Finance Administration Officer
Forestry Commission
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 21st November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
We are Forestry England. We are the country’s largest land manager, caring for the nation’s forests for people, nature and the economy. The foundation of our organisation is our world-class sustainable management of the nation’s forests.
Our South England Forest District team is made up of around 160 people. Our team contains a diverse range of roles - from wildlife rangers to civil engineers, and ecologists to marketing professionals, we all contribute towards the management of some 46,000 hectares (ha) of public forest estate and national parks that stretch from Sussex to Dorset, and from Berkshire to the Isle of Wight.
Much of this forest is of high national importance for nature conservation and wildlife, and of international importance for biodiversity. South England Forest District is therefore responsible for land that includes Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) and sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Working within the district Business Support team you will be assisting the finance team as an accounts payable officer.
This is a key role managing our suppliers and working closely with our various teams to ensure the timely delivery of payments to suppliers for authorised goods and services.
There is also an element of IT and mobile phone support assisting colleagues with 'first aid' IT support and triaging more complex issues.
Job description
- Monitoring and managing the accounts inbox ensuring correspondence is managed effectively and dealt with in a professional and timely manner.
- Liaising with colleagues and suppliers to process invoices accurately in line with policy and guidance.
- Processing purchase order requests from colleagues.
- Verifying and processing new supplier setups and amendments, providing guidance as required.
- Provide support and cover for the wider business support team as required
- Provide support and problem solve general IT and mobile phone issues for colleagues.
Person specification
Essential experience:
- Experience of working in a transactional processing team or related finance function.
- Experience of using MS Office suite of applications.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to co-ordinate multiple tasks.
- Excellent communications skills both written and verbal.
- Problem solving approach with a can do attitude.
Desirable experience:
- Working toward an AAT qualification.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
- 25 days holiday a year, with an extra day’s holiday entitlement each year over the first 5 years up to a maximum of 30 days per year, plus bank holidays and 2.5 extra days leave. (all pro-rata).
- 3 days paid volunteering leave every year (once you have passed probation).
- STaR is our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
- Free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
- A commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.
We aim to provide a great place to work, whichever location you work from. Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forestry Commission workplaces, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to
- Complete a CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. The CV will be split into three parts: Job History, Full Qualification Details and previous skills/experience.
- Complete a 750 word personal statement showing how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience make you suitable for the role, with particular reference to the role responsibilities (see responsibilities section).
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application responses.
Failure to fully complete both sections (CV and Personal Statement) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. The panel will look for applications that demonstrate the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the job description and responsibilities.
Sift/Interview
We aim to complete the sift on 22nd November 2024 and interview week commencing 2nd December 2024, subject to change.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. Interviews will be face to face and at interview you will be assessed against your experience and the Behaviours listed in the advert.
Further Information
This role is offered on a full time basis and a total of 37 hours per week will need to be covered. Applicants who wish to work less than 37 hours per week or an alternative working pattern are welcome to apply, however your preferred working pattern may not be available if the remaining hours cannot be filled, and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Forestry Commission from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Where a role has been identified as one which falls under the scope of the Public Sector English Language Requirements, within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English. Applicants will be assessed in the selection process in accordance with the requirements.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via FCERecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Darron Lee
- Email : Darron.Lee@forestryengland.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
