Finance and Operations Coordinator - Liverpool, United Kingdom - Forward Arts Foundation

Description

Job description


Finance and Operations Coordinator - Forward Arts Foundation

This is a fantastic opportunity to join our national team at a critical point of delivering our new strategy to build more diverse mass audiences for poetry, support poets at all stages of their careers, and help diversify the pool of performers securing the international spotlight.

We are a micro-charity that delivers high-profile events including the UK's National Poetry Day and the Forward Prizes for Poetry, and we're looking for an efficient and highly organised individual to join Forward Arts Foundation's creative and dynamic four-person team.

The finance and operations coordinator will support the co-executive directors and head of programmes to improve the charity's operational and financial effectiveness, enabling delivery of our flagship programmes, and helping to secure our future development.

This role will report to the co-executive directors, and you will be integral in supporting the charity and having a critical influence on our work.

This is a full-time role (35 hours/week) that requires some flexible hours as needed.

Our team is based primarily in Liverpool and London, and at a minimum, quarterly travel to these cities will be required (if you are not already based there).

We are strong proponents of flexible working, so you can either work from home or from our shared work space in either city.

We are a diverse, minority


CLOSING DATE:
15 May 2023


INTERVIEW DATE:
25 May 2023


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with the coexecutive directors to ensure the charity's operational effectiveness across finance, data and project management.
• Deliver accurate financial management, working with external financial bookkeepers and auditors, and providing internal infrastructure to support Forward's small team.
• Serve as the key enabler of smooth organisational workflow by reviewing staffing needs, contracting and using forward planning and software to promote agile workflow, avoiding logjams in team activity.
• Enable the charity's delivery of programmes and fundraising work, working with the head of programmes to provide logístical support around events, monitoring and reporting, and daytoday delivery.
• Respond to external enquiries about the charity, its purpose, its people and its projects, including updating the website.
• Support external communications, including scheduling and responding to social media.

SKILLS SPECIFICATION

• Knowledge

Essential:
familiarity with Wordpress, Microsoft Word platforms (part. Excel, Powerpoint)

Strong numeracy skills, familiarity with project budgets and invoices.

Desirable:
Asana (or other workflow management tools), Xero, Submittable and Salesforce

Awareness of how charities operate and knowledge of the arts/literature sector

• Experience

Substantial paid experience of carrying out a range of administrative tasks in an office, business or other professional setting.

Experience of introducing new working practices, and/or of leading improvement.

• Skills and abilities

Highly organised and able to work from own initiative in managing a complex workload and meeting numerous deadlines.

Able to identify and solve problems using a sound combination of analytical and practical skills.

Strong interpersonal skills - able to engage a wide range of people with an appropriate balance of warmth and professionalism.

Attention to detail across financial, promotional, communications and other materials.

• Attitudes and values

Enthusiasm for the work of Forward Arts Foundation.

A pro-active and good-humoured attitude to meeting challenges and bringing about change.

Flexibility and willingness to learn.

A demonstrable commitment to equalities.


RELATIONSHIPS
Co-executive directors, managers, board of trustees, publishers, promoters and poets.

Line management of work placement student if required

Freelance admin and project support staff and volunteers.

National Poetry Day and Forward Prizes partners.


TERMS

Hours:
Full time, 10 am - 6 pm (flexible working possible)


Salary:
£27,000


Location:
Liverpool or London, other locations within the UK also considered. We have a hybrid working practice, and would be happy to discuss arrangements that suit your needs.

Holiday entitlement: 25 days per annum (plus bank holidays)


Pension:
Provided by NEST


Contract:
Permanent


CLOSING DATE:
15 May 2023


INTERVIEW DATE:
25 May 2023


HOW TO APPLY

Two referees' names should be included with your CV but references will only be taken up in the event of your being selected for the post.

Please say how you found out about this job. Please also complete our diversity monitoring survey.


EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

ABOUT FORWARD ARTS FOUNDATION
Forward started in 1991, promoting public knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of poetry. We are a UK national charity committed to widening poetry's audience, honouring achievement and supporting talent. Through our two fla