Finance and IT officer

Job information Finance and IT officer from the Company National Council for the Training of Journalists, this latest Finance and IT officer job vacancy is located in the city Saffron Walden CB PL. This latest job opening is open to job seekers who have the latest education / graduate . Job Vacancies in this Government field have been opened and published up to the specified time.

About the NCTJ

The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) is the UK's leading provider of journalism training and qualifications. We are dedicated to fostering a high standard of journalism across the UK through a robust and comprehensive approach to education and skills development. The charity is committed to innovation, integrity, and the promotion of diverse voices within the media industry.

Finance and IT officer

Introduction

The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) is looking for a finance and IT officer to support the work of our head of finance and IT. The ideal candidate will have sound finance experience, great administrative and IT skills, an interest in the charity sector and journalism as well as an understanding of business. There will be an opportunity to get involved in higher level work and to develop your career in finance at the NCTJ. The enthusiasm, commitment and potential to be a successful member of our dedicated team and a positive approach are also really important to us.

In return for your hard work, we provide a competitive salary, a great team-working culture and help to develop your skills and experience.

The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) is an award-winning charity dedicated to promoting quality, trust and diversity in journalism. Established in 1951, the NCTJ works to equip aspiring and professional journalists with the skills, knowledge, and ethical foundation needed to succeed in today's fast-paced media environment. Its mission is to support a robust and inclusive media sector that serves and reflects all communities.

Through initiatives like the Community Reporting Fund (CRF) and Journalism Diversity Fund (JDF), the NCTJ champions inclusivity and accessibility in journalism. The CRF helps local news organisations train reporters to amplify underrepresented voices and underserved stories, while the JDF provides financial assistance and support to individuals from diverse backgrounds, breaking down barriers to entry and fostering a media industry that reflects the society it serves.

The Journalism Skills Academy (JSA) offers flexible, cutting-edge training for journalists at all career stages. The JSA provides access to bespoke online learning, workshops, and resources, enabling journalists to adapt to new challenges and opportunities in the digital age. With its focus on professional growth, the JSA ensures journalists remain at the forefront of the industry while upholding the highest standards of integrity and excellence.

The NCTJ's rigorous accreditation standards and its qualifications are widely recognised as the gold standard for journalism training. Accredited courses deliver practical journalism skills and theoretical knowledge in areas such as news gathering and storytelling, media law, ethics, and digital production. NCTJ qualifications equip journalists with essential skills to excel in the profession, ensuring they uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, and professionalism.

Key responsibilities of the role

Reporting to our head of finance and IT and working closely with all members of our team, the main areas of responsibility are to:

• Maintain accurate finance records and data on Sage.
• Maintain accurate sales and purchase ledgers.
• Prepare regular payment schedules for approval and upload to the bank
• Perform weekly bank reconciliations for all bank accounts.
• Provide other financial and administrative assistance and support to the head of finance and IT as required, including organising and attending meetings and taking minutes.
• Implement financial accounting administrative and processing tasks across all income and expenditure activities.
• Act as the first point of contact for staff IT queries, with support from the outsourced IT provision.

About you

The NCTJ is looking for someone with the skills to assist with all aspects of financial administration. You must be able to plan and prioritise, be thorough and have a keen eye for detail, numeracy skills and accuracy.

Successful candidates will have experience of credit control, sales and purchase ledgers, reconciliations, payment schedules, budgeting and VAT.

Experience with Sage - or a similar platform - is an advantage but not a prerequisite. You will have a friendly and professional manner in communicating with the NCTJ team, our suppliers and customers. You will be responsible for credit control, so dealing sensitively and professionally with customers is vital.

All staff at the NCTJ must have a good standard of English and digital and IT skills.

Please see the full job description for this role and our website for further information about the NCTJ.

Benefits

This part-time or full-time permanent position attracts a FTE annual salary of c.£30,000 (depending on experience) with probationary, annual and promotion salary reviews. We anticipate the role will involve 28-35 hours per week but we are happy to discuss working hours with candidates at interview.

Other financial benefits include a five per cent employer pension contribution, life insurance, company bonus scheme and 25 days (pro rata) of holiday.

