Finance Assistant: Income

The British Museum; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free exhibition entry

Civil Service Pension Scheme

25 days’ annual leave

Learning and development

Interest-free loans

Job summary

The British Museum is seeking a Finance Assistant within the Data and Income function, based in Bloomsbury, London. The role supports daily financial operations, cash handling, banking administration and reconciliation tasks, helping keep records accurate and up to date.

You will work on-site three days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) in a collaborative team, with opportunities to develop your finance experience and progress towards professional qualifications.

Qualifications

• Experience in finance or accounts, including cashiering or reconciliations.
• Ability to process a high volume of transactions accurately.
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles and procedures.
• Experience using Unit4 or a similar accounting system.
• Reliable, methodical, proactive with strong attention to detail.
• Good written and verbal communication across departments and with suppliers.
• Progress toward AAT, ACCA or equivalent qualification is desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Undertake cash-handling activities, including collecting donations, counting and reconciling retail takings, ordering change, and handling cash returns.
• Process financial data from banks, third parties, and other systems with complete supporting documentation.
• Carry out banking and payment administration, including cash advances and per diem returns.
• Maintain ledger accuracy by posting journals in Unit4 and completing month-end reconciliations.
• Liaise with departments to resolve queries and provide timely information on outstanding bank postings.
• Maintain finance records and contribute ideas for process improvements; provide cover for other Finance team members when required.

Skills

Cash handling

Banking

Reconciliations

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

AAT/ACCA toward qualification

Tools

Unit4

Job description

Hybrid (at least 3 days per week on-site in Bloomsbury, London)

Permanent

£31,675 per annum

About the role

This is a great opportunity to join the British Museum’s Finance team in a varied, hands‑on role that plan an important part in the Museum’s day‑to‑day financial operations.

Working within the Data and Income function, you’ll help ensure that income is accurately recorded and reconciled, taking responsibility for practical activities including cash collections, counting retail takings and banking administration. You’ll also work with colleagues across the Museum to resolve queries, investigate discrepancies and keep financial records accurate and up to date.

If you enjoy working with figures, take pride in accuracy and like being part of a busy, collaborative environment, this role offer the opportunity to develop your finance experience while supporting the work of the Museum.

Due to the operational nature of the role, you’ll need to be available to work on‑site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

About you

• Experience of working in a finance or accounts environment, ideally involving cashiering, banking, cash handling or financial reconciliations.
• Able to work confidently, swiftly and accurately with figures while processing a high volume of transactions.
• Knowledge of straightforward accounting principles and procedures, with the ability to identify, investigate and resolve discrepancies.
• Experience of using Unit4 or a comparable accounting system and working across multiple business systems.
• A reliable, methodical and proactive approach, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across departments and with external suppliers.
• Progress towards an AAT, ACCA or equivalent qualification is desirable but not essential.

Key areas of responsibility

• Undertake operational cash‑handling activities, including collecting cash donations, counting and reconciling retail takings, ordering change and handling cash returns and foreign currency.
• Process financial data from banks, third parties and other business systems accurately and completely, ensuring that appropriate supporting documentation is recorded.
• Carry out banking and payment administration, including the preparation and processing of cash advances, per diem orders and associated returns.
• Maintain ledger accuracy by identifying errors or inconsistencies, preparing and posting journals in Unit4, and completing month‑end account reconciliations.
• Liaise with departments to resolve queries, secure the correct coding of receipts and provide accurate, timely information on outstanding bank postings.
• Maintain finance records and files, contribute ideas for process improvements and provide cover for other members of the Finance team when required.

The Masterplan

The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane - who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.

At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found here, but we’ve outlined some highlights below:

• Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
• Civil Service Pension Scheme defined benefit with considerable employer contribution.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
• Social and wellbeing perks including Staff parties, social clubs, CSSC sports and leisure, and support from the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship.
• Learning and development through courses, mentoring and Athena as well as support for professional qualifications.
• Interest‑free loans including season ticket, rental deposit and bicycle loans.

Our Values

Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:

• Care Deeply
• Embrace the Unknown
• Value Many Voices

These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to [e-mail].

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.