Closing date: 9am, Monday 26 January.
We will be assessing applications and interviewing suitable candidates as they arrive and reserve the right to close the recruitment before this deadline. We encourage you to apply early.
The role
Effective financial control is central to our strategy and operating model. The finance assistant plays an essential role in maintaining control over our finances and operations. This role will process and monitor financial transactions, liaise with our payroll bureau regarding staff payroll and pensions and support the head of finance.
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who has a strong financial background with excellent attention to detail, a flexible attitude, an ability to work effectively under their own initiative and as part of a small team, together with excellent organisation and administrative skills.
This is a temporary part-time role for two days a week until the end of March 2026, to start as soon as possible.
Position in the Organisation
The finance assistant will report to the head of finance. The post holder will also work with all staff on financial matters including personal and credit card expenses, central and project income and expenditure, and processing of payroll by liaising with our external bureau.
Key Tasks And Responsibilities
To process and monitor financial transactions, perform accounting reconciliations and help ensure that Green Alliance’s finances are accurate and up to date.
Prepare sales invoices and credit notes on our accounting system and email to customer.
Record purchase invoices and credit notes on accounting /system and allocate to correct expenditure and project codes. Obtain approval of invoices in line with our finance handbook. Prepare fortnightly invoice payment run and enter to banking system for authorisation.
Set up new suppliers on accounting system, completing Supplier Information Request forms and undertaking credit checks, where applicable.
Processing of staff expenses, ensuring compliance with finance handbook, through to payment on banking system.
Create new customers on accounting system and complete Information Request forms, where applicable.
Be responsible for collecting funds from members using GoCardless and Stripe where applicable.
Import credit card transactions to accounting system and prepare expense sheets for cardholders. Once credit card expense sheet completed by credit card holder, agree to receipts and process for payment.
Process, reconcile and pay monthly payroll run through a bureau.
Help to prepare quarterly VAT returns, ensuring compliance with HMRC regulations and the agreed formula for recovery.
Prepare monthly bank reconciliations from bank import including allocation of all income and expenses to account codes.
Reconcile the petty cash balance quarterly to accounting system.
Maintain fixed asset register, adding new assets monthly, calculating monthly depreciation and entering relevant journals to accounting system.
Assist with providing end of year schedules and reconciliations for the annual audit and answering audit queries.
Be responsible for the individual membership scheme. This involves maintaining a record of monthly membership income by member, whether the member is a UK taxpayer and preparing the annual Gift Aid claim.
Assist the Senior partnerships officer in raising invoices for the business circle membership.
Prepare sales invoices and credit notes on our accounting system for the All Party Parliamentary Party for the environment (APPG) and email to customer. Monitor cash receipts for these invoices and prepare management accounts for the APPG.
Other responsibilities:
Provide any other support, which may reasonably be requested to be undertaken within the scope of this post.
Key relationships
Internal
Head of finance and operations director
Office manager and Senior Partnerships officer
All staff on financial matters
External
Bank and other financial providers
Auditors
Person specification
Knowledge And Experience
Essential:
At least three years’ relevant bookkeeping experience.
Knowledge of charity finance/accounting and the relevant issues impacting the sector.
Experience of processing all financial transactions to the books of prime entry.
Understanding the nature of income streams within a charity, particularly grant and contract income and knowledge of accounting for restricted and unrestricted funds.
Understanding the principles of VAT and how to account for VAT.
Experience of implementing financial processes to achieve efficiencies.
Confident in using excel and preparing financial reconciliations.
Excellent attention to detail.
Ability to act on your own initiative and exercise sound judgment.
Good organisational skills and time management, and excellent communication skills.
Flexible team worker, able to contribute to an inclusive work culture.
Desirable:
Understanding of project costing.
Knowledge of payroll and pensions.
In your application we’ll ask you to provide evidence for how you meet these criteria. If you feel you meet the essential criteria, but not any or all of the desirable criteria, then please still consider applying.
How To Apply
For your application, we would like you to prepare a supporting statement that explains why you are interested in the role, and how you meet the criteria in the person specification above. We will also ask you to upload a CV with details of your education and work experience. We recommend that you prepare your responses before starting the application process as you will be unable to save your application and return to it later.
To apply:
Prepare your CV and supporting statement.
Click on "Apply for this job" below. You will be asked to confirm that you are legally authorised to work in the UK.
Cut and paste your supporting statement and upload your CV.
Review and submit your application. You will receive a confirmation email to acknowledge your application.
Right to work
All applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer visa sponsorship, so you will be required to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK during the recruitment process. We are unable to sponsor the renewal of work visas for people who have short-term permission to work in the UK.
Terms and conditions
Terms: This post is advertised as a temporary part-time contract which will start as soon as possible and will end on 31 March 2026.
Salary: £35,002 (pro rata for two days a week). (Or equivalent daily rate for someone who is self-employed.)
Location: Green Alliance’s office is in Westminster and is fully accessible. We support hybrid working. Ideally we would like the finance assistant to come into the office one day a week. We will provide IT hardware and other equipment needed for working from home; you will need to provide good internet access.
Hours: 14 hours per week (2 days) with flexibility about when these are worked.
Holiday: 25 days per year (pro rata) in addition to statutory holidays.
Pension: Green Alliance provides an auto-enrolment pension with Aviva. All employees receive a pension contribution up to 7.5 per cent of gross salary which may be paid into this scheme or another of their choice.
Next steps
Here is what you can expect after the closing date for applications:
Application review
All applications will be anonymised and assessed by our team against the key selection criteria. This ensures we review candidates based solely on relevant skills, knowledge, and experience. We will review applications as they arrive and will invite suitable candidates to an online interview on a rolling basis. You are therefore encouraged to apply early.
We aim to keep candidates informed and you will hear from us after the closing date if your application has been unsuccessful.
Reasonable adjustments
We are committed to making this process inclusive and accessible. Please let us know if you require any adjustments or support to participate fully by emailing Jenny Baker, our ops director on jbaker@green-alliance.org.uk.
