4045 Placement Title: Accounts Assistant Frontrunner Faculty/Professional Service: Phoenix Square Team/Department/Section: Finance Main Contact Name: Richard Davis Hours: hrs/week during term time 0 hrs/week during holidays Start Date: 0 th June 0 Placement Length: 9 months Placement to cover: Term Time and holiday periods Brief description of the placement: An Accounts Assistant Frontrunner will support the Chief Financial Officer with routine Accounting work, and with certain Projects being interspersed with the routine bookkeeping. The CFO will also explain and introduce the Frontrunner to Management Reporting on a monthly basis. Number of placements requested One. Training to be undertaken during the placement: Basic double entry bookkeeping using a modern Accounts package of computer software. Design and use of spreadsheets for financial accounting. Introduction to Management Reporting for an SME. Any DMU Training Course which enhances presentational skills and personal development. Method of assessment of performance: We will use an amended version of the standard Phoenix Personal Staff Development framework to set goals and assess performance. Objectives will be set at the beginning of the placement, with achievement of competency in the Duties of the Placement and Personal Development through DMU Training Courses being the Key Result Areas. I attach the Template for recording Personal Appraisals. There will be quarterly appraisals for the Frontrunner Accounts Assistant. Duties of the Placement: PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE DUTIES WILL BE INTRODUCED DURING THE WHOLE PERIOD, AND WILL NOT BE EXPECTED AS A MONTHLY DUTY. This is the reason why a short or medium term placement would not be beneficial to the Frontrunner or the Company. The duties of the placement will include: Duty Heading Sales Ledger Purchase Ledger Journal entries Duty Description Creation of invoices for services provided by Phoenix. Keeping Sales Ledger up to date, reconciling payments, and credit control Checking and posting of supplier invoices to Purchase Ledger, reconciling ledger to supplier statements, getting approval for payment from the responsible Manager, posting payments to suppliers to the Purchase Ledger Making journal entries to the Nominal (or General) Ledger The majority of Phoenix income is derived from
Cash reconciliation Financial analysis projects Understanding of the principles of Accruals Accounting Financial Reporting to Management/Directors/Trustees Cash flow management point-of-sale cash tills. The CEO and CFO will ask the Frontrunner to undertake financial analysis projects which would be usually excessively time-consuming for regular staff. One of the fundamental principles of Accounting is matching income streams or expenses to the periods covered. It is known as the Accruals principle. Because Phoenix is funded partly by Grants, the need to understand and utilise this principle is vital to the Financial Reporting function. Taking a Trial Balance monthly and producing Financial Reports for Management and the (volunteer) Directors and Trustees. The Directors/Trustees, because of their different experience, have themselves a very mixed understanding of Accounting, and Reporting has to be tailored to their needs. This will teach that the product of all Accounting work is to inform Owners and Investors, Directors, Managers and Creditors of Businesses. Cash is King is a most important Management mantra. Learning how to predict and manage cash flows. Skills associated with the placement The skills developed as part of this placement will include: Skills / experience developed Brief explanation Basic principles of bookkeeping may not be Bookkeeping to Trial Balance included in academic studies of Accounting, but are essential tools for those who wish to make a career in Financial or Management Accounting, both in the Profession or Commerce. Knowledge of Spreadsheets and the ability to Spreadsheet development and use develop and use them is a skill with a broader application than Financial Management For those who wish a career in Accountancy in Knowledge of Sage Accounting Software Commerce, using Accounting software is a must have skill. Required Experience/Knowledge/Skills for the placement Area Essential Desirable Numeracy Genuine interest in Accountancy Ability to work under own initiative Basic working with Excel spreadsheets Taking a University course involving Accounting or Business studies
Being a Team Player Phoenix Personal Development Plan Review & Annual Appraisal Name: Role(s):
Line Manager or Reviewer: Review cycle: Role Description: Annual appraisal Quarterly progress reviews and updates Last updated
Section : PDP Review History Year Review Point Summary of Reviews and Progress 0/ Q Q Q Q4 0/4 Q Q Q Q4 5
Section : PDP Objectives. Period: st April 0 to st March 0 Key Result Area Objectives Outcomes (What) Competences (How) Results (0/) 4 Personal Development. 6
Section : Personal Development Activities Period: st April 0 to st March 0 Personal Development Related to Competence or Knowledge Impact on KRA Planned Activity By When Section 4: Record of PDP Reviews Date: Reviewer: Line Manager s Comments and Suggestions Employee s Comments 7