Finance Process Manager

Networking Women in the Fire Service; Rivenhall End; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Flexible hours

Job summary

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is seeking a Finance Process Manager to lead finance operations, including AP/AR and cash management, ensuring financial integrity for theService that protects lives and communities. The role offers a hybrid arrangement with attendance at Service premises for part of the week.

Key duties include month-end ownership, KPI improvements, and support for year-end financial statements and audits. Strong ERP experience and payroll reconciliation are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience of managing accounts payable and/or accounts receivable processes.
• Qualified or part qualified in one of the accountancy associations (experience may be considered).
• Experience with ERP financial systems, ideally Unit 4 ERP.

Responsibilities

• Lead accounts payable and accounts receivable workflows and teams.
• Manage monthly balance sheet reconciliations and payroll postings.
• Own month-end process including prepayments, accruals and deferred income.
• Oversee weekly supplier payment runs up to £1m; advise on VAT issues and monthly VAT returns.
• Assist year-end delivery and respond to audit queries.

Skills

Accounts payable

Accounts receivable

Cash flow forecasting

ERP adaption

Education

Qualified or part qualified in one of the accountancy associations

Tools

Unit 4 ERP

Job description

JobTitle:Finance Process Manager
Contract:Permanent
WorkingHours:37*
Salary:£51,928.00 to £57,333.00
Location:Kelvedon Park*
ClosingDate:12:00pm21stSeptember2026

*We are open to discuss working arrangements including flexibility over hours and location, however the expectation is that, as a hybrid role your work will be balanced between home and Services facilities, and you will be expected to attend the Service premises for at least 3 days of a 5-day working week.

The Role

Are you a Finance Process Manager who would like to work for one of the largest fire and rescue services in the country and be part of the wider team that has been shortlisted for Public Finance Awards 2026 Finance Team of the Year –

Frontline Services?

We’relooking for a detail-oriented and proactive Finance Process Manager to lead our finance operations, including accounts payable and receivable workflows.You’llplay a key role in improving processes and supporting the financial integrity of aService that protects lives and communitiesmaking Essex Safer Together.

What You Will Be Working On

Daily cash management including cashflow forecast, investment of surplus cash and transfers between operating bank accountsin accordance withbank facilities.
Manage the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable teams of ECFRS, supporting the team ofthreewith queries and actively improving KPI’s.
Maintaining all balance sheet reconciliationson a monthly basis, including the reconciliation of payroll journals to HR records.
Ownership of the month end process, including posting all prepayments, accruals, deferredincomeandaccruedincome entries.
Managing and processing the weekly payment runs of supplier invoices to the value of up to £1m and above. To advise on VAT issues, manage the production of monthly VAT returns and perform the annual partial exemption calculation.
Assistin the delivery of the year-end financial statements, including preparation of audit deliverables and responding to audit queries.

Eligibility

Experience ofmanagingaccounts payable and/oraccounts receivable processesteam
Qualified or part qualified in one of the accountancy associations (qualified by experiencemaybe considered)
Experience withERPfinancial system, ideally withUnit 4 ERP

If you are an internal candidate, youmusthave discussed your application with your line manager and confirmed with them there are no outstanding issues of conduct or performance. This will be verified prior to shortlisting.

Our Culture and Benefits

Here at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service we are committed to prioritising and promoting the wellbeing of our employees.

You can find out more about our benefits at https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/recruitment/benefits

Important Information for Firefighter Pension Scheme Pensioners

If you are currently in receipt of a pension from the Firefighter Pension Scheme, please note that taking up this role may affect your pension. Under pension abatement rules, if your earnings in this role, when combined with your pension, exceed your pre-retirement salary (adjusted for inflation), your pension may be reduced.

For further guidance, please contact our Pensions team on 01376 576799 or email [e-mail]

Safeguarding

Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

It is our policy to require all applicants for employment todiscloseif you are currently being investigated by any regulatory body or have any decisions or sanctions pending or in progress in respect of your suitability to work for the Service.

You agree to inform the Service within 24 hours if you aresubsequentlyinvestigated by any agency or organisation in relation to concerns about your behaviour towards children, youngpeopleor vulnerable adults.

The information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and will be considered only in relation to the appointment for which you are applying.

This role will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Disability Confident

We are an equal opportunity, Disability Confident, employer who welcomes applications from all backgrounds. We value diversity and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Applications are considered solely on merit.

Should you wish to discuss support, or access further information, from one of these groups, please contact [e-mail]

You are also able to raise any queries or requests for support, including any adjustments you mayrequire, at any stage of the process by email to [e-mail]

You can find out more about Essex County Fire & Rescue Service via www.essex-fire.gov.uk and about our vacancies and application processes via www.essex-fire.gov.uk/join-essex-fire