There are staff events and personal development training opportunities and a great working environment. The job is based at our lovely office in the North Essex village of Newport near Saffron Walden. We promote work-life balance and support staff who have family responsibilities and particular needs. Please note this is a fully office-based role.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a one-page covering letter, detailing why you would like to be considered for the position and how you meet the person specification for the role, addressed to Alexandra Gear, head of finance and IT at .

We will be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis.

If you require reasonable adjustments to made at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.

Full job description:

Job title: Finance and IT officer

Hours: 28-35 hours per week, working pattern to be agreed

Responsible to: Head of finance and IT

Location: NCTJ office, Newport, Essex

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: c. £30,000 (FTE), dependent on experience, pro rata for part time

Key contacts: NCTJ's chief executive, management team and staff, NCTJ's suppliers and customers, NCTJ's auditors

Job purpose:

To support the work of the NCTJ by providing a high-quality financial administration service, with specific responsibilities for:

• Financial accounting administrative and processing tasks across all income and expenditure activities.
• Maintaining accurate finance records and data on Sage.
• Maintaining accurate sales and purchase ledgers.
• Preparing regular payment schedules for approval and upload to the bank.
• Performing weekly bank reconciliations for all bank accounts.
• Maintain technology systems and act as first point of contact for staff IT queries.
• Providing other financial and administrative assistance and support to the head of finance and IT and CEO as required, including organising and attending meetings and taking minutes.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Working closely with the NCTJ's head of finance and IT, ensure the smooth administration of the NCTJ's accounts by administering the sales ledger. This includes raising invoices, aged debtor analysis, producing monthly reports for the head of finance, and chasing outstanding invoices for payment.
• Allocate all remittances, including by BACs and card payments, to the sales ledger. Reconciliation of payments to the bank accounts.
• Administer the purchase ledger and process supplier invoices, including posting to Sage and reconciling to the bank accounts.
• Prepare payment schedules of supplier invoices, obtaining appropriate authorisation for checking by the head of finance and IT.
• Act as the main point of contact for customer and supplier queries.
• Reconcile monthly credit card statements and ensure the relevant documentation is saved.
• Assist the head of finance and IT with the preparation of monthly reports and budgets.
• Prepare quarterly VAT returns for NCTJ and its subsidiary NCTJ Training.
• Assist the head of finance and IT with the year-end accounts preparation and liaising with auditors.
• Assist the head of finance and IT in the tracking of NCTJ programmes and projects using the accounting system and excel.
• Attend and take minutes for the quarterly Finance and Audit Committee meetings.
• Undertake special projects from time to time as directed by the head of finance and IT.
• Act as the first point of contact for staff IT queries, raising tickets to alert the external IT provider. Assist the head of finance and IT in setting up IT and systems for new joiners.
• Proactively maintain IT systems, including phone systems, laptops and connectivity.
• Assist the head of finance and IT and CEO with HR administration, such as keeping annual leave records up to date on the online system.
• Assist the CEO with recruitment administration, such as arranging interviews and posting job adverts.
• Assist the CEO with travel arrangements and diary planning.

Person specification:

Qualifications and background:

• A good standard of English, a high level of numeracy, and digital and IT skills (essential).
• A minimum of two years of experience in a finance processing role (essential).
• Experience of working within the charity or not-for-profit sector (desirable).

Specific knowledge and skills:

• Experience using accounting software, such as Sage (essential).
• Sound Microsoft Office skills, including Word, Excel and Outlook (essential).
• Experience in providing IT support (essential).
• Experience of providing a credit control service (desirable).
• Experience in the use of payment approval systems (desirable).
• A working knowledge of VAT rules, and experience in preparing VAT returns (desirable).

Personal attributes:

• A friendly and professional manner (essential).
• Good customer service skills (essential).Sound prioritisation skills (essential).
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (essential).
• Ability to work as part of a team (essential).
• High levels of accuracy and speed in processing tasks (essential).

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Pay: £30,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 28 - 35 per week

Additional pay:

• Bonus scheme

Benefits:

• Company events
• Company pension
• Life insurance
• Sick pay

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application question(s):

• Do you have experience using Sage 50 or a similar accounting package?
• Please include a covering letter with your CV as part of your application.

Work Location: In person