July 2026
| Diocese |
JOB DESCRIPTION
| JOB TITLE: | Parish Bookkeeper (Central Office) |
| DEPARTMENT: | Finance |
| LOCATION: | Cathedral House |
| RESPONSIBLE TO: | Director of Finance |
| ACCOUNTABLE TO: | Episcopal Vicar for Finance |
OVERALL PURPOSE OF JOB:
To provide dedicated support in respect of financial control and reporting functions to individual Parishes and manage the day to day parish related accounting function within the central finance department. The role will work closely with the Parish Support Finance Assistant.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Parish related general ledger maintenance and review
• Provision of a professional bookkeeping service for parishes where required
Where parishes fall behind in meeting essential obligations ( e.g. where the parish finance system is not up to date, the bank reconciliations have not been completed, or Gift Aid records are not up to date or not reconciled), to bring the parish records up to date to ensure compliance.
• To ensure that evidence of control reports and reconciliations is in place for all parishes for each month throughout the financial year.
• To produce monthly and year to date financial and management reports (individual parish and consolidated) including commentary; variance analysis preparation and investigation;
• To perform parish related monthly balance sheet reconciliations and account substantiation; monitor and reconcile control accounts
• To perform parish related fund reconciliations and reporting
• To liaise with the bank as required.
• To assist with audit queries
• To visit parishes when necessary
To provide general support to other members of the finance team (including the Parish Support Finance Assistant and Finance Manager).
Notes:
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You will be expected to produce work to a high standard and to promote quality at all times.
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You will be expected to adhere to the policies and procedures of the Diocese of Brentwood.
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The post holder may have access to confidential data. Disclosure of confidential information to any unauthorised person may lead to disciplinary action which could ultimately lead to dismissal.
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You will be expected to participate in a staff appraisal scheme for yourself and staff you manage where applicable.
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If you are a member of a professional/regulatory body you will be required to abide by the relevant professional Code of Conduct
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Smoking is not permitted while on duty or in uniform (where this is worn).
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Employees must be prepared to work flexibly to meet the changing needs of the organisation.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Diocese of Brentwood operates an Equal Opportunities Policy and expects staff to have a commitment to equal opportunity policies in relation to employment and service delivery.
CHANGES TO THIS JOB DESCRIPTION
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Any changes to job descriptions must be operationally required and approved with the staff member, line manager and then authorised by the Senior Manager and HR.
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Master copies of all job descriptions are held on the HR Database, therefore any changes must be sent to HR for review and filing.
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No changes can be made to generic job descriptions without all post holders being consulted and in agreement with the HR.
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The above job description does not purport to be an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities. The post-holder will be expected to undertake additional duties as the requirements of the post change.
Date of Job Description:
Post-holder in receipt and agreement of job description:
Signature …
Name (please print).....
Manager’s Signature ……
Name (please print).....
Review date July 2026
PERSON SPECIFICATION – Finance Manager
| SELECTION CRITERIA | ESSENTIAL | DESIRABLE |
| EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS | ||
| Good general education GCSE English and Maths at Grade C or above (or equivalent) | √ | |
| AAT qualification ( full or part qualified), or qualified by experience | ||
| SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE | ||
| Knowledge of Sage 50 General Ledger | ||
| Knowledge of Computerised ledger systems | ||
| Strong IT skils with a good working knowledge ofMicrosoft Office (Word, Advanced Excel, PowerPoint) | $\checkmark$ | |
| Ability to confidently reconcile and analyse high volumesof data within Excel | $\checkmark$ | |
| Excellent time management with the ability to multitaskand prioritise work load | $\checkmark$ | |
| Excellent written and verbal communication workingwith internal and external people at all levels | $\checkmark$ | |
| Shows attention to detail and is able to resolveproblems. | $\overline { { \checkmark } }$ | |
| Excellent book-keeping skills | $\checkmark$ | |
| Able to use initiative and work creatively to resolveissues or suggest improvements. | $\overline { { \checkmark } }$ | |
| Excellent inter-personal and communication skills | √ | |
| Able to work effectively with a team | ✓ | |
| Excellent organizational and planning skills | $\overline { { \checkmark } }$ | |
| Full Driving Licence with own vehicle | $\overline { { \checkmark } }$ | |
| KNOWLEDGE | ||
| Good knowledge and understanding of office / financial management responsibilities, systems andprocedures. | √ | |
| Awareness of GDPR and confidentiality | √ | |
| Knowledge of Gift Aid | √ | |
| Understanding of risk management | √ | |
| ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS/INFORMATION(e.g. hours, shift work, travel) | |
| Understanding of, and empathy for, the mission andethos of the Catholic Church, the Bishop of Brentwoodand the Priests and laity of the Diocese. | |
| Ability to travel to all Diocesan sites and others thatare deemed necessary in fulfilling the role. | √ |