Finance Assistant - The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Job Posted: 14 May 2025

• Contract Term: Permanent
• Location: Cowes, Isle of Wight
• Contract Type: Full time
• Salary: circa £30k per annum dependent on experience
• Industries: Accounting Administration General Office Charity / Voluntary

Finance Assistant

Full time (hybrid) Cowes, Isle of Wight

We have an exciting opportunity for an Assistant to join our busy in-house Finance team, based in Cowes. In this key position, you'll be responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date accounting records and software, ensuring compliance with financial processes and policies, and managing both the sales and purchase ledgers for the Foundation and its trading entity. You’ll also take ownership of timely payments and receipts, as well as supporting critical month-end processes.

Role & Responsibilities

Reporting to the Finance Lead, your main responsibilities will include:

• Help manage supplier records and make sure invoices are processed and paid on time
• Support regular payment runs and make sure bank transactions are accurate
• Assist with company charge cards and staff expense claims, checking receipts and following policies
• Keep track of staff advances and help with salary deductions
• Help raise and send invoices to customers, and update records in Salesforce
• Chase overdue payments and support the team in keeping customer accounts up to date
• Help with bank account checks/reconciliations and keeping financial records organised
• Support the team with monthly finance tasks and during the year-end audit
• Assist in improving our finance systems and keeping everything running smoothly
• Carry out general admin tasks to help keep the finance function organised

Your profile:

• At least 3 years’ experience in a finance or accounting role
• AAT qualified (or working towards qualification) is preferred
• Experience in the charity sector is a plus
• Familiarity with Access Financials software is an advantage
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage confidently across all levels of the organisation
• A logical thinker with good problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Comfortable working as part of a small, friendly Finance team in an open-plan office environment

Apply by clicking here. Then follow the green icon in the top right corner, where you will be asked to upload a CV and covering letter.

We are unable to sponsor a Skilled Worker Visa for this role. All applicants must have an existing right to work in the UK which is valid for at least the next 3 years.

Desired starting date: ASAP.

Closing date: 24th May 2025

Salary package: circa £30k per annum dependent on experience level plus generous holiday allowance (25 days plus UK Bank Holidays plus discretionary organisational extra days leave) generous parental leave; enhanced pension options/private health scheme after 6 months; wellbeing programme.

Location: This role is based in our offices in Cowes, Isle of Wight with the option to work from home 2-3 days per week.

Interview process:

• Initial Zoom meeting with our Talent team and prospective Line manager to start the process (we will send you the outline of the interview, so you know what to expect).
• A work-related assignment to complete at home or as part of the interview process so we know you will be comfortable with the type of work you would do here.
•  Interview with our People Team, and line manager. This may be based in our offices on the beautiful Isle of Wight, even if the role isn’t based here. We think it’s important you see where we started and meet the team! Alternatively, this will be via Zoom as we recognise this isn’t always possible, especially for our international candidates.
• For more senior roles we will conduct a presentation interview too and include relevant internal stakeholders.

What we do

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy. We work with, and inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

Our vision is a new economic system that delivers better outcomes for people and the environment. Business models, products, and materials are designed to increase use and reuse, replicating the balance of the natural world, where nothing becomes waste, and everything has value. A circular economy, increasingly built on renewable energy and materials, is distributed, diverse, and inclusive.

Our commitment to you:

We are keen to receive applications from people from underrepresented backgrounds, including (but not limited to) people of colour, people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, and people from other marginalised groups. It is important to us that our recruitment approach makes the opportunity as accessible as possible and ensures a diverse range of people are able to demonstrate their potential. We would be happy to provide any further support that you may require - please get in touch so that we can work together.

If you would like further information on our diversity and inclusion policy or any further assistance, please contact us at [email protected].