Accounts Clerk 3 Month Fixed-Term Contract

New College, founded by William of Wykeham in 1379, is one of the largest colleges of the University of Oxford. During term time it is home to nearly 700 undergraduate and postgraduate students and over 100 academics. In addition to its primary function of university teaching and research, the College has a thriving vacation conference business and welcomes visitors from around the world to experience its beautiful buildings and gardens and hear the world-famous chapel choir.

The Bursar is the College Officer with overall responsibility for college administration, including finance. The College Accountant has responsibility for financial budgeting/reporting and production of College’s annual accounts, and manages a busy finance team in the Bursary.

The current starting salary will be set at 3.6 which equates to £26,707 per annum, plus Oxford Weighting Allowance £1,730 per annum (to be prorated based on agreed hours).

There may be an opportunity for the appointment to be renewed, although this cannot be guaranteed at this stage.

The Bursary team currently comprises eight full-time and one part-time staff members. As well as producing College’s accounts, the team’s main activities include:

• student fees and charges
• supplier payments
• payroll
• estate rents ledger
• sales ledger
• investments
• donations receivable

We are currently in the process of transitioning College’s finance/accounting system software from Mercury to iplicit. This system will be used for the majority of transaction processing in the Bursary, and Excel is also used extensively, particularly for reporting and reconciliation purposes. A high degree of IT support is available within the College.

New College places a high value on co-operative and flexible working relationships between departments and individuals. As well as regular interaction with academic colleagues and students, the Bursary liaises with:

• Home Bursar’s Office (responsible for most of the accommodation and catering arrangements of college)
• Conference Office
• Clerk of Works Office (buildings maintenance)
• Library
• Chapel Office
• Land Agent’s Office (agricultural and commercial rents)
• Academic/Tuition Office (tuition, admissions and access)
• Development Office (fundraising)

This position is available for between 21 and 35 hours per week, with the specific hours and working pattern to be agreed with the successful candidate’s line manager.

The role holder will be taught to support the smooth running of the College’s Purchase and other ledgers. This will include managing incoming purchase invoices on our new accounting system iplicit. Necessarily, there will be regular contact with suppliers and colleagues at the College to resolve issues as and when they arise.

Additionally, the postholder will assist with queries from students, staff and members of the public, and will provide general support and assistance to the accountant and to Bursary colleagues as required.

Day-to-day supervision and training will be provided.

This role is likely to appeal to someone who has good finance and spreadsheet skills, enjoys working in a number’s environment, and wants to work in a stimulating setting. Previous purchase ledger experience would be useful.

College needs a dependable team player with initiative and a large helping of common sense, and who remains calm under pressure.

Good written and verbal communication skills are very important, as is a disciplined and methodical approach to tasks. 

• 30 days annual leave (5 to be taken over the Christmas Closed Period), plus bank holidays (to be prorated);
• Generous salary-based occupational pension scheme (if joining criteria are met);
• Lunch free of charge when served on days on which the post-holder is on duty;
• Annual travel pass payment scheme (bus or train);
• Cycle to work scheme;
• Employee Assistance Programme.