Finance Officer | Havens Hospices

Havens Hospices; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A local charity organization in Southend-on-Sea is looking for a Finance Officer to manage day-to-day finance tasks. You will ensure the accuracy of financial information, process invoices, and collaborate with various teams. Ideal candidates will have a strong academic background or previous finance experience, with a proactive attitude towards learning. This role offers a supportive environment with opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Supportive team environment

Professional development opportunities

Role with real purpose

Qualifications

• Experience in a finance environment or strong academic potential.
• Confidentiality and professionalism are essential.
• Ability to manage a varied workload and build relationships.

Responsibilities

• Process invoices for payment and reconcile statements.
• Manage accounts payable and receivable queries.
• Ensure incoming monies are securely banked.

Skills

Attention to detail

Proactive mindset

Strong communication skills

Ability to learn quickly

Experience with Microsoft Office

Education

Strong academic foundation in finance

Previous finance experience

Tools

SAGE or similar accounting software

Job description

Job Overview

Are you looking to take the next step in your finance career, or begin one with real purpose? At Havens Hospices, every member of our team plays a vital role in making every day count for the people we support. As part of our small, friendly, and collaborative Finance Team, you’ll be joining an organisation where your work genuinely matters and where you’ll feel the impact of what you do every day.

Whether you already have experience in a finance environment and want to progress, or you’re at the beginning of your career with strong academic potential, we would love to hear from you. We’re committed to developing our people and will fully support the right candidate to work towards AAT qualifications.

As our Finance Officer, you’ll be responsible for the smooth running of our day‑to‑day Sales and Purchase Ledger activities, helping ensure our financial information is accurate, timely, and aligned to policy.

You’ll work closely with colleagues across the charity, handling queries, processing invoices and expenses, reconciling statements, preparing sales invoices, supporting the management accounts process, and contributing continuous improvements in our financial systems.

This role is ideal for someone who is organised, proactive, detail-driven, and keen to keep learning.

Qualifications

• Has either previous finance experience or a strong academic foundation with the ambition to learn.
• Understands the importance of accuracy, confidentiality, and professionalism in a finance environment.
• Is confident using Microsoft Office and able to learn new systems quickly.
• Can manage a varied workload, communicate clearly, and build effective working relationships across teams.
<>Shares our values of Care and Compassion, Commitment, Community, Courage and Integrity.
• Experience with SAGE or similar accounting software is desirable but not essential.

Benefits

• A genuinely supportive team environment where collaboration is key.
• A role with real purpose; your work supports vital services for patients and families.
• Opportunities for professional development, including AAT study support.
• The chance to grow your skills as part of a respected local charity with strong values.

Responsibilities

• Receiving, matching, and processing invoices for payment in line with company procedure.
• Select due invoices for payment and import to the bank for approval and payment.
• Reconciling Supplier Statements prior to payment.
• Dealing with supplier and internal queries relating to invoices and payments.
• Receiving, processing, and paying staff expenses.
• Ensure all incoming monies are kept secure and banked in line with hospice policy.
• Liaising with the Security Company collecting cash and cheques and are recorded and handed over in line with hospice policy.
• Management of Accounts Payable & Receivable email.
• Point of contact for charity departments raising Purchase Orders for advice and assistance.
• Preparing Sales Ledger invoices when required for Fundraising events and Grants.
• Posting Sales Ledger receipts and monitor overdue sales ledger invoices and follow up payments as required.
• Input expenditure relating to our contracted services into the relevant tracker, monitoring variances and raising any queries to the contract coordinators as they arise.
• Use the contracted services trackers to calculate monthly accruals and monitor outstanding and overdue expenditure.
• Regularly liaise with 3rd party providers and care coordinators to ensure the Charity is invoiced in a timely manner for services provided in connection to contracted services.
• Provide accountants and Finance Officers monthly accruals for Management Accounts.
• Provide copy documentation and other information as required for Annual Audit.
• Assume responsibility for the Purchase Order, Purchase and Sales Ledger in the accounting software, including monthly reconciliations and investigating and resolving any queries.
• Contribute to the continuous process of reviewing and updating our financial systems and procedures.

At Havens Hospices, we care for children, young people and adults with complex or incurable conditions. Our specialist Care Teams can support them and their family living throughout illness, death and bereavement in the comfort of their own home and through our hospice services, Fair Havens and Little Havens. Working at Havens Hospices allows you to give the gift of time to patients and families, creating memories. Although you may not be giving direct care to our patients, your contribution will have an immediate effect on our care services.

In return for your expertise and passion, you will receive a competitive salary package, and most of all, by making the most of every day you work at Havens Hospices you’ll be helping us continue ‘Making every day count’ for those who need us most.

At Havens Hospices we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our employees and patients and expect all colleagues to share this commitment. We value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

This advert closes on Tuesday 9 Dec 2025.