FINANCE ASSISTANT2 YEAR FIXED TERM POSITION

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Inspiring People in Different Ways

The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln (to give it its proper title) is first and foremost a church, the seat of the Bishop of Lincoln and a centre of worship and mission. A minimum of three services take place each day of the year, at least one of which is usually sung by the Cathedral’s renowned choir. It is the principal church of Lincolnshire and holds many of the county-wide services of celebration, commemoration and memorial. Lincoln Cathedral is a place of pilgrimage, where people come to seek God, to learn more about faith, or to take time out of a busy day for quiet reflection. It is a place of welcome and hospitality where all of any faith or no faith are encouraged to feel at home.

There is a real richness and variety in the way the Cathedral building is used. Significant musical and dramatic events take place, whether it is a visit from the Halle Orchestra; a performance of the 70’s hit Jesus Christ Superstar or the thought provoking musical Jekyll & Hyde; Mystery Plays; or international pop musician Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull fame, coming to perform. There is an active lecture series each year with speakers offering their insights into current and historical affairs. In recent years we have also sought to use the Cathedral nave for fundraising for the fabric of the building with the Magna Carta 800 dinner in 2015 and the Charter of the Forest dinner in 2017.

We welcome thousands of visitors from across the world to the Cathedral each year and provide floor, tower and roof tours throughout the year. Many hundreds of children visit during our annual schools’ festivals; Church Schools Festival, Infant Schools Festival, Secondary Schools Festival and we offer schools’ tours and trails throughout the academic year.

Finance and Lincoln CathedralThe Cathedral is governed by a constitution and statutes under the Cathedrals Measure1999 which came into force on 17th November 2000 and updated 2005. It is a corporatebody with charitable status but is not regulated by the Charity Commission. The CathedralsMeasure broadly mirrors the Charities Acts in relation to accounting requirements. TheCathedral currently has two trading subsidiaries, Lincoln Minster Shops Ltd (LMS) andLincoln Cathedral Quarry Ltd (LCQ). It also has a related registered charity Lincoln Cathedral

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Music Fund.

The Cathedral is managed by its Chapter which has set up a Finance Committee which meets quarterly to consider management accounts, the annual budget and annual reporting.

The Finance Committee has an investment sub-committee which oversees the Cathedral’s investments. Day to day management is led by the Chapter Clerk who oversees all operations of the Cathedral.

The Finance Manager currently leads a team of six people and this team comprises:

The Management Accountant whose role it is to maintain the nominal ledgers and control accounts of the Cathedral entities and undertake management account preparation.

The Sales Ledger Accountant, who maintains the sales ledger, captures data in respect of income, compiles gift aid claims and assists with bank reconciliations.

The Purchase Ledger Clerk who maintains the purchase ledger of the cathedral, ensuring effective operation of controls, and captures data in respect of expenditure.

The Head Cashier and Assistant Cashier (both part time) who count all cash received in the Cathedral, reconcile entry desk till takings and bank cash via G4S.

In addition there is a zero-hours post to provide relief cover for Cashiers and to provide ad-hoc support to the finance department from time to time.

The Finance Assistant role will be a new addition to the team for a fixed two year period and will provide essential support for the Lincoln Cathedral Connected Project. The role is crucial to facilitate the regular, accurate production of management information in order tomonitor and control project spend and to ensure that grant claims are prepared accuratelyand in the required formats to expedite cash draw down from funders.

The finance function is integral to safeguarding the assets of the Cathedral, maximising theirutility and providing key management information to support the daily life of the cathedral,and preserve the Cathedral for future generations. The Cathedral has a vibrant communityand undertakes an eclectic mix of activities engaging with a large number of stakeholders both secular and non-secular.

Each year we host a number of events which have recently included Jesus Christ Superstar, an amateur dramatic production held within the heart of the Cathedral nave, live musical performances of The Snowman featuring our own musicians and choristers as well as a broad programme of

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celebrations for the 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta during 2015. This year, we are hosting an amateur dramatic production of Jekyll and Hyde and will be celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Charter of the Forest. By 2020, the Lincoln Cathedral Connected project will transform our visitor offering, creating a new Visitor and Interpretation Centre, and will have a significant, positive impact on the cathedral’s setting and visitor experience.

This is an exciting time to join a dedicated finance team which operates in a dynamic environment and is working toward future-proofing its processes and procedures to meet the challenges ahead.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Finance AssistantLine Manager: Finance ManagerKey purpose: To facilitate the monitoring of the Connected Project spend, compile andsubmit grant claims with supporting evidence in required formats and support the financefunction of Lincoln Cathedral.

Key responsibilities:

Checking and verifying invoiced amounts against purchase orders raised; ensuring appropriate authorisation is evidenced.

Processing invoices, ensuring appropriate VAT treatment, description and coding by nominal code, project, department and fund.

Setting up new supplier accounts and maintaining existing account details

Input of invoices and overheads into the Heritage Lottery Fund online claim form

Scanning of paperwork to be uploaded to the Heritage Lottery Fund online claim

Monthly reconciliation of supplier statements Reconciliation of Petty Cash Reconciliation of credit card statements Reconciliation of overhead costs (bills, recharges, salaries)

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Assist in the preparation of spreadsheets, reports and correspondence as required

Monitoring cash flow and communicating anticipated requirements to Finance Manager

General Duties

Preparing requested purchase summaries Filing and regular archiving of related documentation

Additional Duties

Assisting to analyse Works Department timesheets in line with project costing requirements and recording of absence

Assisting the Finance Manager and other department members as may be required from time to time.

Person specification and relevant experience:

Essential Desired

GCSE grade C or above in Maths and English

Level 2 AAT or above

Proven, strong organisational and administrative skills

Enthusiastic, self-motivated and keen to learn

Excellent numerical and analytical skills

Strong interpersonal and communications skills

Team working skills

The ability to work to monthly deadlines and prioritise workload

Methodical and accurate

Proficient IT skills – experience of Microsoft Word, Excel and Sage 50

Experience of working within an office environment

Previous purchase ledger or bookkeeping experience

MAIN PARTICULARS OF THE POST

Salary: £18,500 per annum.

Pension: All eligible employees will be automatically enrolled in the Pension Builder 2014 section of the Church Workers Pension Scheme operated by the Church of England Pensions Board

Working hours: 35 hours per week over 5 days (Monday- Friday).

Holidays: 33 days per annum, inclusive of UK and bank holidays.

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Application Process: Please submit your application using the application form. A CV is not an acceptable substitute to the application form but may be attached as an additional document if you wish.

Please submit your form to:

Miss Angela ParkerThe Chapter Office4 PriorygateLincolnLN2 1PX

HRadmin@lincolncathedral.com

The closing date for applications is midnight Friday 13th July 2018

Selection process date: The selection process including interviews will take place on Thursday 26th July 2018

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