Accounts Assistant

Background: The UK Space Agency: 

The UK Space Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision. 

Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons. 

We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country. 

Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development.  We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes. 

We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency. 

More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency 

To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZZ-o0IkVU

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.

This is an exciting and developmental opportunity for the post holder to work in the UK Space Agency finance team. Reporting to the Finance Officer the post holder will gain exposure to the wide variety of tasks undertaken across the finance function. The role is pivotal to the operation of the UK Space Agency.

There will be developmental opportunities to facilitate exposure to management accounting as well as financial accounting.

Key responsibilities

• Responsibility for the management of the Purchase Orders Inbox including raising purchase requisitions on Oracle and resolution of queries on existing Purchase Orders to provide consistent coding in trial balance
• Working closely with the business managers to promote best practice and to continually improve internal processes relating to the creation and ongoing maintenance of Purchase Orders such as accruals review, closing POs.
• Provide Agency wide assistance with Oracle transactional queries relating to i-Procurement and i-Expenses liaising with the Shared Service Centre as appropriate.
• Raise purchase requisitions on behalf of the Operations and Resources Directorate including processing of relevant invoices.
• Provide support to Financial Accountant with the preparation of monthly accounts packs and in particular with the reconciliation of outstanding queries relating to Purchase Orders and unpaid invoices, and with the preparation of corrective journals.
• Provide support to Management Accountant with the budgeting process including issuing letters of delegated authority and maintaining an up to date register of delegations.
• Provide support to the Financial/Management Accountants with sample testing of the effectiveness of internal controls, analysing trends and making recommendations.
• Provide support to the Financial Accountant and Head of Finance with the delivery of Annual Accounts including non-TB narratives and the production of the audit file, collating of audit evidence and liaison with the external auditors (NAO).
• Responsibility for publishing government transparency data within set timescales.
• Provide ad-hoc financial information for Freedom of Information requests.
• Monthly reviews such as of contractors’ pay, secondment recharges.
• The above mentioned tasks and responsibilities are neither inclusive nor exhaustive. The post holder may be called upon to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required by the Chief Executive and/or senior officer(s) within the grade level of the post and the competence of the post holder.

Essential

• Experience of working in a finance team, or in a role with financial responsibility
• Good understanding of finance systems and processes
• Sound knowledge of Excel (formulae and pivot tables)
• Ability to analyse financial data, report on findings and make recommendations
• Ability to work on own initiative and to be accountable for actions
• Ability to work proactively to anticipate issues and develop options/solutions in order to prevent escalation
• Proven interpersonal skills with an ability to work within own team as well as with colleagues in other parts of the organisation
• Ability to communicate across all levels
• Ability to work under pressure with competing demands to tight deadlines
• Willingness to learn and provide support within the wider finance team

Desirable

• Experience/knowledge of Oracle financial system, in particular Purchasing and Accounts Payable modules
• Experience of working within a central government department and/or a Shared Service Centre environment
• AAT part qualified

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Please provide evidence of relevant experience to support your application and CV, identifying strengths and experiences that make you suitable for this position.

UK Space Agency offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.

Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.

An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.

Access to a range of retail, travel, and lifestyle employee discounts.

A generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home, or elsewhere, as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this).  If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Job contact :

• Name : Samantha Mann
• Email : samantha.mann@ukspaceagency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : uksarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk