Finance Assistant - Humpty Dumpty Childcare

Finance Assistant

Company mission
   statement and values

Creating happy memories and curious minds

Finance Assistant
Job Description

Salary: £22,308 (Full time equivalent- based on 39hrs)
Hours: 20 hrs – Wednesday – Friday
Based: Office based role at our head office at Follaton House, Totnes
Reports to: Finance Manager

About hdc:

hdc (Humpty Dumpty Childcare Ltd) operates four children’s nurseries in Dartington, Dartmouth, Kingsteignton and
Newton Abbot. The first nursery opened in 1989 and we continue to be a founder-run business today. We are passionate
about providing quality learning experiences for the children in our care and peace of mind for our parents. Our mission is
to ‘Create Happy Memories and Curious Minds’.

We are seeking a well organised and enthusiastic Finance Assistant to join our busy central team, reporting to the Finance
Manager.

Purpose of Post:

     The main purpose of the role is to provide finance support to the Finance Department and the Nurseries, assisting
     with a broad range of accounting tasks. You will play a vital role in ensuring the provision of high standards of financial
     reporting within the organisation.

Main Duties:

    1.   Maintain accurate sales ledgers for all the nurseries
             a. Generation and processing of invoices
             b. Dealing with new starters and leavers
             c. Dealing with customer queries
             d. Recording and process payments received onto both Sage and Famly
             e. Sending customer reminders
    2. Assist with managing Local Authority Funding
             a. Checking that funding per child is correct and liaise with Nursery Manager and parent
             b. Assist with the submission of headcount data for all nurseries on a termly basis
             c. Assist with checking the final amendment for all nurseries at the end of each term
    3. Managing credit control to ensure the efficient collection of debt, chasing by email, telephone and letter and
         referring to a debt collection agency if necessary
    4. Reconciliation of debtors on both Sage and Famly
    5. Processing and reconciling direct debit collections
    6. Processing CCG funding claims
    7. Process bank transactions and completion of daily bank reconciliations, investigating and resolving any differences
         in a timely manner.
    8. Banking

9. Assist with collating payroll data, such as starters, leavers, overtime and sickness for submission to a payroll
    bureaux.
10. Maintain accurate purchase ledger for all nurseries
        a. Processing supplier invoices, once appropriate authorisation received
        b. Recording and processing supplier payments
        c. Reconciling purchase ledger accounts to supplier statements
11. Processing staff expense and mileage claims
12. Journal entries under the supervision of the Finance Manager
13. Ensure month end and year end processes and timetables are adhered to
14. Assisting with month end and year end duties and analysis
15. Performing key reconciliations, system housekeeping and internal controls under the supervision of the Finance
    Manager
16. Ad hoc duties and projects as required

Person Specification

 Essential                                                    Desirable

 Skills, aptitude, knowledge and experience

 •   Previous experience of working as a Finance Assistant    •   Previous experience of working in a nursery setting
 •   Extensive Sage accounting experience                     •   Previous experience and/or knowledge of multi-
 •   Knowledge and experience of using MS Excel                   agency working
 •   IT literate, must be fully conversant with MS Word &     •   Working knowledge and understanding of the
     Outlook                                                      Famly software system

 Personal qualities                                           •   Flexibility – occasionally working hours might be
 • Good organisational, record keeping and planning skills.       changed.
 • Work to a high standard
 • Accuracy, and proficient in all tasks demonstrating
    attention to detail
 • Ability to prioritise workload and capable of meeting
    deadlines
 • Ability to work independently using own initiative.
 • Flexible and adaptable
 • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with
    colleagues and parents
 • Reliability and trustworthiness
 • Proactive and positive team player, able to work
    constructively as part of a team.
 • A positive approach to learning and gaining new skills
    through teamwork and training opportunities.

 Qualifications
 • A positive approach to gaining further qualifications.     •   Working towards AAT level 2 or above
 • Some understanding of the importance of Health &
    Safety in the workplace