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Paid staff vacancies

Finance Manager

Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden is recruiting an experienced Finance Manager, who will report to the Chief Executive Officer.

You will be responsible for providing accurate and timely financial information; assisting with the day-to-day management of budgets; and ensuring compliance with various financial regulatory bodies including Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden’s own finance management regulations.

You will also play a significant role in the strategic planning for the organisation, where business or entrepreneurial skills would be an advantage.


  • Hours: 22.5 hours per week (3 days per week based on FTE at 37.5 hour week)
  • Salary: £18,818 (based on FTE at 37.5 hours at £31,364)
  • Pension: 8% employer contribution
  • Location: Carlisle
  • Application deadline: 9am on Monday 22 April 2024
  • Interviews: Thursday 25 April 2024
  • Start date: May 2024 (or as soon as possible)

How to apply

Please send an up to date copy of your CV to recruitment@ca-ce.org.uk and complete the following forms by 9am on Monday 22 April 2024:

Application guidance notes are available here.


Role Purpose

To ensure that accurate and timely financial information is produced for the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Trustees. Providing a full financial management service to ensure Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden operate effectively and are compliant with all legal and sector requirements.


Key Tasks

  • Manage accounts payable and accounts receivable processes. Ensure QuickBooks accounting system files are accurately maintained on a full accruals basis.
  •  Take the lead on the annual budgeting process.
  • Produce regular updated forecasts of expected out-turn position.
  • Identify and account for restricted funds.
  • Prepare management accounts and other finance papers to be reported to the Trustee Board on a regular basis.                                       
  • Prepare draft statutory accounts for year end audit (compliant with the Charity SORP), including notes to the accounts and financial sections in the trustees annual report; liaise with external auditors as required.     
  • Regularly review and recommend improvement/update of the written financial procedures to Treasurer, and implement change as agreed.   
  • Regularly review and recommend improvement/update of internal financial controls to Treasurer, and implement change as agreed. 
  • Collate information to report on the effectiveness of financial controls.
  • Responsibility for ensuring regular reconciliation of all balance sheet accounts (including all bank accounts and petty cash).                        
  • Responsible for cash management and cash flow forecasting              
  • Responsible for ensuring all budgeted funding is invoiced as appropriate, and responsibility for organisation-wide credit control.                         
  • To input into the development of full cost recovery on projects             
  • Responsible for ensuring the organisation is compliant for pensions’ auto-enrolment and oversee all pension administration.
  • Responsible for accuracy of all payroll administration/reports, and as necessary liaise with outsourced payroll provider re. monthly payroll processing including starters/leavers and changes in hours.
  • Be responsible for the completion/submission of VAT returns ensuring these are compliant with HMRC requirements.
  • Be responsible for ensuring compliance with Charity and Company law – in particular making sure that accounts are submitted on time
  • Responsible for the submission of required funder returns, financial returns to Citizens Advice and due diligence information for potential funders and partner organisations.
  • Identify opportunities to claim Gift Aid and to complete Gift Aid Returns to HMRC.
  • Responsible for finance element of funding bids.
  • Liaise with funders, donors and sponsors as required.
  • Prepare quarterly progress reports on grant funded programmes.

Other duties and responsibilities

  • Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues
  • Be at all times a positive ambassador for Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden
  • Participate positively and pro-actively in supervision sessions, team-meetings and organisational-wide activities
  • Ensure that work undertaken reflects and supports the Citizens Advice service’s equality and diversity strategy
  • Ensure all GDPR and data protection requirements are adhered to in all work for which the post is responsible
  • Work from different Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden locations with prior arrangement
  • Any other relevant duties required to ensure the smooth running of the organisation

Person specification

Essential

  • Recognised qualification in Accountancy, or actively working towards same
  • Experience of using QuickBooks or similar accounting package and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
  • Experience of development and maintenance of accounting processes
  • Recent and ongoing experience of drafting management information, and meaningful reporting of variances to Treasurer/Trustee Board
  • Recent and ongoing experience of budgeting, particularly project-by-project and contributing to the budgeting processes across the organisation.
  • Strong analytical skills and an ability to input and interpret complex data using IT   system
  • Strong communication skills both orally and in writing
  • Self-reliant and able to problem solve independently
  • Ability to prioritise workload
  • Strong understanding of confidentiality and data protection principles.
  • The ability to commit to, and work within, the aims, principles and policies of the Citizens Advice service

Desired

  • Recent and ongoing experience of providing a full financial management service in a charity or similar organisation, with experience of meeting deadlines and setting priorities

Volunteering Opportunities

If you’d be interested in volunteering for Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden, there is information available at: www.cac-e.org.uk/volunteering/