Finance Officer

Finance Officer
Job description and person specification

The Royal Institution of Cornwall (RIC), an independent charity based in Truro, is seeking to appoint a part
time Finance Officer to support the the day-to-day financial operations of the museum in addition to helping
to deliver our capital development project. This is an exciting time to join the team and be part of the
transformation of Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery.

We are a values driven charity, and welcome applicants that support our charitable objective and ambitions.
The RIC was founded in 1818 to promote excellence in science and the arts, and to forward the world-
leading industries Cornwall was known for. The founding principles of the museum still guide us today.

We are mid-way through an exciting transformation project which will create a vibrant new-look cultural hub
in the centre of Cornwall’s city. As the project continues, growing numbers of people will pass through our
doors every week to explore the collections and engage with exhibitions and events, come together to learn
and have fun. Our ambition is to create a thriving and dynamic cultural centre for Cornwall that welcomes
and includes everyone.

About the role

The Finance Officer is a key member of our team, essential to the core financial functions of the Museum.
Working with the Finance Manager, you will be responsible for day-to-day financial administration and
governance administration tasks, ensuring our financial activities are transacted and recorded with accuracy,
efficiency and compliant with policies and external regulatory requirements. You will work collaboratively
within our friendly team and with external partners, ensuring smooth financial operations and helping to
deliver our capital project.

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This opportunity is ideal for someone who enjoys working with detailed financial information, values
accuracy and integrity, and is keen to contribute to the success of the Museum’s transformation.

About the candidate

You will have experience as a Finance officer or in a relevant role, ideally within a cultural organisation, charity or
similar. You will enjoy working collaboratively and independently and have excellent interpersonal skills. You will
relate to our values and be able to use them to inform your day-to-day decision making. You will thrive in a
dynamic workplace and be keen to take ownership of the role and its functions. Experience with grant and funder
reporting a well as CRM, POS and SAGE 50 account integration will be valuable assets to this role.

Background to the Royal Institute of Cornwall

The Royal Institution of Cornwall (RIC), an independent membership charity based in Truro. The RIC runs
Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery, the Courtney Library and publishes an annual journal.

Five years ago, the museum closed to start a process of radical transformation and to carry out emergency
maintenance. The museum leadership team changed with new Chair, Board members and the appointment
of Co-Directors bringing in a new vision, operating model and long-term plan. Today, the museum has big
ambitions  and  is  undertaking  a  transformation  project  that  will  build  visitor  engagement  and  steer  the
organisation towards a new operating model. This includes expanding the programme of activities to increase
visitor numbers and capital work that supports this ambition.

By 2027/8 Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery will be a compelling visitor destination, a vibrant cultural venue
and a welcoming community space. It will attract over 65k visitors a year, including 9k school visits, and all its
activities will be underpinned by a robust, agile, and sustainable operating model. We are now looking for an
exceptional individual to lead the programme and community engagement offer.

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Our Values

The RIC charitable objective is ‘to advance the education of the public by encouraging and promoting the study
and  knowledge  of  literature,  natural  sciences,  archaeology,  history,  ethnology,  geology  and  the  fine  and
applied arts, with special reference to Cornwall’.

We have five values that shape how we work and the decisions we make.

Brave

Welcoming

Connected

Curious

Committed

Using imagination,
creativity and different
thinking, we thrive on
bringing people
together for
unexpected and
unconventional
experiences,
conversations and
interactions. We’re
not afraid to stand up
for what we believe in,
for a better and fairer
society for everyone.

Our spaces and
approach are warm,
safe, open and
inclusive. We celebrate
difference and work
hard to listen and
reflect what our
diverse community
needs, so everyone
feels like they are
represented and
belong.

We’re in Cornwall and
about Cornish culture,
but we also reach
outwards – through
stories, collaborations
and exhibitions that
are relevant in a much
wider context. We use
the expertise and
insight from our
collections and
community to
contribute to
important global
conversations.

We ask questions,
explore ideas and
challenge ourselves
and our visitors to find
new and better ways of
doing things. We want
to inspire people to act
and think differently
and be creative. We
never stand still or take
anything for granted –
we continually
reimagine what a
museum can be and
the impact it can have.

