Job description

Job Title: Project Accountant

Location: The Showroom, Lincoln (Travel to other YMCA sites and off site meetings will be required at times)

Salary: £35,000 - £45,000+ (dep on skills & experience)

Hours: Full time 37.5 hrs Mon –Fri

Job purpose

The YMCA is the oldest and largest youth charity in the world, operating as it does across 119 countries. YMCA Lincolnshire reached its 150th year in 2019 and has an outstanding track record in delivering a range of services in the following five key work streams;

• Accommodation

• Health and Wellbeing

• Family & Youth Work

• Training and Education

• Support and Advice

YMCA Lincolnshire mission is to be a sustainable, vibrant and visionary charity serving communities and individuals throughout Lincolnshire, helping them gain the strength, resilience and skills to thrive and achieve their full potential

Using Christian Values as our foundation, we aim to develop the mind, body and spirit of individuals, families and communities and improve health and wellbeing for all.

Overview of Job:

Reporting to Assistant Director: Finance, The Project Accountant is an integral part of the Finance Management Team, they will provide financial support, guidance and oversight for a portfolio of business projects (both Capital and Revenue) and be the key financial lead for ensuring effective and efficient management of the financial aspects at all phases of a project lifecycle. This will include an appreciation of non-financial or quantifiable benefits and how they support the Charity’s objectives.

The Project Accountant will provide effective project risk management, advice and guidance by working in partnership across departments, and providing a consistent, high quality and proactive financial service to support and enable achievement of the organisations vision and goals.

They will support the Assistant Director in the development of strategy, policy and procedures to support the effective decision making and management of grant funded projects, developing and embedding a culture in which best value, statutory compliant practices are adopted at all times.

The Project Accountant will be expected to deputise for the Assistant Director during times of annual leave and high work load. This will include oversight of all aspects of the finance function at these times.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Ensure visibility of finance across the organisation and ensure a business partnering approach with department heads and project leads

To take responsibility for the drafting and costing of financial information for funding/grant bids, ensuring maximum cost recovery, including an overhead contribution is achieved on all grant funded projects.

• Advise and actively support Managers with developing new initiatives, contributing to business case options and modelling financial scenarios.

• Produce business cases which are well thought out and robustly evaluate the options in order to support decision making and ensure that decisions are based on an informed understanding of financial business implications.

• Ensure that projects demonstrate value for money and pro-actively challenge where instances arise which do not appear to deliver economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

• Prepare and keep under review forward projections of performance and cashflows

• Attend management and board meetings as required, providing an overview of the financial aspects of the projects and any anticipated financial impact.

• Produce financial analysis as required by the project management lead and senior managers to assist with decision making.

• Develop reporting templates (and other tools) in line with project lead and funder requirements in order to allow reports to be produced in the desired format and which include transparent reporting on project performance and cost recovery.

• To be responsible for regular review of project performance with project leads and advise on the level of income that should be recognised in the statutory accounts.

• Ensure grant income and expenditure is accurately disclosed in the management and statutory accounts and that such disclosure is compliant with any grant conditions.

• To keep a register of restricted funds as deemed appropriate and regularly reconcile these balance sheet accounts ensuring that all restricted income and expenditure is correctly disclosed in the accounts.

• To review grant funding contracts, bringing to the attention of the Assistant Director: Finance/Corporate services Director any clauses of special note or that give cause for concern/present a risk to the charity to ensure that any risks associated with grant funded projects are considered and appropriately included on the risk register.

• Ensure that any assets purchased through grant/ funding are recorded appropriately on the asset register and the insurers informed where necessary.

• Work closely with the Income & Fundraising manager to ensure the Charity secures all income due under funding and grant contracts, including grants, funding and loans and presents this correctly in the accounts, reporting to the Assistant Director any balances held back and the rationale for providing for clawback.

• To be responsible for the monitoring, tracking and recording of income received and due from miscellaneous or legacy projects/grants, ensuring the finance procedures are complete and analysis reports are produced as and when required.

• To support with the production of monthly management accounts and annual statutory accounts, ensuring that they present a true and fair view of the financial position.

• To support the Assistant Director: Finance with the operational and strategic direction and development of the Finance Department, including the development and dissemination of timely, accessible and accurate information to support strategic and operational decisions.

• To be cognisant of the responsibilities of the Finance Department, so as to provide effective cover as required.

• To ensure the compliance with GDPR, Financial Regulations, and YMCA Lincolnshire policies & procedures

Essential Requirements

Part Qualified or Qualified Accountant (ACA, CIMA, CIPFA or ACCA).May consider AAT graduate depending on specialism and experience.

Excellent IT skills including advanced Microsoft Excel skills

Experience of financial forecasting and tracking of project finances

Experience of producing and /or reviewing statutory financial statements.

A proven record of communicating complex financial issues and models in a clear-cut, concise manner to all relevant stakeholders.

Proven analytical and modelling skills, and must be both commercially astute and a confident communicator.

A good understanding and experience of the financial compliance issues in the charity sector.

Proven ability to review and challenge assumptions within detailed financial forecasts.

Desirable Requirements

Experience in managing the finances and accounts of a Charity organisation.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £28,656.44-£63,384.11 per year

Benefits:

• Bereavement leave
• Company events
• Company pension
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Lincoln: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Education:

• A-Level or equivalent (preferred)

Experience:

• accounting: 2 years (required)

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: HR/ Project Accountant