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Post: Finance and Operations Officer Location: The position is remote but with options for regular co-working with colleagues and for in-person team gatherings roughly every 8 weeks. Salary: £36,486.30-£44,201.23 Contract: Full-time; 37.5-hours per week (opportunities for flexible working considered). About the role The European Leadership Network (ELN) is an independent, non-partisan organisation working to provide practical, real-world solutions to political and security challenges and build better security for wider Europe. Effective financial and operational management is central to ensuring that we can deliver this work sustainably and meet our responsibilities as a charity and grant-funded organisation. The Finance & Operations Officer plays a key role in supporting the effective day-to-day financial and operational management of the ELN. Working closely with the Head of HR & Operations, Senior Management Team and our external accountants, the post holder will help maintain an accurate and up-to-date picture of the organisation’s finances, including managing and monitoring organisational and project budgets, cashflow, expenditure, payments and financial information held within Xero. The role requires strong financial and organisational skills, with particular experience of working with budgets and grant-funded activity. The successful candidate will be confident working with financial information, able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines, and proactive in identifying discrepancies, emerging pressures or areas requiring attention. They will also provide support across the ELN’s wider operations and governance, helping to ensure that our systems and processes are efficient, accurate and appropriate for a small and internationally focused charity. Key Responsibilities: *Finance, Budgets & Grants* · Maintain accurate and up-to-date financial records in Xero, including processing and monitoring invoices, bills, payments and expenditure, and ensuring transactions are appropriately recorded and allocated. · Develop and maintain organisational, project and grant budgets, working with colleagues to build realistic budgets for funding applications and new projects. · Monitor actual expenditure against budgets throughout the year, identifying variances, potential overspends or underspends and emerging financial pressures, and raising these with the Head of HR & Operations and Senior Management Team as appropriate. · Maintain and regularly update the organisation’s cash flow forecast, incorporating anticipated grant income, expenditure, payroll, and other liabilities, and provide timely information on the ELN’s cash position. · Work closely with Programme Leads/Heads to help them understand and manage their project budgets and provide accurate financial information to support programme planning and delivery. · Support the financial management of ELN’s grants, including maintaining records of restricted and unrestricted funding, grant income, expenditure, payment schedules and financial reporting requirements. · Prepare financial information and reports for funders, including taking responsibility for financial reporting on grants where appropriate. · Work closely with the ELN’s external accountants, providing accurate and timely information for management accounts, year-end accounts, payroll and other financial requirements. · Coordinate monthly payroll information and staff expenses and ensure payments and associated records are processed accurately and on time. · Support the annual budgeting and forecasting process and preparation of financial information for SMT and the Board. Maintain appropriate financial records, documentation and audit trails and support the annual audit/accounts process. · Support the organisation in maintaining appropriate charity financial controls and good practice, including the appropriate management and recording of restricted funds. · Lead on the ELN’s annual charity audit, coordinating the process with our external auditors and accountants, preparing and providing required financial information and documentation, responding to queries, and ensuring the audit is completed accurately and within agreed timescales. *Operations, Governance & Administration* · Support the Head of HR & Operations with the effective day-to-day running of the organisation and the development and maintenance of appropriate operational systems and processes. · Coordinate relationships with relevant external suppliers and service providers, including accountants, insurers, office/co-working providers and other professional advisers. · Maintain accurate organisational records and support compliance with relevant charity, company and governance requirements. · Support the administration of organisational contracts, insurance policies, banking arrangements and other operational services. · Assist with information required for Companies House, the Charity Commission and other regulatory or governance processes. · Contribute to the continuous improvement of ELN’s financial and operational processes, identifying opportunities to make systems more efficient, accurate and robust. · Undertake other reasonable finance and operational responsibilities appropriate to the role. Applicant requirements: *Essential:* · Strong practical experience of financial administration, bookkeeping or finance coordination, with a good understanding of accounting and financial management principles. · Proficient user of Xero accounting software (or equivalent), with practical experience of maintaining financial records, processing bills and invoices, reconciling information and producing financial reports. · Experience creating, maintaining and monitoring budgets, including tracking actual expenditure against budget and identifying and explaining variances. · Experience managing or monitoring multiple projects or grant budgets simultaneously. · Experience preparing or contributing to budgets for funding applications and providing financial information for funder reporting. · Experience in monitoring organisational cashflow and producing or maintaining cashflow forecasts. · Confidence working with financial data and spreadsheets, particularly Excel, and the ability to present financial information clearly to colleagues who do not have a finance background. · Experience working effectively with external accountants or other finance professionals. · Excellent numerical accuracy and attention to detail, with the ability to identify discrepancies and investigate and resolve them. · Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines independently in a small and fast-moving organisation. · Ability to recognise emerging financial or operational risks and proactively bring them to the attention of senior colleagues. · Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the confidence to work with colleagues at all levels of an organisation. *Desirable:* · Previous experience working in a charity, NGO or other grant-funded organisation, with a practical understanding of the financial requirements associated with restricted and unrestricted funding. · A relevant bookkeeping/accounting qualification or part-qualification, or demonstrable equivalent professional experience. · Experience supporting payroll and/or year-end accounts and audit processes. · Experience of charity accounting and financial reporting requirements. · Experience working with institutional, government, foundation or international grants. · Experience supporting organisational forecasting and annual budgeting. · Experience of charity governance and regulatory requirements, including the Charity Commission and Companies House. · Experience working in an international environment.