Senior finance officer

Band 4 · Finance officer · 286 job evaluation points

Senior finance officers handle the more complex financial processing and reconciliations, support month-end and year-end, and help budget holders understand their spending.

Responsibilities

Prepare month-end entries, such as accruals and prepayments for annual software and support contracts.
Investigate and clear complex reconciling items and aged balances.
Prepare sales tax returns and reconciliations under supervision.
Produce standard budget reports and explain them to budget holders.
Check that spending is coded correctly between capital and revenue, and raise questions with the accountants.
Supervise and check the work of finance officers and assistants day to day.
Suggest improvements to financial procedures and system workflows.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Financial transactions and ledgersThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: manage a ledger or transaction process and keep it accurate and up to date investigate and clear complex reconciling items and aged balances improve transaction processes, for example by automating matching or approvals train and check the work of other staff
Financial reporting and statutory accountsThis reference	Awareness (1)	You can: explain the purpose of the main financial statements prepare working papers and reconciliations that support month-end and year-end
Management accountingThis reference	Awareness (1)	You can: explain budgets, actuals, commitments, and variances produce standard budget reports from the finance system
Finance systemsThis reference	Working (2)	You can: use spreadsheets well, including formulas, lookups, and pivot tables maintain finance system data, such as cost centres, suppliers, and approvers report and help fix system problems
Financial controls and auditThis reference	Working (2)	You can: operate key controls, such as separation of duties and supplier bank detail checks provide evidence to auditors and answer their questions check that spending is approved at the right level
TaxThis reference	Working (2)	You can: prepare tax returns and reconciliations under supervision apply the right tax treatment to common purchases and income check employment status for contractors under guidance
Public sector financeThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply the organisation's capital and revenue rules to everyday spending explain how funding allocations and spending limits affect your area recognise spending that needs approval from a funder or spending control
Communicating informationUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: listen to the needs of design and business stakeholders and interpret information take part in discussions within a multidisciplinary team be an advocate for the team externally, and can manage differing perspectives shape and share communications relevant to the audience
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply data protection principles to your work contribute to data protection impact assessments handle information requests and records correctly

Typical qualifications and experience

An intermediate accounting qualification, or equivalent experience.
Experience of financial processing and reconciliations.

Band 4 outline

Knowledge: Detailed knowledge of the work area, typically from a foundation degree, apprenticeship, or equivalent experience.
Autonomy: Works within guidelines; resolves most day-to-day problems; manager available for advice.
Scope: Own work and a defined service or process.
Leadership: May supervise a small team or coordinate others' work.
Accountability: Delivery of a defined service or process.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	3	Gives routine information needing tact or persuasion, or complex or sensitive information, or straightforward training to groups.	21
Knowledge, training, and experience	4	A range of procedures, mostly non-routine, needing intermediate theory (for example a foundation degree or equivalent experience).	88
Analytical and judgemental skills	3	Judgements on a range of facts or situations needing analysis or comparison of options.	27
Planning and organisational skills	2	Plans straightforward tasks or activities, some ongoing.	15
Physical skills	3	Developed skills needing speed or accuracy, such as advanced keyboard use.	27
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	2	Implements policies for own area and proposes changes to its practices.	12
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	3	Authorises payments, buys some assets or supplies, monitors or holds a delegated budget, or maintains assets.	21
Responsibility for people	2	Supervises or coordinates staff day to day, trains others regularly, or gives basic HR advice.	12
Responsibility for information resources	3	Takes formal minutes, regularly writes reports or queries, or maintains information systems as a significant duty.	16
Responsibility for research and development	1	Carries out surveys or audits for own work; occasionally takes part in research or testing.	5
Freedom to act	2	Follows standard procedures and precedent; someone is usually available to ask; work may be checked.	12
Physical effort	2	Frequent sitting or standing in a restricted position, or occasional light to moderate effort.	7
Mental effort	2	Frequent concentration on predictable work, or occasional concentration on unpredictable work.	7
Emotional effort	1	Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	5
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 4: 271 to 325)			286