Finance Officer - recruitment July 2025

This is an exciting opportunity to join Stepping Stones in the role of Finance Officer. Working closely alongside our Manager & Deputy Manager you will be an organised and committed person, able to work independently as well as responding to the needs of a busy office. You will be working on the majority of financial matters at the charity, including (but not limited to) financial budgeting and management, day-to-day bookkeeping and payroll.

You will be expected to provide budget input into the development of funding bids, while also ensuring a strong internal controls environment allowing for accountability of the spend of our contractual, grants and fundraising income. This is a hands-on role with the opportunity to make it your own, by improving and streamlining the financial aspects and systems of the organisation.

The position is part-time at 14 hours per week (we are flexible in terms of working days and WFH opportunities for the right candidate) with an hourly rate of £14.27 (£29,681 FTE), all with a possibility of an increase in hours over time. The contract is for an initial 24 months with the hope of making it permanent in the near future.

Now is an exciting time to join Stepping Stones as we grow a successful social enterprise alongside the day service.

Please send a CV & cover letter by 12 midnight on Friday 25th July, by email to: roger@steppingstonesproject.com or by post FAO: Roger Bilton-Hill, Stepping Stones, Heartsease Lane, Norwich, NR7 9NR; we aim to interview in the middle to end of August 2025.

We are a proud Disability Confident Level 2 and Living Wage accredited employer. If you are thinking of applying and would like to have an informal chat have any questions or a need for additional support for the application process, please phone Roger Bilton-Hill our Manager on 01603 419996.

See below for Job and Person specification:

Job Purpose

You will be working as part of a small staff team, volunteers and trustees to ensure the smooth and continuous running of the day service.

You will be working on the day-to-day accounting function and finances, to deliver all aspects of financial management, reporting and compliance.

You will report to the Manager and Deputy Manager to work closely alongside all staff to administer and oversee individual project budgets.

The role involves preparing and producing all financial information for submission in a timely manner to the charity’s accountants and other regulatory bodies as necessary.

You will work with the Manager, Deputy Manager and Trustees more widely to develop the charity’s financial budgets and ensure adherence to all relevant policies and procedures.

Main responsibilities

• Lead on the accurate and timely administration of the financial systems, reporting and record-keeping to include bank and PayPal reconciliation

• Administer bookkeeping tasks including entering and processing payment of invoices and receipts of funding into the financial systems and reporting on these in the appropriate manner

• Use our online banking system to pay invoices for business matters

• Manage petty cash tin and system

• Administer reconciliations and budget/balance sheet administration to

• Running payroll and updating monthly pensions systems

• Work with Norfolk County Council Financial Payments Team to ensure the accurate completion and submission and receipt of day care services funding

• Work with the Manager to prepare any financial information needed for fundraising bids, and to administer grant funding in accordance with funders’ requirements, providing financial reports as necessary

Governance

• To work alongside the Manager and Deputy Manager to create reports and projections for the Trustees to consider at their meetings

• Coordinate the annual audit process with the Independent Examiners ensuring that all financial information is provided in a timely and complete manner and assisting with the preparation of the statutory accounts

Compliance

• Adhere to relevant financial policies and procedures, ensuring that these comply with the latest relevant guidance

• Developing and maintaining safe working practices regarding finance administration

• Working within legislative requirements and good practice guidelines to ensure that the charity remains a socially responsible organisation and is not exposed to unnecessary financial risk

• Following our safeguarding and GDPR policies and procedures at all times

Fundraising

• Liaising with the Manager and external fundraising team to provide information for bids, appeals and reports

• Identifying new funding options

• Oversee our payment systems and accounts for running our social enterprise project

• Set up and manage online payment mechanisms for online donations/ fundraising

Other responsibilities

• The above is not an exhaustive list and from time-to-time staff may be required to undertake other duties outside the scope of their normal duties to ensure the effective running of the project. 

Essential Criteria

• At least two years working experience within a finance team

• A strong understanding of financial/accounting and operational systems

• Good working knowledge of small business-based accounting packages and sound Excel and Word experience

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills and a proven ability to manage competing priorities

• Ability to manage, plan ahead, anticipate and react to problems/unexpected events

• Ability to work flexibly as part of a small team

• Proven commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

• A good understanding of professional boundaries

• Ability to communicate well at all levels, with a diverse group of people and stakeholders

• You will need to be approachable, understanding and empathetic as well as resilient, flexible and organised

Desirable

• Relevant qualifications, e.g. AAT bookkeeping

• Experience of working with adults with learning disabilities in a social or healthcare setting and/or third sector.