Camphill Village Trust Limited (”CVT”)
Job Description
POSITION
REPORTS TO
DIRECT REPORTS
LOCATION
Finance Manager (with regional
responsibilities)
Central Finance Controller/General
Managers
Communities finance team
Office base at Delrow Community –
Watford. Also regional
responsibilities for St Albans
community and Stourbridge. (limited
travel)
OVERVIEW
This role will be to take on specific responsibility for the Delrow community accounting
function as well as responsibility for the organisation, development, maintenance and
oversight of financial management accounting and budgeting systems and preparation of
annual financial accounts information which reconciles to the cumulative management
account information; and develop robust cash reporting and forecasting disciplines.
The role will also include regional responsibilities for two of the other communities in
Stourbridge and St Albans (with limited travel).
The job will include the following elements: day to day running of the accounting function at Delrow community including
processing of transactions on SAGE accounting software;
 preparing management accounts and their supporting working papers, control
account reconciliations etc, for accuracy and consistency;
 driving reporting timetables and disciplines to ensure monthly management
accounts are completed accurately;
 preparation of the annual and half yearly budgets;
 administration and reconciliation of bank accounts;
 supervision of local finance team;
 improving the quality and format of the management accounts pack and file,
including review of work carried out by other team members ;
 implementation and improvement of financial procedures and accounting controls
ensuring charity wide consistency;
 development and improvement of fixed asset registers;
 development of cash management and reporting systems;
 preparation of an annual reporting pack from management accounts for the year
end accounts. Including SORP related information and preparation of an annual audit
file;
 Providing support with other ad hoc financial tasks as required.
Regional tasks:
 driving and supporting the consistent monthly management accounting disciplines
across the three communities, including budget variance commentary and key trend
narrative for the community managers;
 co-ordination of community cash flow reporting and production of rolling cash flow
forecasts for the three communities;
 assistance with annual budget preparation including reviews of each community’s
budgets and business plans;
 Various ad hoc projects to support the community managers incl costing and results
analysis, development of KPIs and monitoring of the strategic plans.
 Supporting other finance officers from the regional team in their year-end accounts
and audit file production.
KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS
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production of timely month end management accounts;
day to day responsibility of a busy accounts office, ensuring SAGE is maintained up to
date;
development and improvement of systems and processes used to produce monthly
management accounts including enhancements to include cash flow, variance analysis,
commentary for the managers etc;
provision of support and guidance to local finance team and the wider team to assist
them in improving use of SAGE to improve effectiveness, achieve consistent ways of
working and improved quality;
close liaison with community operational and finance team to identify and help
implement systems and control improvements which will improve management
accounting disciplines and expand management information reporting;
local co-ordination and liaison with Charity’s auditors and ensuring audit timetables are
adhered to and queries are resolved;
reviewing and recording all key financial systems across the three communities and
developing a common controls, procedures and policies , including all matters which have
taxation implications and ensuring other supporting mechanisms are in place (e.g.
improved fixed asset register);
maintaining and reconciling bank accounts and monitoring the overall cash position for
the three communities. Developing regular and systematic cash flow forecasting at
community level to enable overall cash management to be improved and rolling cash
flow forecast information is available;
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support the central finance team and local managers in improving the budgetary control
systems. Including, inter alia, supporting the annual budgeting process and reviewing
local outputs before submitting to the centre. Assisting finance officers to improve
budget phasing and managers with subsequent monitoring and variance reporting;
to act as a resource generally, supporting local finance officers and operational managers
with their queries, supporting the Finance Director and Central Financial Controller with
any projects or initiatives which work across the charity.
SUCCESS CRITERIA
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improved timeliness and format of management accounting information;
greater effectiveness and consistency of communities’ use of SAGE;
regular and co-ordinated cash flow monitoring and reporting;
improved systems of control across the charity;
improved budget monitoring and reporting across the charity.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE & TRAINING REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE ROLE
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Essential
Professional
Recognised CCAB accounting qualification.
Experience of preparation of complex
management accounts.
Experience of preparing & reviewing
cash flow forecasts & other
accounting information.
Knowledge & understanding of internal
controls& core accounting systems and
processes.
Past exposure to budget preparation &
monitoring.
Good organisation skills & methodical with
good time management skills, used to
delivering to tight timetables.
Excellent communicator with proven ability
to persuade others in a change management
environment & influence behaviours (e.g. to
re organise job roles and responsibilities).
Able to build relationships at all levels within
the charity, including finance professionals,
care provider colleagues, senior
management & trustees.
Able to evidence effective use of own
judgement, & ability to work proactively
while unsupervised.
Desirable ( but not essential)
 Detailed working knowledge of
SAGE accounting systems in a
multi company/cost centre
environment.
 Knowledge & experience of
Charity accounts
& SORP.
 Wider knowledge of modern
database type accounting
packages & ICT generally.
 Experience of costing.
 Preparation of financial models
to support business plans,
tenders, funding body requests
etc.
 Experience of coaching &
mentoring.
 Knowledge of tax compliance
issues ( PAYE and VAT)
 Enthusiastic, energetic & able to undertake
some travel to the various communities
within the region.
 Experience of dealing expertly with external
stakeholders, e.g. funders, professional
advisers & bankers, regulators etc.
 Excellent Excel spreadsheet modelling skills.
Other
 Standard DBS clearance will be required
 Supportive of underlying Camphill ethos
 Satisfactory standard disclosure
TO PERFORM THE ROLE SUCCESSFULLY, COMMUNICATION & INTERFACE IS, OR MAY BE,
REQUIRED WITH:
INTERNAL
 Communities’ finance teams
 Communities’ management teams
(including co-workers)
 Senior Management team
 Central Financial Controller
 Trustees generally
EXTERNAL
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Funders /Local authorities
Regulators
Professional advisers ( incl’ bankers)
Suppliers
IT support providers and similar
COMPETENCIES
Personal
 Planning and control
 Stress tolerance
 Energy
 Perseverance
Inter-personal
 Written and oral communication
 Persuasiveness
 Listening
Professional
 Judgement
 Decision making
 Integrity
 Problem analysis
Managerial
 Leadership
 Change Management
 Initiative
 Inclusive