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- Tasks: Manage financial activities for children's placements and ensure budget performance.
- Company: Join a dedicated team serving councils to support children and young people in care.
- Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work model with flexibility between home and office.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the lives of looked after children while developing your finance skills.
- Qualifications: Degree level education and relevant finance experience required; Excel skills are a must.
- Other info: Collaborate with social workers and private sectors to enhance placement stability.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
As a Finance Officer, you will work in a small placements team, serving two councils, which commissions placements for children and young people aged 0 - 25 in a range of settings including foster care, residential children's homes, residential parent and child assessment centres and semi-Independent units. This is a hybrid role working 3 days in the office based between Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.
Responsibilities to include:
- To manage a range of activities relating to financial payments, management information and processes.
- To assist the team and managers to oversee the children's placement budget and meet performance targets relating to the placement of Looked After Children.
- To take responsibility for financial management within teams and projects, including savings delivery, and ensures value for money and the efficient use of resources.
- To engage with appropriate teams to maximise consensus and manage change effectively; this would also include working collaboratively with the professional network for looked after children including social workers, SEN, ICB as well as close working with the independent/private sector to effectively manage the market and ensure future needs are met.
- To maintain an overview of children's placements, advising managers on trends and implications, particularly regarding placement stability and high cost and long-term external placements.
- To work with financial information and a range of systems - e.g. downloading transactions, running reports.
- To ensure accurate timely payments, resolving supplier (and other) queries, and interrogating systems and processes to support these.
- To provide finance team and social worker teams with financial information relating to placement costs and supplier payments. This will include activity data and unit cost information.
- To undertake reconciliations of supplier accounts.
- To identify errors on invoices and miscoding and take actions to make corrections.
- To assist the finance team with the payment process, relating to invoice queries and follow up with suppliers.
- To load commitments onto the social work system and for invoices to be recorded stored appropriately.
Key requirements:
- Educated to degree level or equivalent evidence of continuing professional development.
- Knowledge of Local Authority finance processes either within a local authority setting or the private and voluntary sector.
- Relevant finance experience.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications especially MS Excel and Outlook.
- Experience of working with Mosaic, preferably within a local authority.
- Good interpersonal skills and written communication.
Finance Officer employer: Triumph Consultants Ltd
Contact Detail:
Triumph Consultants Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Officer
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific financial processes used in local authorities. Understanding how budgets are managed and how financial reporting works in this context will give you a significant edge during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals already working in finance roles within local authorities. Engaging with them can provide insights into the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges, which can be invaluable when discussing your fit for the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your Excel skills, particularly in areas like data analysis and financial modelling. Being able to demonstrate proficiency in these areas can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Research the councils you’ll be serving, specifically their approach to children's placements. Showing that you understand their priorities and challenges can help you make a strong impression during the interview process.
We think you need these skills to ace Finance Officer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant finance experience and skills that align with the responsibilities of a Finance Officer. Emphasise your knowledge of Local Authority finance processes and any experience with systems like Mosaic.
Craft a Strong Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that specifically addresses the job description. Mention your understanding of the role's requirements, such as managing financial payments and working collaboratively with social workers and other teams.
Showcase Relevant Skills: In your application, clearly demonstrate your proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Outlook. Provide examples of how you've used these tools in previous roles to manage financial information or reports.
Highlight Interpersonal Skills: Since the role requires good interpersonal skills, include examples of how you've effectively communicated and collaborated with teams in past positions. This will show your ability to engage with various stakeholders in the finance process.
How to prepare for a job interview at Triumph Consultants Ltd
✨Understand the Role and Responsibilities
Make sure you thoroughly read the job description and understand the key responsibilities of a Finance Officer. Be prepared to discuss how your previous experience aligns with managing financial payments, overseeing budgets, and working collaboratively with various teams.
✨Showcase Your Financial Knowledge
Demonstrate your understanding of Local Authority finance processes and relevant financial experience during the interview. Be ready to provide examples of how you've successfully managed budgets or resolved financial discrepancies in past roles.
✨Highlight Your Technical Skills
Since the role requires proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel, be prepared to discuss your experience with these tools. You might even want to mention any specific projects where you used Excel for financial reporting or data analysis.
✨Prepare Questions for the Interviewers
Having insightful questions ready shows your interest in the role and the organisation. Consider asking about the team dynamics, the challenges they face in managing placements, or how they measure success in this position.
