Job Description
Responsible to: Deputy Accounts Payable Officer
Job Purpose:
The Accounts Payable Team Leader Officer will be responsible for managing Supplier/Customer accounts, ensuring the accurate and timely payment of non-payroll payments (mileage, subsistence and expenses), whilst ensuring all issues/queries have been investigated and resolved.
The role will involve assisting with the development and implementation of any new systems for payments including ensuring all staff have been trained.
Provide specialist advice, information and support to all internal/external stakeholders such as officers within Directorates, Schools, Suppliers and other organizations on a wide and diverse range of matters relating to the Accounts Payable function.
Personal Specification
As the responsibilities of the post are varied and demanding the post holder should have good organisational skills and display commitment, enthusiasm, initiative and an ability to handle confidential material.
The post holder should be capable of working with the minimum of supervision and also be flexible in approach to these educational and administrative changes which may occur from time-to-time.
Functional Links
The Accounts Payable Team Leader will collaborate and engage with a wide range of internal/external stakeholders such as staff across all EA Directorates, Suppliers, Contractors, Department of Education, Department of Finance, HMRC and other organisations ensuring an efficient and confidential function delivery. The post holder will have to maintain a range of contacts within well-defined terms of reference relating to the provision of information and the delivery of service. The post holder may be required to interpret and explain roles and procedures, to give straightforward advice and assistance and to make routine decisions.
Main duties and Responsibilities:
Management and Supervision of Staff
1. The Accounts Payable Team Leader will plan, manage and delegate work within the section, ensuring compliance with financial procedures/controls and adherence to all deadlines.
2. In collaboration with the Deputy Accounts Officers, train new staff and monitoring their progress.
3. Carry out Performance and Achievement Conversations with the team.
4. Supervision of the team including discipline and ensuring staff welfare.
5. Maintaining a working knowledge of all procedures and processes relating to the Accounts Payable function.
6. Maintaining a working knowledge of Oracle Payables, I-Procurement and other financial systems used by the Authority, including the Travel System.
7. Maintaining a working knowledge of the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST), HMRC regulations or other similar schemes that occur.
Invoice Processing
1. Ensuring that all invoices/orders are authorised correctly in line with EA’s Authorisation Framework.
2. Ensuring that all goods/services ordered and invoiced for, are in accordance with the EA’s Financial Procedures.
3. Ensuring that the payment of claims/monies to individuals meets HMRC requirements.
4. Coding, checking and batching of all invoices.
5. Input of batches to the Financial system and approval of same.
6. Identification and amendment of any imbalanced batches on the system.
7. Checking reports to identify errors/incorrect payments and making the correcting adjustments.
8. Correction of errors identified by reports, suppliers or by other organisations.
9. Matching and approving all I-procurement invoices for all Directorates and schools.
10. Processing the accurate and prompt payment of all UNITAS computer generated invoices.
File Maintenance
1. Ensure staff complete the forms for new/amended suppliers and supplier sites so that the Supplier Master File data is kept up to date.
2. Forward details of suppliers appropriate for supplier merge and/or deletion to the Supplier Maintenance Team.
Administration
1. Dealing with all Accounts Payable function enquiries from schools, suppliers, Directorates, and other organisations.
2. Dealing with queries regarding orders, incorrect invoices, credit notes, debit notes and liaising with staff within Schools/Directorates regarding same.
3. Dealing with queries regarding the employment of individuals and associated tax implications.
4. Dealing with problems relating to the receipting of I-procurement invoices.
5. Dealing with the recoupment of erroneous payments.
6. Dealing with queries and extracting information required by internal/external stakeholders such as Audit, Schools, Directorates, Suppliers and Department of Education.
7. Assisting and supporting the Accounts Officers and Deputy Accounts Officers as required.
8. Filing of all paid invoices and reports.
9. Reviewing Suppliers Statements and ensuring that all outstanding invoices are identified and processed accurately and promptly.
Other Duties
1. Comply with Education Authority policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post.
2. Any such other duties that the Authority may from time to time require.
This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.
In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.
JE Ref No: 159/22 (date eval’d 29.11.22)
PERSON SPECIFICATION
NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS
1. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.
2. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
3. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
4. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
5. Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
6. In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form on how you meet any desirable criteria.
Section 1 - Essential Criteria
The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.
Factor Essential Criteria Method of Assessment Qualifications/
Experience
Hold an NVQ Level 3, BTEC National, two A Levels or equivalent or higher and have one years’ demonstrable experience in an administrative role in a financial environment to include experience of Oracle payables and procedures or similar;
OR
Have three years’ demonstrable experience in an administrative role in a financial environment to include experience of Oracle payables and procedures or similar.
Demonstrable experience in the use of Microsoft Office packages, or equivalents, particularly use of email, Word and Excel.
Demonstrable experience of achieving targets and objectives within a demanding and pressurised environment against challenging deadlines.
Demonstrable experience of providing excellent service to a customer.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Section 2 - Essential Criteria
The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage in line with EA’s Game Changing People Model.
Factor Essential Criteria Method of Assessment Knowledge
The job requirements of the Accounts Executive Officer.
The functions of the Education Authority, EA policies and procedures.
Accounts Payable Systems and control regulations.
Interview
Skills/
Abilities
In line with EA’s Game Changing People Model we will look for evidence of:
Ability to lead, direct, motivate a team and effectively build working relationships through effective communication.
Good organisational skills and ability to organise a busy workload to deliver effective results on time.
Flexibility to meet changing demands and to prioritise and delegate as required.
Ability to take a responsive and customer focused approach to work.
Interview
Values Orientation
Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values. You will find information about our Values here.
Interview
Section 3 - Desirable Criteria
Some or all of the desirable criteria may be applied by the Selection Panel in order to determine a manageable pool of candidates. Desirable criteria will be applied in the order listed. You should make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet the desirable criteria, as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.
Factor Desirable Criteria Method of Assessment Qualifications
Working towards an Accountancy qualification e.g. Accounting Technician.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Our Values
Through the selection process we will also seek evidence that the personal values of candidates align with those of the EA. This will include evidence of commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery. These reflect our aim which is to meet the needs of all our children and young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.
DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.
In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background.Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.
Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.
APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES
To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.
To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here.
The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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