Job Description & Person Specification Finance Assistant Operational Finance Join us – make a difference in our communities Here at West Sussex County Council (WSCC) we have an opportunity for a Finance Assistant to join our Operational Finance Team. This is an excellent role to provide you with an exciting opportunity to develop your skills in the finance world. About the job Operational Finance provides key assurance for the Council and stewardship of public monies helping to ensure proper financial administration. This role is to provide responsive, accurate financial administration within the Operational Finance Team, ensuring that the data held on core accounting systems is correct and maintained in a timely manner. The postholder will be based in one of the Operational Finance teams and key duties include financial processing, reconciliations and the maintenance of core financial systems. What you’ll need to succeed You will provide specialist financial administrative support to the team. You will work independently to manage small scale specialist administration functions, for example, processing budget transfers or preparing data for statistical returns. You will be responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payments, and carrying out any other accounting procedures as required. You will make every effort to prioritise business and departmental objectives, thereby protecting the Company’s financial interests and maximising profitability. You will have experience working in a customer focussed role, with relevant financial management experience and the ability to explain basic financial or performance management information. You’ll be comfortable working on routine financial / performance management processing and related administrative tasks for periods at a time. The job could also involve occasional exposure to disagreeable or unpleasant people-related behaviour when answering telephone queries. Job details Grade: Grade 4 Directorate Group: Corporate Finance, Resource Services Location: County Hall, Chichester Required experience and skills (These will be used as the shortlisting criteria) Key Skills: 1. Good numeracy skills in order to make sound and accurate calculations, monitor records and do other similar tasks working with an understanding of finance. 2. Accurate and efficient typing and written communication skills for data inputting, processing standard letters, and responding to emails appropriately. 3. Good IT skills including Word and Excel in order to create and maintain spreadsheets, word process and work within specialist computer systems without supervision to perform daily tasks, including the ability to pick up new systems well. 4. Good verbal communication skills for answering telephone queries effectively and communicating with clients, managers and team members. Including the ability to provide clear and concise advice, guidance and information related to the service appropriately and accurately. Additionally, the ability to give advice/information in ways which promote understanding and move forward or persuade people of objectives. 5. Ability to embrace change and adapt to changing situations and new ways of working positively and effectively. Including the ability to learn new processes and ways of working. 6. The ability to prioritise daily workload to meet timescales and objectives. Including the ability to work independently to operate a specialist function or duty according to procedures and timescales e.g. administrating a scheme or process. Qualifications and/or experience: • 4 GCSEs with A-C passes including Maths and English or equivalent qualification or experience demonstrating that level of numeracy and literacy. • Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) part qualified at Foundation level NVQ 2 or equivalent experience working in a performance management environment or studying towards an equivalent qualification or an interest in progressing with a similar qualification - Desirable • Relevant technical knowledge of procedures and practices associated with operating an administrative service. • Some knowledge and awareness of payments, data analysis, organisational principles and/or the processes and systems associated with working with finance and performance - Desirable • Experience of working in a customer orientated environment. • An awareness of office systems and practices usually demonstrated by some experience of working in an office environment. • Experience of working within a relevant financial/performance management environment, including explaining basic financial or performance management information - Desirable • Some awareness and technical knowledge in the use of major computerised financial systems for invoicing or performance management (such as SAP Finance and other major computerised financial systems) - Desirable Key responsibilities Provides specialist administrative support to the team, with a good understanding and accurate knowledge of a specific area of service and relevant procedures and processes. Works independently to manage small scale specialist admin functions e.g. processing budget transfers or preparing data for statistical returns. Prioritises day to day work in the short term, working with colleagues to deliver objectives and a customer focussed service. Processes timely and accurate financial and performance management administration tasks relating to the team service (or service across teams) to deadlines. Uses SAP, SRM, and other large computerised financial systems to undertake these processes according to procedure. Performs basic related calculations and works with formulae where necessary. Updates, monitors and maintains relevant computerised and manual files and records relating to the service appropriately and accurately, including data inputting work. Sets up and maintains accurate computerised records for clients such as budget monitors. Checks records and contracts as necessary, solving varied short-term problems, for example resulting from inaccurate data in the system. Produces standard letters and correspondence where necessary, working independently to ensure timely, appropriate and accurate written communication. Raises and organises data and information to produce reports, drawing from manual and computerised records. Manipulates and analyses data to produce information and statistics presented in a reader friendly format. Follows procedures and processes in order to respond independently to day-to- day telephone, email and written queries relating to the team specialism including using initiative to resolve unexpected problems where necessary such as a budget manager calling to query a transaction recorded against their cost centre. Refers complex or technical queries, and those unrelated to the service appropriately. Works under guidance on unusual or difficult problems. Communicates with and develops good working relationships with relevant managers, external agencies and colleagues in order to deliver an effective service. Direct responsibility for appropriate and careful daily handling of confidential and sometimes sensitive financial information relating to the service. Remains up to date and compliant with all relevant organisational procedures, policies and professional codes of conduct in order to uphold standards of best practice. Our Values You will promote and demonstrate the values of our organisation. • Trust and Support • Listen and Act Upon • Customer Centred • Honest and Realistic • Genuinely Valued You will promote and demonstrate the cultural ambition of our organisation: “We have an inclusive and supportive culture, work in partnership and reward individual and team contribution” JD Code: N385 Date: February 2023 Pay rate: £12.85/hr PAYE Working pattern: Full time Working arrangement: In office 5 days/week Location: Chichester – Northleigh Length of assignment: until 31/03/2025 About the job Operational Finance provides key assurance for the Council and stewardship of public monies helping to ensure proper financial administration. This role is to provide responsive, accurate financial administration within the Operational Finance Team, ensuring that the data held on core accounting systems is correct and maintained in a timely manner. The postholder will be based in one of the Operational Finance teams and key duties of the role primarily include opening and uploading post, printing, and sending reminder letters to customers and their representatives.