Job info	Job info details
Job title	Senior Finance Officer – Payment Systems
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Finance
Business unit	Corporate Finance - Financial Systems & Exchequer
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Principal Finance Officer – Payments
Accountable to (line manager)	Principal Finance Officer – Payments
Salary grade	F-G
JE ref	FIN055

1. Key purpose of job

• To support the professional accounting duties undertaken by Financial Services and in particular the Financial Systems & Exchequer Team, ensuring compliance with current legislation and financial regulations. 
• Member of the Financial Systems & Exchequer Team and responsible for the day to day running of the Payment Systems; management of the team; and reporting to the Principal Finance Officer – Payments for any instances which affect the delivery of the service in an effective, efficient and timely manner.
• Provide support to the Principal Finance Officer – Payments (who is responsible for the maintenance and development of the Payments service), in relevant tasks to ensure cover for absence.
• To support, administer and reconcile payment related systems that fall under the remit of the Financial Systems and Exchequer Team along with all payment related Interface processing. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• That information provided to service managers and finance staff supports better decision making, productivity and efficiency improvements.
• Accurate financial information is provided for the production of statutory and other council data returns in a timely manner.
• That the training provided to service managers and finance staff leads to greater understanding and use of service specific information.
• The administration and maintenance of existing and new payment related systems are well supported and that all manual processes are reviewed and automated where possible.
• That the Accounts Payable module remains in balance with the General Ledger and all related bank entries are reconciled & cleared between systems.
• That a well-supported Payments helpdesk (calls & emails) is maintained in a timely manner.

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.
• Provide cover for the Principal Finance Officer – Payments.
• To facilitate prompt accurate payments to Torbay Council Creditors, which comply with current legislation and financial regulations whilst meeting the needs of our Customers and Creditors.
• Monitoring, reconciliation, and maintenance (correction) of specific Payments related Suspense & Control accounts.
• Provide timely, accurate and relevant automated financial information for a number of council systems.
• The day-to-day housekeeping of the Payments systems.
• Produce training and guidance manuals for staff to use and procedure process mapping within System & Exchequer Team. In times, required to deliver training to a group or individual staff.
• Provide a support service for users of the FIMS and other payment feeder systems and for the helpdesk function.
• Ensure that the principles of the Data Quality & Protection Policies are applied and that users of the Financial Information & Management System are made aware of their responsibilities with regards the policy.
• Overseeing the duplicate payment reporting & recovery process and ensuring procedures are put in place to reduce future occurrences.
• Assist with the day-to-day housekeeping with regards the Payment System which includes investigation, corrective action, and where applicable to question and recommend changes to existing practices, maintaining high levels of accuracy.
• Project Work:
  • Assist in the development of new / updated financial (and related) projects as and when required.
  • Suggest areas of potential improvement and implement creative updates when agreed. 

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• Direct line management of Finance Officer – Payments x4. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working conditions. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Usual IT equipment and accessibility for office working and home working.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External

• External Auditors.
• Council partner organisations and subsidiary companies.
• IT Software providers.
• Creditors and Debtors of the Council.
• The Council’s bankers.
• Security Services.
• Schools and Academies.
• HMRC, Pension Providers, DWP.

Internal

• Service staff at all levels.
• All Finance Staff.
• Internal Audit.
• Finance System Users.
• All business units throughout Torbay Council.

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 Childrens 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	Senior Finance Officer – Payment Systems
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Finance
Business unit	Corporate Finance - 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 and an ability to share information effectively.
• 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 with the confidence to follow up and question procedure & create/implement solutions. Accuracy in all tasks is essential.
• Effective literacy, numeracy & computer keyboard skills.
• A pragmatic and analytical approach to problem solving.
• Flexible approach, able to work on own initiative and as part of a team with competing deadlines. The post holder is required to be quick thinking with a calm, patient and pragmatic manner.
• The necessary skills to assist with system issues and decide on the fixes applicable and creative solutions.
• Ability to manage and motivate a team.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

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

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Up to date, working knowledge of Windows-based software and of Microsoft Office applications; in particular a good level of knowledge in Teams, Excel, Word & Outlook.
• Working knowledge of Local Authority accounting and relevant guidance (including Financial Regulations, LA Open Data).
• Technical knowledge on how to support & maintain several different databases.
• Some previous recent knowledge of database administration.
• Awareness of HMRC regulations in relation to payment of invoices and employment status.

Desirable knowledge

• A deep understanding of source systems will be required, and creative solutions required to replace manual process with automated ones. 
• Knowledge in the application of policy relating to Data Protection and Data Quality.
• A high level of knowledge of excel and its technical functions.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Recent experience of working within a financial environment for a complex organisation.
• Up to date experience of critically evaluating and explaining financial information to finance staff and budget holders.
• Current experience of providing timely, accurate and relevant automated financial information from a number of different databases.
• Relevant technical experience of system administration & development.
• Some experience of managing a team and organising workloads & priorities.
• Suitable relevant experience of working with a payment management system.
• Previous experience of dealing and resolving customer queries.
• Experience of monitoring suspense accounts and investigating / correcting anomalies identified.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Some relevant experience in providing training either on a one-to-one basis or to a group.
• Experience of assisting and putting forward ideas in technical projects to develop/update reporting solution.
• Some previous, successful experience of working as part of a project group.
• Experience of reviewing procedure and suggesting system solutions to improve service delivery.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to GCSE O Level standard or equivalent.
• Association of Accounting Technician level 4 or equivalent.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to A Level standard or equivalent.
• PRINCE 2 Foundation Level or equivalent.

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.