Job Description

Job info	Job info details
Job title	Finance Officer - Payments
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Financial Services
Business unit	Financial Systems & Exchequer
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Principal Finance Officer - Payments
Accountable to (line manager)	Principal Finance Officer - Payments
Salary grade	E
JE ref	FIN023

1. Key purpose of job

Member of the Financial Systems & Exchequer dealing with the processing, monitoring, reconciliation, and scrutiny of payments, and handling internal & external enquiries.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

To facilitate prompt accurate payments to Torbay Council (& affiliates to the Council) Creditors, that comply with current legislation and financial regulations whilst meeting the needs of our Customers and Creditors.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
Processing invoice payments including the inputting, authorising, monitoring of files and correction of rejected batches.
To supervise payment runs, both manual and automatic, as required in line with set processes and procedures.
To check and authorise the issuing of CHAPS payments by the Section.
Provide cover on the Payments Help Line, assisting internal and external customers with enquiries & monitor and action incoming e-mail queries.
Processing of consolidated invoices (monthly / quarterly as required) utilising emi files and interfacing to FIMS.
Assisting as required with the processing of the following payment functions:
- Bank Reconciliation queries & Un-presented cheques.
- Miscellaneous payments.
- Failed & Held payments.
- Wrong creditor and duplicate payment recovery.
- Actioning & Monitoring Reports.
- Reconciliation of Suspense Accounts & Credit Balances.
- Payment Processing.
- Customer Payment Health Checks.
Responsible for the Periodical Payment facility within the Creditors Module of FIMS including the setting up, amending and monitoring of payments.
Responsible for the Petty Cash Account, ensuring that payments are made in line with Financial and Statutory regulations and are reconciled.
Responsible for the recovery and reconciliation of VAT payments held in suspense including organising a system that monitors and records all transactions.
Responsible for the collation, checking and completion of the HMRC CIS monthly return.
The input & maintenance of Creditor Master records.
To assist in identifying areas for development of the service in line with Council Policy, Corporate Objectives, Government Initiatives and Business Plans.
Assist with specific Projects as and when required.
To assist in general office duties such as internal/external post, filing, logging, indexing, and recording statistics.
Maintain a high level of Data Quality within the Council in line with the Council’s current policy and to familiarise yourself with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

None.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

None.

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

Office environment.

7. Physical demands of the post

Normal office duties.

8. Specific resources used by the post

PC and other general office equipment.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External:
- Creditors of the Council.
- Schools & Academies.
- The Councils Bankers.
- HMRC.
- Affiliates of the Council, e.g., TEDC, SWISCo.
Internal:
- All internal departments seeking information or advice on payments made on their behalf.

10. Other duties

To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
The post is eligible for hybrid working.
You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Finance Officer - Payments
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Financial Services
Business unit	Financial Systems & Exchequer

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

Effective interpersonal skills to include diplomacy & tact but also a confident and effective communication manner.
A flexible and adaptable communication style.
Able to undertake a diverse workload and produce desired outcomes within deadlines.
Able to work both independently and as part of a Team.
A Customer Focus approach to work undertaken.
Eye for detail and investigatory skills.
Effective literacy, numeracy & computer keyboard skills.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

Ability to install confidence in others when undertaking tasks and making decisions.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

Working knowledge of Windows-based software.
Working knowledge of VAT invoices.

Desirable knowledge

Awareness of HMRC regulations in relation to payment of invoices and employment status.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

Experience of working with information technology based systems and PC based software.
Suitable relevant experience of working with a Creditor system.
Experience of maintaining accurate records and information with particular reference to processing of invoices.
Previous experience of dealing and resolving customer queries.
Experience of monitoring suspense accounts and investigating / correcting anomalies identified.