Finance Officers

Essex County Council; United States; Remote; USD 21,000 - 23,000; Part time

Job summary

Essex County Council's Suppliers team manages payee records for around 30,000 entries, ensuring accuracy, compliance and timely payments to suppliers, organisations and vulnerable residents. This role focuses on data verification, GDPR-compliant data management and robust fraud controls.

As a Part-time Finance Officer (22.2 hours), you will support accounts payable processes, maintain supplier data, and respond to complex queries while collaborating across P2P.

Qualifications

• Experience in accounts payable and P2P processes.
• Knowledge of e-invoicing and data entry controls.
• Familiarity with GDPR and supplier data management.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial support in relation to ECC's payments to internal and external customers.
• Contribute to data management of payee records, adding, amending, and archiving data in line with GDPR.
• Adhere to verification procedures and fraud prevention controls, ensuring bank details are validated.
• Answer more complex queries as SME for P2P processes.
• Support changes in technology to streamline customer experience.

Skills

Accounts payable

P2P systems

Data verification

Microsoft Office

Education

Level 3 qualification or A-levels (RQF 3)

English & Mathematics literacy

Tools

Oracle

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

Job description

The Suppliers team is responsible for setting up and maintaining all of ECC's payee records. This is data management of the highest quality, requiring excellent attention to detail and a strong understanding of different supplier and payee structures. Payee information must be gathered, verified, and recorded accurately to ensure ECC can make timely and secure payments to suppliers, organisations, and vulnerable residents. This involves identifying and validating information for a wide range of payees, including limited companies, sole traders, partnerships, charities, and individual recipients. Key information such as registered addresses, VAT details, company registration data, and bank account information must be sourced, verified, and maintained in line with Council procedures and financial controls. An understanding of how different business structures operate is desired to ensure the correct checks are completed, risks are identified and payments are made to the right recipient. We are a busy Accounts Payable team responsible for maintaining around 30,000 payee records, where accuracy, professionalism and attention to detail are critical to preventing duplicate records, fraud, and payment delays. The Opportunity Purchase to Pay (P2P) aims to provide a comprehensive financial transactional and support service, maximising new and innovative technology to provide excellent customer service using a multi skilled workforce. Finance Officers in Purchase to Pay (P2P) will contribute to the delivery of the business plan for financial transaction processing, by ensuring payment data is accurately maintained and managed within policy and legislation standards. Responding to more complex customer queries and supporting changes in technology to streamline the customer experience.,

• Provides financial support in relation to ECC's payments to both internal and external customers, contributing towards delivery of the business plan for financial transactions, in support of the wider organisational vision.
• Contribute to data management of payee records, adding, amending, and archiving data in line with GDPR.
• Responsible for adhering to robust verification procedures and fraud prevention controls, ensuring all bank account information is thoroughly validated and verified to protect Council funds and prevent fraudulent payments.
• Provides technical support to team members and customers answering more complex queries in a professional manner in accordance with financial procedures. Acts as the subject matter expert for P2P processes.
• Contribute to the identification and clarification of customer needs, to deliver process and technology changes, which drive efficiency and value for money.
• Contribute to improving financial awareness and capability across the organisation, to promote the culture of empowering budget holders in line with financial regulations.
• Contributes to service improvement projects/programmes to achieve best practice and organisational efficiency by recommending process improvements and redesign.
• Contributes to maintaining currency on legislation changes and translating these into local policy and procedure, to identify and review potential changes in technology.
• Working collaboratively and flexibly across teams within P2P to deliver a high level of service to all functions.
• Contribute to identifying risks and supporting the resolution, to minimise financial impact and loss to the organisation.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
  Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK., Educated to Level 3, with knowledge of P2P systems and demonstrable accounts payable, purchase to pay and e-invoicing experience. The role requires good interpersonal and communication skills to deliver excellent customer service., Educated to RQF level 3 (A level) including English and Mathematics, or equivalent by experience.
• Commitment to continued personal development within a working environment.
• Knowledge of P2P systems and demonstrable accounts payable, purchase to pay and e-invoicing experience.
• Strong knowledge of accounts payable/P2P 3-way match process and regulations
• CIS (Construction Industry Scheme), Data Transparency and Oracle experience is preferred.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy in data entry and organisational skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written
• Aptitude and willingness to work flexibly in multi skilled Operational Teams.
• Level of good competency using Microsoft office packages including, Outlook, Word, and Excel
• Ability to interpret varied information for supporting continuous improvements in service delivery.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external customers, suppliers, and partners.
  This role is offered on a part-time basis, with 22.2 hours worked over 3 full days per week. There is flexibility regarding which days are worked (Monday to Friday), but once selected, the working days must be maintained as a regular weekly pattern.

Please note that this is a Fixed Term Contract / Secondment opportunity for a period of 12 months. The actual salary, for the 22.2 hours per week will be £15,575.40 to £17,172.60 Per Annum. This position has the expectation that the successful worker will attend County Hall, Chelmsford one day per week.