INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Deputy Financial Services Manager

Salary: SO2 £37,280 - £39,152

Hours: 37 hours full time

Contract: Permanent

Location: Leeds City Council, Civic Hall, Leeds – Hybrid working available

Join the Business Support Centre – Central Payments team

Are you an enthusiastic individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment? We are looking for someone just like you to join our Central Payments Team, focusing on dealing with processing of invoices and a wide range of technical payment related queries over the telephone and by email.

About the Role:

The BSC is part of the Shared Services function within Leeds City Council. The BSC provides employment, finance and other administration support activities to a wide range of teams and services across the council and over 240 schools, academies, colleges, universities and other external partners. The BSC also includes the council’s corporate mail, print and records management facility.
The Central payment work is fast paced and processes, over 200,000 invoices per year.
The team deals with a wide range of payment related enquiries from internal colleagues within the Council, other key external partners and suppliers.
The team are responsible for creating and updating a large number of supplier records for the Council and other key external partners and suppliers.

Key Responsibilities:

Day to day management of a team of colleagues.
Handle complex telephone and email enquiries related to payment enquiries, taxation relating to VAT and Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) and quality assurance.
Provide a customer-focused service to Leeds City Council internal colleagues and external organisations, such as schools and academies.
Maintain and create supplier records for Leeds City Council and external partners ensuring that the data held is recorded accurately.
Maintain detailed knowledge around financial policies and procedures such as Financial Regulations.
Preparing and authorisation of the daily BACs payment run.
Prepare invoices for manual processing and authorising high value invoices.
Work with high levels of accuracy for tasks such as checking documents and recording numerical and alphabetical information.

What We Offer:

Challenging and varied work with opportunities for personal development.
Training and support in providing great customer service with a focus on financial matters.
A great team ethos and a supportive work environment.

Requirements:

Welcoming, enthusiastic, and professional attitude.
Good communication skills; particularly verbally via the telephone
Ability to work flexibly to support other teams when necessary.
Knowledge of GDPR and data protection legislation.
Commitment to the Council’s values.

Contact Information: For further information about the vacancy, please contact Nicola Bruce (0113 3787566) or Danielle Hooks (0113 3787870)

Join us and be a vital part of ensuring the Council can pay their suppliers accurately and promptly.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

Shared Services consists of over 1,000 employees in the Business Support Centre and Business Administration Service. Both of these services provide administration support activities to a wide range of teams and services across the council.

We help the council to streamline operations by redesigning processes, reviewing models of delivery to enable better sharing of resources and exploiting existing or introducing new technology to modernise the way we work.

Our staff use a range of computer programmes and systems to support services which include those working with teams based across the council in a number of different administration roles.

This role is working within the BSC Financial Services Team with responsibility for the day-to-day management of the QA/Taxation and Creditors teams which is responsible for the creation and maintenance of creditors for Leeds City Council, payment of high value invoices, ensure the daily payment run is created and posted for all supplier invoices. The teams are fast paced and varied providing a service to over 40,000 Council employees. Supporting the Authority’s responsibilities in connection with prompt payment of invoices and correct taxation including CIS tax. The team are also responsible for the delivery of payment to suppliers, which includes managing change to promote continuous service improvements (eg: recovering/reporting duplicate payments).

The Financial Services team also incorporates Accounts Payable and the Purchasing Card teams which are responsible for the processing of invoices and Purchase card payments. Due to the small nature of all these teams an element of crossover of duties and multi-tasking is required. Therefore, adaptability and flexibility are essential skills.

Responsibilities

Deputise for the Financial Services Manager – QA, Taxation and Creditors ensuring business continuity.
Work in conjunction with Senior Managers to develop new policies and methods of working in response to changes in legislation and best practice. Comply with Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Quality Assurance procedures.
Creation and maintenance of creditor records within the Council’s Financial Management System.
Ensuring the high value invoices are authorised within the Council’s Financial Management System, adhering to legislative business, financial, audit and operational requirements of the service.
Provision of support to management in the delivery of payment to suppliers, which includes managing change to promote continuous service improvements (eg: recovering/reporting duplicate payments).
To contribute towards completion of statutory returns (eg. CIS).
Analyse and collate data for the provision of accurate management information and production of reports.
Identify problems and areas for improvement and offer solutions.
Experience of leading and motivating staff including the planning, organising and delegation of work.
Ability to express ideas clearly with well-developed interpersonal and communication skills.
Knowledge and experience of adhering to procedures and legislation relating to financial regulations.
Experience of using IT applications and systems to produce, record analyse and evaluate information.
Knowledge and experience of legislative business, financial, audit and operational requirements of the service, and the impact on its day-to-day work.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Qualifications

None

Personal Specification

Method of assessment will be through one or more of the following application form, test, interview, and certificate.

Essential requirements

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Skills required

Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
Well-developed experience of working with a wide range of people including face-to-face, telephone and written communication skills – including the processes for dealing with and sharing confidential and complex information.
Working with high levels of accuracy with a good attention to detail.
Able to manage staff appropriately within the policies and procedures agreed by the Council e.g. managing attendance, appraisal schemes identifying and progressing training and development interventions.

Knowledge required

Knowledge and experience of adhering to procedures and legislation relating to confidential information and financial regulations.
A good working knowledge of the Council’s Financial Management System.

Experience required

Experience of working as part of a team and contributing to its development with suggestions for new ways of working.
Experience of working on your own, managing your own workload and using your initiative to adhere to time scales and deadlines.
Experience of using IT applications and systems to produce, record and evaluate information.
A good understanding of the purchase order raising process and the financial management system.
Experience and understanding of the importance of providing excellent customer services and experience of dealing positively with challenging situations.
Experience of expressing ideas and concepts clearly, with the ability to communicate effectively.
Experience of co-ordinating activities which involve liaison with customers and colleagues across multiple teams to solve problems and meet objectives through building positive working relationships.

Behavioural and other Characteristics required

Committed to continuous improvement.
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills, and continuous professional development
Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.

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