Finance & Data Technician

Hours: 37 Hours Per Week

Interview Date: 3rd June 2025

Closing Date: 21st May 2025

Salary: Grade 5 (£29,093 - £32,654 FTE)

**Once you have submitted your application, please email recruitment@inspireculture.org.uk with your name, vacancy title and application reference so that we can check that your application has been received**

Are you passionate about finance and data? Do you want to use your skills to help Inspire's mission to encourage people to read, learn, and enjoy culture?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you! Inspire is looking for a dedicated Finance & Data Technician to join our resourceful and dynamic Finance Team.

This new role will work closely with our Finance Officers and Purchase Ledger Assistant to support the day-to-day financial operations of Inspire.

You will leverage technology to enhance and improve financial data management across the organisation.

For further information, please contact Achara Pongpaibul at achara.pongpaibul@inspireculture.org.uk

Job Description

Finance and Data Technician

Grade 5

Job Purpose 

To process and input purchase and sales ledger requirements, manage the organisation’s purchase card process, conduct regular financial reconciliations, process and manage month and year-end accounting adjustments and demonstrate sound accounting technical skills across the organisation.

To provide technical expertise and support across the finance function.

Key Responsibilities

1. To manage financial data sets across the organisation and with external providers
2. To enable full exploitation of technology to enhance and improve financial reporting and management
3. Support Inspire’s Finance Officers in the preparation of financial data for regular returns and the external audit
4. Accurately enter and upload purchase and sales ledger transactions, creating and utilising spreadsheet uploads and document recognition software where appropriate
5. Perform regular reconciliations to ensure accuracy, including supplier and payment reconciliations
6. To manage month- and year-end accounting adjustments (accruals, prepayments, deferred income, accrued income) in line with the Charity SORP
7. Create purchase orders where required
8. Create payment runs in line with Inspire’s financial policy and regulations
9. Resolve queries relating to purchase ledger
10. Set up supplier records in line with Inspire’s financial regulations
11. Generate income uploads into Inspire’s finance software
12. Line manage Inspire’s Purchase Ledger Assistant
13. Work with Inspire’s Finance Officers to develop current systems to ensure we strive for the most efficient and effective processes
14. Manage Inspire’s purchase card process, including the collating of monthly reports, ensuring correct treatment of VAT, and liaising with budget holders regarding appropriate coding
15. Manage Inspire’s lease accounting process
16. Provide administrative support to the finance team as required. From time to time, this may include supporting the wider Inspire, e.g. minute taking at HR Hearings.
17. The post holder will work in accordance with all Inspire policies and procedures, Inspire Brand guidelines, Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) contractual requirements, and professional best practice

Education and Knowledge Required for the role

1. Advanced knowledge required of Microsoft Excel (including formulas, Vlookups, Pivot tables, converting pdf/xml to Excel) and ability to create complex spreadsheets from scratch.
2. Intermediate knowledge of general IT systems and applications including Word processing and databases.
3. Qualified AAT Level 3 or 4

Skills and Experience

1. Experience of creating spreadsheets to upload data into finance software, create reports and perform financial reconciliations
2. Excellent communication (both verbal and written), and excellent people skills
3. Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
4. Solid understanding and execution of double entry bookkeeping
5. Experience of using SAGE 200 and WAP would be advantageous
6. Experience of working in a finance team would be advantageous

Role Dimensions

1. Reporting to the Finance Officer (Core Support Services and Purchase Ledger) within Inspire’s Finance Team
2. Liaising and supporting non-finance staff with the raising of POs, invoices and related queries
3. Line manage the Purchase Ledger Assistant 

Inspire Competencies

Customer Service (Competency Level 3) 

1. Demonstrates effective customer service skills – in person, online or on the phone - identifies and satisfies customer needs, adjusting their style with a friendly and professional approach as appropriate for the customer
2. Responds positively to customer concerns, acts to resolve or reassure customers as needed, agrees solutions with the customer or hands over to an appropriate colleague
3. Responds positively to any complaint or suggestion and seeks to resolve it within limits of their authority or hands over to a more senior manager as appropriate

Delivery the service offer (Competency Level 3) 

1. Advises and promotes the Inspire Service Offer to customers – to meet their immediate needs and other services that could be of interest or benefit them
2. Embraces any changes to the offer and any associated changes to processes or working practices positively
3. Shares feedback about the Inspire offer with their line manager and contributes to meetings, discussions and related activities to ensure service delivery and/or improve our offer

Communicating well (Competency Level 3) 

1. Communicates effectively in person, one-one-one, and in writing respectfully and in a style appropriate to the person and situation
2. Communicates effectively in a meeting or other group situation, respectfully and in a style appropriate to the group and situation with a solutions / can do approach
3. Debates or discusses positively with colleagues and line manager, sharing views and acknowledging and respecting the views of others and reaches agreement 

Working together (Competency Level 3) 

1. Adopts a friendly, helpful, supportive and respectful manner when working with others
2. Acts in a way that shows they are trustworthy, reliable and transparent in their dealings with others
3. Forms positive and effective working relationships, makes and implements decisions fairly, using good judgement and with integrity, in line with Inspire values and role modelling Inspire management and leadership behaviours  

Managing others (Competency Level 2) 

1. Effectively supervises and supports the day-to-day activities of a colleague(s) to enable them to perform their duties, planning and co-ordinating the activity of colleague(s) to deliver tasks or activities over time to meet service demand effectively and efficiently 
2. Manages and reviews performance and attendance of individuals effectively, setting goals, agreeing targets, and organises training as needed, tackling poor performance or attendance if required using Inspire policies 

Leading the way (Competency Level 2) 

1. Incorporate the spirit of Inspire’s mission, vision and values in the work they do with customers, colleagues and stakeholders
2. Articulate and share Inspire’s mission, vision and to enthuse and focus the efforts of colleagues 

Working efficiently and cost effectively (Competency Level 3)

1. Uses Inspire resources and their time effectively to meet service demand, objectives and/or targets
2. Plans ahead, making best use if time and resources available to achieve service delivery, maximising the use of technology available, minimising unnecessary travel or waste, prioritising work and working within spending limits
3. Resolves competing or conflicting demand for resources and time effectively to meet the needs of themselves, colleagues and customers  

Skills and qualifications (Competency Level 5) 

1. Qualified AAT Level 3 +

**Once you have submitted your application, please email recruitment@inspireculture.org.uk with your name, vacancy title and application reference so that we can check that your application has been received**