maths; knowledge of financial systems is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 25959 - 25959 € per year.
Fixed Term, Full Time – £25,959 per annum – Location: Chelmsford – Working style: Anywhere worker (expected 2–3 days in office per month).
About the Role
Working within the Childrens Payments Team to administer payment of placements on the payments system, ensuring the correctness of assigned care types and costings, facilitating a clear auditable process and prompt payment of fees and allowances.
Opportunity
Transactional Services aims to provide a comprehensive financial transactional and support service, maximising new and innovative technology to provide excellent customer service using a multi-skilled workforce. The Finance Assistant supports the Purchase to Pay (P2P) and Income teams to deliver the business plan for financial transactions. With a working knowledge of financial processes and systems across P2P and Income, the role ensures data or income is input accurately, timely and within policy and legislation standards.
Accountabilities
- Contributes to the delivery of the business plan for financial transactions, in support of the wider organisational vision.
- Responsible for processing and managing financial transactions related to Childrens Social Care, following defined business processes, inputting and interpreting data to ensure quality, consistency, accuracy, timeliness and high performance.
- Effective in managing queries and disputes to ensure effective resolutions.
- Work towards effectively building key stakeholder relationships and effectively managing conversations to resolve Care package issues.
- Responsible for delivering all activities to meet defined deadlines, proactively reporting any risks or issues for early resolution.
- Provides support and guidance to internal and external customers in a professional manner, in line with financial processes, ensuring that policy and legislation are met.
- Carries out basic reporting for Transactional Services and external customers, which contributes to the management of organisational performance, maximises income and ensures compliance with Financial Regulations and ECC Policies.
- Work flexibly and collaboratively across Transactional Services to deliver finance support.
- Recommend process improvements and redesign to achieve best practice and organisational efficiency.
- Contributes to maintaining currency on legislation changes and translating these into local policy and procedure, to identify and review potential changes in technology.
The Experience You Will Bring
Essential
- Educated to RQF Level 2 (GCSE) must include English and Mathematics, or equivalent by experience.
- Some knowledge of P2P/Income systems and demonstrable accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchase to pay and e-invoicing experience would be desirable.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Level of good competency using Microsoft office packages including Outlook, Word and Excel.
Desirable
- Aptitude and willingness to work flexibly in multi-skilled operational teams.
- Good attention to detail.
- Ability to interpret varied information for supporting continuous improvements in service delivery.
- Ability to work effectively within a team whilst remaining focused and disciplined when working from home.
- Ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external customers, suppliers and partners.
Benefits & EEO
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under the Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job, and to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role. Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs. As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check, you will be required to register with the DBS update service.
Finance Assistant (Childrens Payments Team) in Chelmsford employer: Essex County Council
Essex County Council is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and flexible work environment for the Finance Assistant role within the Childrens Payments Team. With a commitment to employee growth and development, we provide comprehensive benefits including support for unpaid carers and the opportunity to work flexibly, ensuring a healthy work-life balance. Our culture fosters collaboration and innovation, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment in Chelmsford.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Assistant (Childrens Payments Team) in Chelmsford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the finance sector, especially those working in children's services. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of P2P and Income systems. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to the team’s goals and improve processes. Show them you’re not just a candidate, but a solution!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, drop a quick thank-you email. It shows your enthusiasm and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website for the best chance at landing that Finance Assistant role. We love seeing applications directly from our platform, and it helps us keep track of all the amazing talent out there!
We think you need these skills to ace Finance Assistant (Childrens Payments Team) in Chelmsford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Finance Assistant role. Highlight any relevant experience you have with financial processes, especially in P2P and Income systems. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about working in the Childrens Payments Team and how your background makes you a great fit. Keep it concise but impactful – we love a good story!
Show Off Your Attention to Detail:In finance, accuracy is key! When filling out your application, double-check for any typos or errors. We appreciate candidates who take the time to ensure everything is spot on, just like we do in our work.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the info you need about the role right there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Essex County Council
✨Know Your Numbers
Brush up on your financial knowledge, especially around P2P and Income systems. Be ready to discuss how you’ve handled financial transactions in the past, as this role is all about accuracy and timeliness.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Since you'll be managing queries and building relationships, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Think of examples where you've resolved disputes or communicated effectively with stakeholders.
✨Demonstrate Attention to Detail
Prepare to highlight instances where your attention to detail made a difference. This could be anything from catching an error in a report to ensuring compliance with financial regulations.
✨Be Ready for Flexibility
This role requires working both in the office and remotely. Share your experiences of working in multi-skilled teams and how you adapt to different working environments while maintaining productivity.
