Finance Officer - UK Export Finance (EO)

Brook Street; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable organization is seeking a Finance Officer to join their Banking Operations team. The role involves ensuring accurate processing of cash transactions, bank reconciliations, and overseeing SME payments while facilitating cross-division financial cooperation. Ideal candidates will demonstrate substantial experience in cash management processes and possess strong analytical abilities, particularly in a highly dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Experience with cash management systems and banking processes.
• Strong numeracy and problem-solving skills under time constraints.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly.

Responsibilities

• Process SME payments within five days of receipt of invoices.
• Input receipts and upload bank statements for reconciliations.
• Maintain effective relationships with colleagues and financial institutions.

Skills

Cash Management

Bank Reconciliation

Problem Solving

Time Management

Interpersonal Skills

Organizational Skills

Education

5 GCSE passes (including Maths and English) at Grade 4 or above

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Financial Management Packages

Job description

Finance Officer - Banking Operations

Job Description

UKEF's Financial Control Division (FCD) sits within the Chief Financial & Operating Officer's (CFOO). FCD is a friendly, dynamic, and fast-paced team working at the heart of UK Export Finance. We are responsible for ensuring that effective financial control processes are in place. We coordinate the Department's estimates, budgets and forecasting processes. We produce accurate and reliable monthly management accounts, annual accounts, and other published financial information. We manage the UKEF bank accounts, purchase ledger, fixed asset registers and the general ledger (CODA). We advise on accounting treatments, own the UKEF accounting policies and are working with others across the organisation and beyond to implement large-scale changes in our accounting policy, systems, and processes in order to operationalise IFRS 9 and IFRS 17 for 2025-26 reporting.

It's an exciting time to join us as we are in a unique period of transition as we prepare to implement IFRS 9 and IFRS 17 accounting standards that will affect how we account for nearly all our front-line business. This will also involve implementing new systems, including a new general ledger and new processes. The successful applicant will be supporting the Financial Control Division during this busy period of change.

The role of the Finance Officer sits within the Banking Operations team within FCD.

The Finance Officer will assist the Banking Operations Assistant Manager and Finance Manager to ensure that all cash transactions are booked and processed accurately and completely in the cashbook/General Ledger in the most efficient manner; within agreed time frames and that queries are resolved in a timely manner.

The focus of this role will be to set up faster payments for prompt payment of Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) invoices. The Finance Officer is also responsible for raising all payments including those to suppliers for departmental expenses and payments for claims accurately, in a timely manner and in accordance with UKEF payment policy.

They will enable other divisions to match receipts to the debtor on the admin systems, by providing timely and detailed information to those divisions. They will also ensure that the cashbooks are reconciled to the bank statements and the timing differences, including unmatched receipts, are aged/analysed, kept to a minimum and reported to management.

They will also report daily bank balances to management, analysing cash positions by currency to ensure sufficient currency is held for day-to-day needs, or trade for currency as required.

Main Activities

Below are the main activities the post holder will be responsible for. This list is not exhaustive; you may be required to carry out additional duties according to business need.

• To process all payments accurately and in a timely manner, ensuring that SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) payments are completed within five days of receipt of invoice via Faster Payments, BACS, CHAPS or Automated Transfers, in accordance with the UKEF charter.
• Input all receipts into both Receipt Management Database (RMD) and CODA. Provide documents numbers (ACBSRECT) for all accepted receipts in a timely manner.

• Upload bank statements to CODA for bank reconciliations.

• Reconcile the bank accounts and control accounts, post any adjustment journals into CODA and other required month-end activities. Analyse the bank timing differences and unmatched receipts.

• Raise miscellaneous sales invoices and match off transactions on CODA when the invoices have been settled.

• To provide cover in the absence of fellow Finance Officer.

• Assist the Purchase Ledger team with invoice processing when required.
• Maintain effective working relationship with colleagues, other government departments and external financial institutions.

This list is not exhaustive; the job holder may be required to carry out additional duties according to business need.

Person Specification

Essential

• 5 GCSE passes (including Maths and English) at Grade 4 (C) or above; or equivalent or relevant demonstrable experience
• Understand the mechanics and principles of Cash Management

• Understand the Operational Processes and Systems relating to Cash Management
• Understanding of banking and receipt processing
• To interpret and understand Cash Operational controls
• Understand the mechanics and principles of Bank Reconciliation processes
• Practical skills in problem solving, time management to strict deadlines, strong numeracy and excellent interpersonal skills
• To be able to work under pressure to different time zone cut offs
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to express issues clearly in both oral and written communication
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to manage information and financial data accurately
• Ability to research, digest, analyse and present material clearly and accurately
• As the Banking Operations Team is a small team it is essential that candidates have a flexible approach and are team players
• Have experience of using large financial and cash management packages
• Be able to explain cash management treatment to non-financial colleagues
• Experience of using Microsoft products such as Word and Intermediate Excel in particular, Vlookups & Pivots

Brook Street is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, we guarantee to interview all candidates who are veterans or spouses/partners of military personnel, and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy.

As a Disability Confident Leader, and holder of the Gold Award status from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, Brook Street, as a supplier to the Public Sector Resourcing Framework (PSR), will offer you a guaranteed interview with a PSR Sourcer.

Should you identify as a candidate with a disability and/or as a veteran or spouse/partner of military personnel and meet all the essential criteria for the role, we encourage you to reach out to us via the Brook Street website. Here you will find a link to register your interest and state the role that you are interested in. We are committed to engaging with you.

In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates/military spouses/partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, Brook Street will interview the best candidates from within that group.