We’re environmentally
and socially
responsible in
everything we do,
always looking for ways
to reduce our
environmental
footprint and look after
the communities we
serve. We’re not afraid
to take a difficult path
or change course if it
brings us closer to
achieving our purpose.

Our Vision

Cornwall is unique. The seas and the landscapes, its language and its minerals, as well as countless generations
of Cornish people who have lived and worked across this land, have all combined across the generations to
make Cornwall a place like no other.

At the very heart of Cornwall and its cultural life, Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery is a centre of exploration
and  learning.  Using  the  eclectic  collections  of  Cornish  culture,  art,  antiquities,  archaeology,  science,  and
natural history we take people on a journey from deep underground, up into the sky, around the world and
way back in time. In doing this, we use our collections to help our communities look forward together.

What we do

Through our collections, spaces, exhibitions and events, we hold and gather stories relevant to our
communities and visitors to Cornwall – and we invite everyone in to help shape where they might lead.

•  We are an incorporated independent charity with more than 400 members

•  We own and operate Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery in the City of Truro

•  We hold extensive historic collections including the Courtney Library and Archive

•  We run education and outreach programmes

•  We publish articles and journals

•  We run events, family activities and curate and hold exhibitions

In doing this we deliver an Arts Council of England funded programme of development work through the MC7
museum partnership that delivers the Let’s Create strategy.

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Arts Council England

RIC Strategic Priorities

Ambition & Quality

Dynamism

Improve care and management of collections
Develop our skills and capacity

Achieve greater financial sustainability
Secure investment to improve our buildings and our visitor offer

Environmental Responsibility

Environmental sustainability – reach net zero carbon by 2030

Inclusivity & Relevance

Build audiences & engagement – reach 65,000 visitors by 2028

The Team

The Finance Officer will work closely with the Finance Manager, provide support to the Co-Directors and work
collaboratively within the RIC team. This position reports directly to the Finance Manager. We are small and
dynamic team, Currently there are 14.5 full time equivalent roles within the RIC.

On our website you can find more details of our Board and team:  https://cornwallmuseum.org/ along with
information about the collections we hold and the activities we offer.

First Not Second Homes exhibition, artist: Camilla Dixon

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Job Description

Role   Finance Officer

Accountable to  Finance Manager

Contract  Permanent

Part time (20-24 hours per week) with flexible working options

Salary  Circa £25,000 pro rata per annum

Job Summary

Key Finance Tasks and Responsibilities

•  Ensuring supplier invoices, company, staff and volunteer expenses are processed accurately and

coded correctly to the general ledger, using SAGE 50 and PTX.

Liaising with customers and suppliers to handle queries

•  Performing monthly bank reconciliations, credit control and supplier reconciliations
•  Preparing payroll data, ensure timely payment of salaries
•  Managing benefits and HR functions
•
•  Supporting the Finance Manager with month-end, year-end, audit and as needed
•  Providing finance support and guidance to the RIC team
•  Ensuring robust and rigorous financial processes are in place
•  Assisting with reporting and claims requirements for grants and other funding

General Tasks and Responsibilities

•  Attend Board and relevant sub-committee meetings to take minutes and complete and circulate to

agreed deadlines

•  Provide administration support to the Management Team as needed
•  Supporting the Membership team with the maintenance of the internal CRM system and with

membership communications and processing

•  Supporting the museum team with ad hoc administration and office management tasks
•  Performing tasks outside of this list, as reasonably required by the museum.

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Person Specification

Who are we looking for:

We are seeking in an individual committed to the values of our charity.

•  You will be hardworking, adaptable, and a self-starter, keen to take initiative and engage with all

aspects of the museum.

•  You will have proven experience with general accounting functions, including payroll
•  You will have knowledge of Microsoft Office and Sage 50 accounting software
•  You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•  Your strong time management skills enable you to meet your commitments under variable

conditions.

•  You will be able to respond to complex and changing situations by bringing new thinking and

solutions.

•  You will enjoy working collaboratively within the RIC’s team of staff and volunteers.
•  You will have exposure to funding applications, project reporting, budget management and

monitoring.

•  You will be genuinely excited by the opportunity to be part of the team that leads the RIC through

our next phase of development that positions the museum as a sector-leading, nationally recognised
organisation.

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