OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
—
Project and Reporting
Accountant
Information for applicants
May 2014
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
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OPM
252b Gray’s Inn Road
London
WC1X 8XG
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
0845 055 3900
www.opm.co.uk
info@opm.co.uk
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
About OPM Group and our work
OPM Group works to develop the effectiveness of organisations that are committed to improving
social outcomes. Our current activities include organisational development and change, strategy
formation, policy and programme evaluation, leadership and management development,
stakeholder engagement, community development, executive coaching, research and analytical
studies. Our clients are organisations from across public services, including charities and socially
responsible private sector organisations.
Consisting of 2 trading companies – Office for Public Management Limited (“OPM”) and Dialogue
by Design Limited (“DbyD”) (acquired 2011). These businesses complement each other and
often work together on joint bids. While OPM trades on a traditional consultancy basis charging
on a per diem basis, DbyD operates on a fee basis based on individual project requirements and
numbers of respondents to their consultations. They are therefore accounted for on different
accounting systems.
Legally a private limited company, OPM Group operates as a public interest company – that is on
a not for profit basis with defined objects relating to social results. We invest some of the surplus
generated in work that will be of interest to public services, such as recent research into
governance of public services and creativity in public services.
The company is 100% employee-owned. The company’s shares are held by the OPM Employee
Share Ownership Trust (the ESOT) on behalf of the employees. Employees are represented on
the Board.
We maintain high standards of quality in our work for clients and expect to operate internally and
externally in ways that reflect the shared values of the organisation. Our commitment is to
making a difference. We attract experienced professionals from a range of backgrounds, and
offer a working environment that enables individuals to develop their own ideas and practice,
share their skills and experience with others and to give and receive mutual support. This
balance of high expectations, supportive peers and considerable freedom enables us to provide
our clients with tailored services that respond to changing needs.
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
Job Description: Project and Reporting
Accountant
This role provides support to Head of Finance, Project Managers and Project Co-ordinators both
in OPM and DbyD.
Whilst this is a multi-faceted and flexible role, the principal tasks and responsibilities can be
grouped under three main headings:
— Project Support and Reporting in OPM, preparation of Key Monthly Performance Reports
and assisting Head of Finance manage and control project finances, work with Project
Managers and Project Co-ordinators to ensure that all information is timely and accurate;
— Preparation of Management Accounts for DbyD (£1.5m t/o)
— Maconomy Administration, including provision of support for the project management and
finance system.
This is a challenging position which offers a thorough understanding of the project accounting
processes. The role demands very high attention to detail and the ability to rapidly develop an
excellent understanding of the systems and processes used.
The postholder is jointly responsible with the Head of Finance, for overseeing all project finances
in Maconomy, providing continuous support to Project Managers and Project Co-ordinators
throughout the duration of projects.
This is a full-time post of 35 hours per week, although some flexibility to cover workload will be
required.
All members of OPM are expected to subscribe to OPM’s charter and to our commitment to
clients. The charter has been written and adopted, and is regularly reviewed and re-adopted, by
OPM members to promote equity within the workplace and to ensure that each member
contributes to a progressive and productive working life.
Responsibilities
Performance Reporting using Maconomy
— Producing accurate monthly performance reports for all staff, showing analysis of billable
days, work winning and breakdown of internal time.
— Producing appraisal data packs for all members, for 6 monthly reviews and end of year
appraisals.
— Developing and produce various reports for HR based on employee statistics, as
requested.
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
— Producing various ad hoc reporting according to business needs
Project Accountant
The postholder is responsible for managing project finances in the People, Organisations and
Systems (POS) division, liaising with Project Managers and Project Co-ordinators.
Responsibilities include:
— Assisting Project Managers and Project Co-ordinators with project costings and budgets.
— Monitoring project budgets ensuring that these are completed and submitted for all new
projects and successful proposals.
— Producing the monthly Work in Progress (WIP) report, to review and report on any
outstanding balances or issues, and invoicing clients as required
DbyD reporting on Quickbooks
— Reviewing monthly Trial Balance for completeness
— Circulating Aged Debtors and Creditors to Project Managers weekly, chasing overdue
debtors via them
— Preparing Fixed Asset, Debtors and Accruals journals
— Agreeing all control accounts
— Exporting Management Accounts to Excel and prepare analysis schedules
— Arranging for Management Accounts to be Reviewed by Finance Director
— Assisting DbyD staff in ad-hoc projects as required
Maconomy Administration
The postholder will support the Head of Finance using Maconomy, a project management and
finance system. This includes:
— Setting up new employees and clients, ensuring the correct user access levels are given
— Updating any formats or layouts
— Managing any Maconomy upgrades
Business Development
This involves working with the Business Development and Marketing team to:
— Reconcile live proposals to ensure they are recorded as won, lost or pending in the
correct periods
— Report on monthly and year-to-date work won figures
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
General
— Being an active team player, providing cover for colleagues as requested
— Contribute to the maintenance of a positive and supportive work culture
— Ensure the consistent application of corporate policies to OPM work and practices
— Using OPM equipment appropriately and taking care to avoid damage; advising of any
problems
— maintaining in good order the equipment and working space provided
— Being familiar with and acting in accordance with current OPM procedures or policies,
including
— health and safety, fire, grievance and disciplinary policies
This post is directly accountable to the Head of Finance for performance and personal
development.
