Finance Assistant

Wellspring Settlement; West of England; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Workplace pension

Job summary

Wellspring Settlement is seeking a Finance Assistant (Purchase Ledger) to support the Finance Manager in maintaining accurate supplier ledgers, processing invoices and assisting with payroll in Xero. The role is 20 hours per week, with a pro rata salary on Scale E (£24,189–£26,527 per annum for full-time).

You will handle invoicing, payments, reconciliations, supplier liaison, and basic reporting while upholding data protection and confidentiality policies.

Qualifications

• Maths to GCSE A-C or equivalent.
• Computerised Accounts qualification.
• At least 1 year bookkeeping experience in a busy finance office.
• Experience with Xero Accounting or similar.
• Experience with Office 365, SharePoint and Word.
• Experience SAGE payroll application.

Responsibilities

• Process invoices with PO numbers and project codes.
• Record readings for electricity, gas and water; ensure billing accuracy.
• Allocate payments and post credit card expenditures.
• Reconcile supplier accounts and follow up on missing payments.
• Prepare supplier payments respecting terms and cash flow.
• Liaise with suppliers to resolve queries and maintain relationships.
• Maintain up-to-date transaction records and filing.
• Record information for quarterly/annual finance reporting.
• Assist with monthly payroll postings in Xero.
• Order goods and services within budget, seeking best value.

Skills

Good communication

Teamwork

Initiative

Willingness to undertake training

IT proficiency (Excel)

Education

Maths to GCSE A-C or equivalent

Computerised Accounts qualification

Tools

Xero

Sage Payroll

Office 365

SharePoint

Word

Excel

Job description

Wellspring Settlement

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Finance Assistant (Purchase Ledger)

Salary: Scale E pts 22 – 25 £24,189 – £26,527 per annum pro rata (successful applicants start at the bottom of the scale)

Contract Term: 20 hours per week.

Responsible to: Finance Manager

Management responsibility: none

Holiday: 5 weeks (pro rata) per year plus all bank holidays

Pension: Employees will be enrolled into the workplace pension if eligible.

Purpose of the job:

To contribute to the smooth running of the Finance Department, to maintain the organisations Purchase Ledger ensuring accuracy, good customer relations and overseeing the ordering of goods and services on behalf of Wellspring Settlement (WS) and to ensure that people are dealt with in a timely, polite and efficient manner.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Invoice processing – Accurately receive, verify and process incoming invoices, ensuring that they have a Purchase Order Number that has been approved and coded in accordance with our financial procedures. To liaise with project managers to ensure that the nominal codes accurately reflect the projects budget

To liaise with the maintenance team to ensure monthly readings of Electricity Gas and Water meters, upload relevant information to all online accounts to ensure accurate billing.

Banking – Allocate payments made to the purchase ledger, post transactions for credit card expenditure and all other miscellaneous payments made from our bank account.

Account Reconciliation – Regularly reconcile supplier accounts to ensure balances match, to liaise directly with suppliers to follow up on missing or misallocated payments.

Payment Management – Prepare payment runs in line with supplier terms and the organisations cash flow, ensuring all authorisation protocols are followed.

Supplier Liaison – Act as a point of contact for suppliers handling queries and resolving disputes to maintain positive relationships.

Record Maintenance – Maintain accurate up to date records of all transactions and ensure documents are filed accordingly.

Reporting – To record all information in a timely manner in order that the information can inform quarterly and annual finance information for project managers and the Board of Trustees.This includes prepayments and other control accounts.

Payroll Duties – To assist with processing the organisation payroll on a monthly basis, accurately posting payroll journals into Xero and to pay Attachments of Earnings orders as directed by external Govt agencies.

Organisational Ordering – To order goods and services online or by telephone in accordance with the financial procedures, taking into account budgetary limits for staff and ensuring all orders are purchased with ‘Best Value’, in mind. Price checks should be carried out on a regular basis.

Co-ordinate the provision of refuse collection and sanitary bins, arrange bi-annual contract price comparisons.

To open organisational post in accordance with the financial procedures in the absence of the Finance Assistant (S)

To make Petty cash payments to staff and volunteers in the absence of the Finance Assistant (S)

To ensure that the Data Protection Act and the Settlements Confidentiality Policy is adhered to at all times.

The following are things we expect to be part of everyone’s specific duties:

Work with a cross-organisation team to: deliver a community event (contributing to annual calendar of community activities); gather community intelligence; look after buildings; share knowledge and skills to promote staff development.

Take an active role in internal communication – sharing appropriate information about what you are doing and community intelligence and engaging with information shared with you. Positive external communication appropriate to role – including advertising services and celebrating achievements.

Team working, peer support, contribute to a culture of learning and curiosity: attend and contribute to team meetings, support each other’s personal growth; supporting and attending training and staff development opportunities.

Be aware of organisational priorities and appropriately promote them / embody them through your work.

To be aware of other Wellspring Settlement and local services, to refer people to the appropriate groups, services and opportunities.

Work in a trauma informed, asset based, person centred way.

Use autonomy and creativity to make and implement decisions commensurate with role and seniority.

General Duties

To prepare, attend and actively participate in monthly supervision sessions including engaging in the monitoring and review of performance targets.

To work within the policies and procedures of Wellspring Settlement and attend appropriate team meetings, training events and staff development days.

To communicate with staff, volunteers, service users and partners in a positive and effective manner.

At all times to work within and actively promote the equal opportunities policy of the Settlement.

At all times to be aware of the health and safety of colleagues, users, local people and self and to work within the health and safety policies of the Settlement.

Work flexibly in terms of responsibilities and working hours as required or directed, including occasional evening and weekend work, carrying out any duties as they arise which are consistent with the general character of the post

POST

Person Specification

Applicants must demonstrate that they have the essential criteria in order to be shortlisted for interview. Your application must show, in detail, how you meet the following essential criteria.

It would also be useful to add, in addition, details of how you meet any desirable criteria that may be listed.

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Qualifications

Maths to GCSE A-
C grade or equivalent

Computerised Accounts qualification

Experience

At least 1 years continuous and recent experience of bookkeeping in a busy finance office environment.

Experience in Xero Accounting or similar in a working environment

Experience Office 365, SharePoint, Word.

Experience SAGE payroll application

Specific Skills/ Knowledge

IT Iterate (including Excel)

Good organisation, record keeping and administration skills

Attitudes/Personal

Characteristics

A proven commitment to Equal Opportunities

Good communications skills

Demonstrate an ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team

A willingness to undertake training as required

JRG date: 06/11/26