Finance Assistant

Leeds City Council; Leeds; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job description

Job title Finance Assistant

Salary £24,404 - £25,183 (pro rata)

Hours 18.5

Contract Permanent

Location Office based Assisted Living Leeds, Clarence Road LS10 1LZ

As a Finance Assistant you will thrive on being part of a team ensuring Tele Care customers receive an invoice in a timely manner and income into the service is maximised. It’s not about numbers but a varied role working across the different teams in the service to support people to remain safe at home.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About You

As a Finance Assistant, you will bring to the role:

• Motivation and commitment
• Knowledge of the applications, systems and IT programmes and being able to accurately record and retrieve information.
• Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work with a range of audiences.
• The ability to prioritise workload and conflicting demands.

About The Role

Leeds City Council’s provision of telecare is called Leeds Tele Care Services, offering five packages each providing a range of sensors, alarms, and monitoring systems which can be tailored to meet the individual’s needs. Leeds Tele Care Services helps people live independently and safely in their own homes – while providing much-needed reassurance to family members, friends, and carers.

Leeds Tele Care is a chargeable service. As our next Finance Assistant, you will be key to ensure that customers contract details are correct and that invoices are issued in a timely manner. You will be required to work from base at Assisted Living Leeds and will work a 2-week rota covering the hours of 8am – 5pm working 2 days on week 1 and 3 days on week 2 and every other weekend, enhanced payment is provided for weekend working. The role is integral to our Tele Care team so that the income into the service is maximised.

What We Offer You

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How To Apply

Please complete the online application form. Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact: Jessica Dickinson, Tele care Deputy Operational Manager, Call 07595210951 or email [e-mail]

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period. This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. For more information visit Skilled Worker visa on the government website. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description
Job purpose

The main purpose of the job is to assist in the provision of financial support to the Tele Care Service. This post will achieve this by keeping the information on details of installations and cancellations up to date. This will be achieved by ensuring that data is input into the systems for Sundry income team to send out invoices to customers. The post holder will also be required to undertake a range of administrative tasks associated with the running of the Leeds Tele Care Service.

Responsibilities

• Input installations, changes, and cancellations details into the various databases daily so that Sundry Income can issue invoices to customers.
• To ensure that the information held on the various databases match to maximise income into the Council.
• To provide up to date information on the Service activity. Providing senior managers, budget holders and staff with information from financial systems.
• To help make sure the Council uses money wisely.
• To comply with statutory financial obligations.
• To identify unusual patterns of activity.
• Provide weekly and monthly records of service activity as required by the management team.
• To provide records in various formats such as excel.
• The enter information/data into the various computerised systems.
• To maintain appropriate records and files on the various computer system.
• To carry out general office duties including raising orders, filing, photocopying, mail, and completion of documentation as directed.
• To receive telephone information from customers and family members and to pass on information to the relevant team.
• To assist in the provision and collation of information contributing to budget reporting.
• To assisting with annual financial processes.
• To communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with colleagues, members of the public and other stakeholders.
• To liaise with officers within the service, the Council and outside agencies in relation to the designated area of work.
• To complete tasks to a high quality and within agreed timescales.
• To be flexible in approach to enable deadlines to be met and to undertake work in other areas of the division’s activities.
• To fulfil all duties and responsibilities with a strong customer focus and demonstrate a commitment to the provision of a quality service.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Evidence of numerical and literacy skills e.g. GCSE pass at Grade C or above in English and Mathematics or equivalent (this may include relevant work experience)

Essential requirements

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

• Ability to pass information accurately and concisely between members of the public, staff, and professionals.
• Able to accurately enter/retrieve data information from information systems.
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload.
• To respect the need for confidentiality.
• Ability to use own initiative and work independently.
• Effective communication skills verbal, written and in person and with both professionals and service users from a range of agencies.
• Ability to understand circumstances of service users and carers.
• Knowledge of general office procedures and practice.
• An understanding of the need for financial controls within an organisation.
• Practical understanding of the application of computerised systems.
• Evidence of numerical and literacy skills e.g. GCSE pass at Grade C or above in English and Mathematics or equivalent (this may include relevant work experience).
• Experience in the use of the Microsoft package.
• Working with data bases and spreadsheets.
• Experience of communicating effectively and positively in several ways with a variety of people, in a particular use of telephone.
• Experience of using a range of computer operating systems.
• Experience of working to deadlines.

Essential Behavioural And Other Characteristics

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol, and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements

It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

• Knowledge of Telecare.
• Knowledge of Social Alarm services and Telecare / Preventative Technology.
• Knowledge of electronic stock control systems.
• Experience of extracting and analysing data from information databases.
• Previous experience of financial and administrative duties.