Accounts Payable Officer

About the Trust

We’re one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We’re looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country’s third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.

Home working, with a requirement to attend our main hub space in Leeds as and when required for team working and meetings.

12 month fixed term or secondment

The Accounts Payable Officer provides comprehensive Accounts Payable services for the Trust and its subsidiaries. This role makes payment of supplier invoices, customer refunds, staff & volunteer expenses, and manages the travel booking and purchase card function on behalf of the Trust. Without the effective operation of these processes the Trust would be unable to function, and there would be a negative impact on suppliers.

• To comply with all Accounts Payable processes in an efficient, effective manner and in accordance with agreed SLAs. This involves ensuring compliance to quality management system (QMS) and control measures to ensure correct outputs are achieved while maintaining strong relationships with internal and external customers. Contributing to any improvements and changes as may be necessary.
• Meet cyclical financial deadlines. This involves awareness of month end procedures to ensure all costs are posted to ledgers at month end.
• Act as point of expertise and best practice, assisting colleagues in following Canal & River Trust’s processes and procedures, providing training as required. The job holder must demonstrate excellent communication skills in order to convey the importance of our procedures. They are also expected to exercise a level of discretion in deciding how to apply the procedures in different circumstances.
• Collate, analyse and present financial and business reports. In order to provide managers with up to date and relevant information to managers to make business decisions. Ensuring that financial transaction data prepared for senior management authorisation is correct to minimise delays in authorisation and payment.
• Resolve queries from customers & suppliers. This involves communicating with other parties to ensure payments to suppliers are not unnecessarily delayed or outside contractual agreements that exist.
• Use Canal & River Trust internal systems primarily SAP and Medius. Job holder must have skills to input accurate data to assist in information management and reporting ability.
• Regular user acceptance testing on financial transactions across various platforms.
• Provide absence cover for team manager:
  For example in relation to reporting, completing and authorising payments, ensuring all tasks completed by team, carry out SAP testing and authorise changes to go into PRD, organise and chair team meeting as appropriate.
• Displaying the Trust values and behaviours at all times.
• Ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust’s policies and values.

• Experience of Accounts Payable.
• Experience supporting colleague relations or payroll processes.
• Experience in SAP skills particularly within the Purchasing (MM).
• Confident in the use of word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Experience of operating to a certified quality management system.

• Communication skills that allow you to inform, help and advise customers clearly and professionally.
• Comply with Canal & River Trust Health & Safety policy and defined standards, report incidents, accidents and near misses.
• Ability to understand and implement organisational policies.
• Consider your own and others behaviour.
• To be aware of your own responsibilities regarding safeguarding and to support…