Finance Officer

Education Workforce Council; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Education Workforce Council in Cardiff is seeking a Finance Officer to join the Finance and Corporate Services team. The role provides executive and administrative support to ensure accurate financial management, budget monitoring, and policy compliance within a small team.

You will process payments, maintain ledgers, reconcile income, prepare monthly reports, and assist with year-end procedures. The post is permanent, full-time (37 hours per week) with a salary scale of £30,755 to £34,997.

Job description

Job reference: EWC 20
Job title: Finance Officer
Grade: Executive Officer (EO)
Reporting to: Finance Manager
Directorate: Finance and Corporate Services
Location: Cardiff
Contract: Permanent, full time (37 hours per week)
Salary scale: £30,755 - £34,997

Purpose of post

The Finance Officer will provide executive and administrative support within a small finance team. Working closely with the finance manager, budget holders and colleagues across the organisation, you will play a key role in ensuring accurate financial management, effective budget monitoring, and compliance with financial policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• process payments to Welsh Government for all grant-funded activities by verifying payment requests, ensuring supporting documentation is complete, and raising transactions within the finance system. This ensures grant funding obligations are met accurately and within required timescales.
• process the registration fee income by recording daily fee receipts, maintaining accurate financial records, and completing weekly and monthly reconciliations between income records and the finance system. This ensures all income is accounted for correctly and reported accurately.
• reconcile all Online and Virtual Terminal registration fee income to banking receipts by reviewing transaction records, investigating discrepancies, processing refunds where required, and undertaking weekly and monthly database reconciliations. This ensures income records remain accurate and complete.
• Process supplier invoices for payment by reviewing invoices for accuracy, obtaining appropriate authorisation, and entering transactions into the finance system in accordance with supplier payment policies. This ensures suppliers are paid correctly and within agreed payment terms.
• process employee and panel members expense payments including travel and subsistence costs, by validating claims against organisational policies, ensuring appropriate approvals are obtained, and preparing payments for processing. This ensures expenses are reimbursed accurately and promptly.
• raise and manage purchase orders by creating and maintaining purchase order records within the finance system, updating the purchase order tracker, and liaising with budget holders regarding outstanding commitments. This supports effective budget monitoring and financial control.
• undertake monthly charge card reconciliations by reviewing transactions, obtaining supporting documentation, investigating discrepancies, and ensuring all expenditure is correctly recorded within the finance system. This ensures compliance with financial procedures and accurate financial reporting.
• upload budgets and forecasts to finance system by validating data, updating financial records, and ensuring information is recorded accurately and within agreed deadlines. This supports effective financial planning and monitoring.
• Assist with the preparation of financial information for management, Council and committee reports by compiling month-end reconciliations and other financial data, ensuring information is accurate, relevant, and produced within required timescales. This supports informed decision-making and effective financial governance.
• Support month-end procedures by completing reconciliations, reviewing financial transactions, and resolving discrepancies within agreed deadlines. This ensures the accuracy and integrity of financial records.
• Assist with year-end procedures by preparing reconciliations, supporting audit requirements, and ensuring financial records are complete and accurate. This contributes to the successful completion of statutory financial reporting requirements.
• Support the monthly payroll process for employees and panel members by preparing payroll information, validating data, and liaising with relevant colleagues to ensure accurate and timely payments. This ensures payroll is processed correctly and in accordance with organisational requirements.

Other duties

• Ensure personal compliance with relevant legislation including the Welsh language, equality and data protection legislation.
• Undertake any other duties as directed by the Finance Manager, Director or Director of Finance and Corporate Services, commensurate with the post and grade.

Welsh language skills

The Welsh language skills required for the post are:

Speaking - level 1:

• Can give a bilingual telephone greeting.
• Can use basic every day words, phrases and greetings such as thank you, please, good morning, etc.
• Can pronounce Welsh words, place names and personal names.

Understanding/listening - level 1:

• Can understand basic key words and phrases on familiar /predictable matters relating to own areas area of work, such as on signs and in letters.

Writing - level 1:

• Can write personal names, place names, job titles etc.
• Can fill in simple forms and note down simple information such as an address, the date, a telephone number, and an email address in Welsh.

The closing date for applications is 06 September 2026. Our recruitment processes are fair, transparent, and inclusive, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We are always looking for a wide range of skills and experiences and are proud to be a disability confident committed employer.