Finance Support Officer TLNT1_NI in Belfast

The Finance Support Officer reports to the Finance Manager and is responsible for supporting the effective operation of the organisation's finance function, ensuring compliance with government financial policies, financial regulations and audit standards.

Main Duties:

• Line management responsibilities for the Finance Assistant, providing day-to-day supervision, workload allocation and performance management.
• Completion of weekly drawdown requests to Office Sponsor Branch and completion of weekly payment runs, including supporting paperwork.
• Assisting the preparation of monthly management accounts, including monthly accruals and prepayment workings, with supporting journals and relevant back-up, in-line with financial regulations and internal policy.
• Reconciliation of bank statements, credit cards and supplier accounts.
• Completion of monthly payroll importation into financial system and monthly payroll reconciliation.
• Maintaining an accurate petty cash account and other financial records.
• Assisting with the processing of invoices, purchase orders and payment requests in-line with financial regulations and internal policies and procedures.
• Supporting the Finance Manager and Head of Finance with the monitoring of budgets, reporting of variances to managers, and adjustments to budget profiling where required.
• Preparation of regular and ad-hoc financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Assisting with year-end financial statements, including reconciliations and audit back-up and document preparation.
• Operation of the organisation's financial information system, ensuring data integrity and compliance with internal controls.
• Supporting the Finance Manager and Head of Finance in adhering to Financial Regulations, Internal Controls, Policies and Procedures and corporate governance requirements.
• Being the initial point of contact for finance queries from internal staff, suppliers and, where applicable, external stakeholders.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to process improvement.
• Deputise for the Finance Manager, where required.
• Responsible for assisting the Finance Manager with records management within the Finance function, in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
• To comply with Section 75 duties of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 by having due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between various groups.
• Any other relevant duties appropriate to the grade as may be required.

Essential Criteria:

• An Honours Degree (minimum 2.2 or equivalent in any discipline) OR ATI First Year Examination (Level 4 Certificate for Accounting Technicians) achieved with merit or better (or equivalent) OR ATI Second Year Examination (Level 5 Diploma for Accounting Technicians) achieved with pass or better (or equivalent).
• At least 1 years practical experience in a role within a finance function, including exposure to core financial processes (e.g. accounts payable/receivable, reconciliations or financial reporting).

Desirable Criteria:

• Practical experience in at least two of the following areas: Experience in monthly financial processes including processing invoices, supplier payments journals, prepayments, accruals and reconciliations.
• Experience using cloud accounting software.
• Experience supporting internal or external audit processes.
• Experience of line management.

Benefits of working for PONI:

• A pleasant, modern hybrid working environment that allows consideration of a range of flexible working arrangements that support a good work/life balance including part-time working options.
• Flexible Ways of Working Hybrid working (60/40 split), term time working, condensed hours and various other ways of working.
• Family Friendly Policies generous maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave above the national minimum standards.
• Paid special leave of up to a maximum of 10 working days for cases of domestic crisis, or bereavement leave including in the event of a miscarriage or loss of a child.
• Generous Occupational Sick Pay 6 months full pay, 6 months half pay over a rolling four year period.
• Allowances (where applicable) On call allowances, overtime payments, shift disturbance allowance, I.T. allowance.
• Work/life Balance commencing on 25 days annual leave, rising annually 1 day per year for up to 5 years plus 12 bank and public holidays per annum.
• Access to join the Northern Ireland Civil Service Sports Association where you can avail of many offers and discounts on sports and social activities across Northern Ireland.
• Opportunity to apply for the Offices salary sacrifice Cycle to Work scheme.
• PONI promotes positive health and wellbeing which enables staff to have access to occupational health services, the Employee Assistance Programme which includes free and confidential counselling and support programmes for staff at all levels, annual flu jab, eye test vouchers, mental health 1st aiders, access to join a private health care provider.
• Opportunities for career and self-development.
• Access to a range of on-line training sessions and participation in various courses depending on role.
• There is a Sports and Social Committee who organises events throughout the year for staff and also to raise money for our nominated charity.