Finance & Rating Officer

Attractive benefits package

• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (Norfolk Pension Fund)
• Private Medical Scheme
• Generous Leave Entitlement (24 days, rising in increments to 29 days after 6 years continuous service. Plus Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and typically 8 days bank holiday)
• Modern Office + Free Parking

About Us (WMA)

The Water Management Alliance (WMA) is a group of like-minded Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) who share vision,
values and standards and have chosen to jointly administer their affairs in order to reduce costs, strengthen
their own organisations and increase influence at both regional and national level. An overview of the WMA can be
found on our homepage.

Internal Drainage Boards (“IDBs”) are local public authorities that manage flood risk and land drainage within
areas of special drainage need in England. IDBs undertake a vast range of vital work to reduce flood risk and
manage water in a way that meets the local needs of residents, businesses and agriculture in accordance with their
environmental duties whilst enhancing the ecological wellbeing of their districts.

The Finance and Rating Team within the WMA use each Board’s powers (under the Land Drainage Act 1991) to raise income within each Board’s District from drainage rates collected from agricultural land and buildings and from Special Levies issued on District and Unitary Authorities. Income is also raised from contributions from the Environment Agency. The team track and process all revenue and capital expenditure incurred by each Board in pursuance of their statutory functions. This income and expenditure is regularly compiled and reported formally to each member Board at their Board meetings.

As one of our Finance and Rating Officers you will be responsible to the WMA Group’s Finance and Rating Manager for meeting the role’s key purpose of ensuring that all transaction processing is undertaken in accordance with the specified deadlines for our Board meetings, and that all Direct and Special Levies are issued, collected and accounted for accurately and in a timely manner.

• Daily accounting and transaction processing; including payroll, purchase ledger, sales ledger, nominal ledger, fixed assets, stock records, invoices, time sheets, plant sheets, reconciliations, payroll, job costings and BACS processing.
• Producing Month End reports on outstanding rates.
• Dealing with ratepayer enquiries and queries.
• Registration and collection of Direct Debit payments.
• Allocation of ratepayer monies received to the account, dealing with any anomalies and preparing any ratings write offs for authorisation by the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive or the Board.
• Telephone, email, letters and processing other internal and external correspondence.
• Ensuring all documentation and audit trails are properly maintained and the Boards’ Financial Regulations are properly followed.
• Liaising with land owners, land agents, internal and external auditors, ratepayers, and managing any other audit or inspection requirements.
• Responsible for ensuring all drainage rates and other charges / income due are invoiced and collected promptly.
• Producing financial statements, monthly management accounts and reports, including labour and plant operations accounts.
• Assisting others in the Finance and Rating Department as and when necessary, especially during periods of holiday and sickness.
• Undertaking any other work that may reasonably be required by the Finance Manager, Chief Financial Officer or the Chief Executive Officer.

Person Specification:

Qualifications:

Essential:

• A minimum of 5 GSCE’s (or equivalent qualifications)

Desirable:

• Membership of, and/or qualifications accredited by, a relevant professional body e.g.; The Association of Accounting Technicians (“AAT”)

Experience:

Essential:

• A minimum of two years relevant work experience with an accounting background. This should include experience within sales ledger/credit control.

Desirable:

• A minimum of two years relevant experience covering sales ledger, credit control and purchase ledger, costing and/or payroll

Skills / Knowledge:

Essential:

• Ability to prioritise and organise workloads to meet deadlines and to remain calm under pressure.
• Ability to work independently
• Well-developed written communication skills (including report and letter writing).
• Well-developed spoken communication skills (including pleasant and confident telephone manner).
• A methodical approach to work, demonstrating an attention to detail as well as an accuracy in record keeping.
• Ability to competently use computer software such as Microsoft packages (Access, Excel, Word and Outlook).
• Ability to competently use computer accounting software such as Sage 50/200 or similar accounting packages.
• Ability to work well with others at all levels both internally and externally.
• Possess traits such as honesty, reliability and tactfulness. Possess a good work ethic, be keen to learn, be able to take instruction and be patient and helpful to customers e.g. budget holders.
• An understanding of confidentiality issues and use of discretion.

Desirable:

• An understanding of the structure of the public sector
• Knowledge of Direct Debit processing

For more information about the role or the WMA, please visit our website
www.wlma.org.uk
or contact Sallyanne Jeffrey
on 01553 819600
or Sallyanne.Jeffrey@wlma.org.uk.

To apply, please send your CV and a brief covering letter to Sallyanne.Jeffrey@wlma.org.uk..