Please note this job description is intended as a general guide and it not exhaustive. OPM
reserves the right to appoint this role on a fixed-term contract and to re-deploy this position
according to the needs of the business.
Key relationships
— Finance team
— Project Managers
— Project Co-ordinators
— Dialogue by Design
Internal relationships
The post holder should meet regularly with the Head of Finance to review performance and
personal development issues.
The post holder will come into contact with all members of staff, and is expected to attend OPM
days such as members’ days and the annual retreat.
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
Person Specification: Project and Reporting
Accountant
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION /
QUALIFICATIONS
TECHNICAL SKILLS
PERSONAL SKILLS
GENERAL
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
NECESSARY
ADVANTAGEOUS
— Understanding of management
accounting and reporting
— Experience of working in a finance
team
— Involvement in
management accounts,
time reporting systems
and new systems
implementation.
— 5 or more GCSE passes, including
Maths and English (or equivalent)
— AAT qualified (or qualified by
experience)
— Outlook, Word, Excel
— Part qualified CIMA or
ACCA
— Excel VBA Training
— Experience of using
Maconomy
— Experience of
Quickbooks
— Excellent customer service and
client awareness
— Excellent organisational skills
including ability to use initiative
— Highly numerate and excellent
attention to detail
— Ability to work to deadlines and
under pressure
— Excellent verbal and written
communication skills
— Ability to maintain confidentiality
— Willingness to work as a team
member and help colleagues
during busy periods
— Knowledge of public
services
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
The OPM Charter
Working with you to improve social results
OPM is committed to improving the quality of life for all communities by working with clients and
the public to help them achieve the social results they desire.
As a member of OPM:
— I am committed to delivering high quality work and to helping to achieve social results.
— I am committed to my own development to sustain and increase my contribution to OPM,
and expect others to provide appropriate support and opportunities.
— I will behave with integrity, honesty and courtesy at all times, and expect the same from
others.
— I will contribute to providing a productive and supportive working environment, and will ask
for and offer support when it is needed, and expect others to do the same.
— I will be fair and open in my expectations of others, and expect the same from them.
— I will take responsibility for reflecting and demonstrating the values of OPM outside the
organisation.
All members of OPM are expected to uphold the charter in the organisation, and be active in
ensuring its principles and values underpin all our behaviours, work and the continued success of
the organisation.
Our Commitment to Our Clients
— We will work with our clients to help them develop their ability to manage for their intended
social results
— We will be honest and clear about our clients’ and our own assumptions, expectations and
performance, while respecting client confidentiality
— We will work to develop ourselves as a model and innovating organisation
— We will strive to enhance individuals’ and organisations’ capacity for learning
OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
Equality and Diversity
We regard the promotion of equality and diversity as central to our core mission to improve social
results for service users and communities and we take our commitments in this area seriously.
We also recognise the strong business case for embracing diversity. Within the workforce, it has
been demonstrated that promoting diversity encourages creativity amongst staff, assists in the
retention of human capital, and helps to attract talented employees. It is clear that a positive and
pro-active approach to equality and diversity also helps to equip us to better meet the needs of our
diverse client base.
Provisions for fair treatment and anti-discrimination are set out in a rapidly evolving legislative
framework. OPM recognises its duties as an employer under this legislation, and although we are
not a public body, we strive to meet the standards set out in the legislation for public service
organisations.
Terms and Conditions
A full copy of the terms and conditions of employment at OPM is distributed upon appointment.
Selection Process
You will need to complete an application form and return it to recruit@opm.co.uk by noon on
Monday 2nd June 2014.
If your application is taken forward, you will be invited to attend an interview and may be asked to
complete some assessment tasks.
If you are successful in your application, we will conduct verbal and/or written reference checks
with your approval. We will need to see your original birth certificate and/or passport as well as
your educational certificates. We will also request your completion of an occupational health
questionnaire. When the enquiries are completed satisfactorily, OPM will make a formal offer of
appointment
Skills testing of disabled applicants
Applicants who satisfy the minimum standards of the role may be asked to take a number of ability
tests before being progressed to the next stage of the recruitment process. These may include
online numerical and verbal reasoning assessments supplied by a psychometric test provider. If an
ability test has a feature that, in the opinion of the applicant, places a disabled person at a
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
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OPM
PROJECT AND REPORTING ACCOUNTANT
substantial disadvantage to other candidates, OPM agrees to take such steps as is reasonable to
mitigate the disadvantage.
Should an applicant be able to demonstrate their ability for the role as laid out in the job description
(able to meet the minimum standards of the role as outlined in the necessary column in the person
specification), by any alternative method, this will be given due consideration by OPM.
OPM agrees that should disabled applicants meet the minimum requirements of the job and are
able to demonstrate their competency through ability tests or any other comparable method; they
will be given an automatic right to interview.
CLASSIFICATION: OPEN
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