JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title:

Management Accountant/Finance Business Partner

Responsible to:

Financial Controller

Staff reporting:

Location:

Hours:

Status:

Pay:

Context

Provides technical supervision to Account Payable and Finance
Officer.
Any one of the organisation’s premises as allocated, working
across all sites as required

Full time (35 hours)

Permanent

£48,236

YMCA London City and North (YMCALCAN) is an independent charity affiliated to the

YMCA movement that was founded in 1844. Our work is based on the ethos of the

international movement, and we work across some of London's most deprived boroughs

in Islington, Harringay, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barnet and Hackney as well as the City

of London. It’s a patch that over 600,000 young people call home.

We passionately believe that every young person should have the opportunity to build a

future of their own choosing. Over 150 years we have helped shape over 100,000 young

lives. We specialise in engaging those who are hardest to reach, creating aspirational

settings and delivering a range of interventions that allow them to thrive.

We hold a specialism in youth homelessness offering 400 bed spaces including move-on

accommodation. We deliver an extensive programme of interventions that supports a

young person’s physical and mental wellbeing and their transition to independence. We

enhance this with facilities that benefit our local communities including youth hubs,

community hubs, youth fitness centres and community fitness centres and through a

programme of events.

The Corporate Services directorate provides strategy, development and services for

corporate functions – financial planning and accounting, risk management, income

management, HR and volunteering, ICT, and governance – working across all

departments and locations in the organisation. The finance team provide a full range of

accounting and financial management and financial planning services across the

organisation’s services, including housing, youth, estates and major projects, community

services and enterprise.

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Job purpose:

•  To provide management accounting service and reporting across all directorates and

departments, including monthly and annual reporting, budgeting and forecasting.

•  To provide support and guidance to budget holders, to enable effective budgetary

management and build the skills and understanding of non-financial managers.

•  To support the Financial Controller and Project and Systems Accountant in developing

a culture of continual improvement of processes and procedures within the finance

department.

•  Deputise for the Financial Controller when the postholder is on leave or unavailable.

Duties and responsibilities

Management Accounting/Finance Business Partnering

•  Support senior finance colleagues in the review and development of the processing

and presentation of management accounting information to ensure it meets business

needs and reflects best practice.

•  Prepare monthly management accounts with data analytics for budget holders and

Board, working collaboratively with finance colleagues as required.

•  Analyse key variance areas within management accounts and provide written analysis

and explanation for review of the Financial Controller.

•  Work collaboratively and supportively with budget holders to review management

accounts and recommend improvement measures in underperforming areas.

•  Provide guidance and support for non-financial managers to understand how to work

with financial information.

•  Provide support for the annual budget setting and forecasting process, as delegated,

and ensure all approved budgets and forecasts are uploaded onto the financial

management information system.

•  Review budgets and forecasts monthly, working collaboratively and supportively with

heads of departments/senior budget holders.

•  Proactively identify areas for improvements in controls, accounting processes and

work supportively with senior finance colleagues on developments and

improvements.

•  Prepare and submit the quarterly VAT returns.

•  Assist with the year-end process, which includes preparation of the statutory

accounts, posting of prior year end journals, preparing documents for audit, and

providing information and support to auditors as required.

•  Provide financial processing support to Account payable and Account receivable

Officers.

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•  Maintain the fixed assets register.

•  Produce Monthly Aged Debtors Report with explanation of the progress of collection

of the account balances due.

•  Provide accounting support to specialist areas as required, including complex

reconciliations.

Other Finance Business Partnering Functions

•  Provide financial processing support to PDQ and cash sales transactions from various
sites, for community and enterprise activities, including allocating account codes,
liaising with site managers and sales staff to resolve any queries

•  Provide financial processing support to enterprise income, recording and processing

donations, grants, legacies, and gift aid claims.

•  Provide financial insights and recommendations to support decision-making.

•  Build strong relationships with stakeholders and communicate financial information

effectively.

Team working

•  Work with finance colleagues collaboratively, providing support and development to

more junior colleagues as required, and supporting the development and creation of

a team culture of customer service orientation, quality and professionalism

Dimensions

The working pattern set between the postholder and the Financial Controller. Regular

supervision meetings will take place with the Financial Controller. 3-way meetings may

be held with the Projects and Systems Accountant for alignment of activities.

Scope and limits of authority

Operational responsibility for the quality and production of financial management

information to support effective financial and risk management.

Ensure compliance of own activities, and activities of staffs being supervised with

financial legislation, regulatory and statutory reporting requirements, and in-house

financial policy and procedures.

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PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience

CIMA, ACCA, ACA or equivalent with minimum of 5 years post-qualification experience.
Experience of the development, production, and review of monthly management
accounts
Experience of collaborating with colleagues/internal stakeholders on the budget and
forecast process
Experience in financial reconciliations and variance analysis
Knowledge and experience of payroll
Knowledge and experience of VAT reclamation
Understanding of commercial and/or fundraising accounting
High level of computer literacy, including financial management information systems,
advanced excel skills, and full range of Microsoft office applications
Experience of working in the Charity organisation especially within the Social Housing
Sector is desirable.

Skills and Abilities

High level of financial analysis, investigative and problem-solving skills
Excellent planning and organisational skills, including ability to deliver to financial cycles
and deadlines, and balance conflicting demands
Customer service orientation, and ability to develop financial reporting and support that
delivers to business needs
Good interpersonal skills, including ability to work collaboratively and supportively with
colleagues within own team and across departments to find common solutions
Ability to coach and guide non-financial managers to understand budgets and financial
information and reporting
Written communication skills, including ability to draft financial reports, guidance and
other communications
Highly numerate as an accounting professional, and ability to flex between high
attention to detail and seeing the overview

Personal Qualities

Has an understanding of Christian Ethos and is able to value people of all faiths or none
A commitment to providing high-quality services
High level of self-awareness and commitment to own continuous professional and
personal development
Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and understanding of how it
applies within this role

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