Accounts Payable Officer

Job Description

About the Trust 

We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?  

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.

Location: Home working, with a requirement to attend our main hub space in Leeds as and when required for team working and meetings. 

Working Hours: 37 Hours per week Monday - Friday

** Contract: 12 month fixed term or secondment 

Our team & opportunity 

The Accounts Payable Officer provides comprehensive Accounts Payable services for the Trust and its subsidiaries. This role makes payment of supplier invoices, customer refunds, staff & volunteer expenses, and manages the travel booking and purchase card function on behalf of the Trust. Without the effective operation of these processes the Trust would be unable to function, and there would be a negative impact on suppliers.

About the role

• To comply with all Accounts Payable processes in an efficient, effective manner and in accordance with agreed SLAs. This involves ensuring compliance to quality management system (QMS) and control measures to ensure correct outputs are achieved while maintaining strong relationships with internal and external customers. Contributing to any improvements and changes as may be necessary.

• Meet cyclical financial deadlines. This involves awareness of month end procedures to ensure all costs are posted to ledgers at month end.

• Act as point of expertise and best practice, assisting colleagues in following Canal & River Trust’s processes and procedures, providing training as required. The job holder must demonstrate excellent communication skills in order to convey the importance of our procedures. They are also expected to exercise a level of discretion in deciding how to apply the procedures in different circumstances.

• Collate, analyse and present financial and business reports. In order to provide managers with up to date and relevant information to managers to make business decisions. Ensuring that financial transaction data prepared for senior management authorisation is correct to minimise delays in authorisation and payment.

• Resolve queries from customers & suppliers. This involves communicating with other parties to ensure payments to suppliers are not unnecessarily delayed or outside contractual agreements that exist.

• Use Canal & River Trust internal systems primarily SAP and Medius. Job holder must have skills to input accurate data to assist in information management and reporting ability.

• Regular user acceptance testing on financial transactions across various platforms.

• Provide absence cover for team manager: For example in relation to reporting, completing and authorising payments, ensuring all tasks completed by team, carry out SAP testing and authorise changes to go into PRD, organise and chair team meeting as appropriate.

• Displaying the Trust values and behaviours at all times.

• Ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust’s policies and values.

About you

Technical:

• Experience of Accounts Payable.
• Experience supporting colleague relations or payroll processes.
• Experience in SAP skills particularly within the Purchasing (MM).
• Confident in the use of word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Experience of operating to a certified quality management system.

General:

• Communication skills that allow you to inform, help and advise customers clearly and professionally.
• Comply with Canal & River Trust Health & Safety policy and defined standards, report incidents, accidents and near misses.
• Ability to understand and implement organisational policies.
• Consider your own and others behaviour.
• To be aware of your own responsibilities regarding safeguarding and to support our commitment to providing safe environments and working practises that promote and protect the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk at all times.

What we offer

In addition to your annual base salary of £25,163 (p.a.), a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits we are also open to flexible working arrangements.

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Home working status with ‘hub’ facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

Our values

We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.

All of our jobs can be considered on a part time flexible or job share basis.

We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us

Job Details

• Pay Type
• Salary

• Employment Indicator
• Maternity Cover

• Hiring Min Rate
• 25,163 GBP

• Hiring Max Rate
• 25,163 GBP