Finance Assistant (part-time)

About Ferring Country Centre

Ferring Country Centre is a charity and family-friendly activity centre in West Sussex, with every visit helping to support our wider mission of creating life-changing opportunities for people with learning disabilities. We provide a range of services and activities across our site, including Day operations (classrooms, woodwork shop, IT suite, sensory room) a farm, riding school (including riding therapy), garden centre, café and gift shop, and income from our facilities helps fund the important work we do in the community.

The people we support have the opportunity to experience a variety of vocational, training and therapeutic activities, in a safe and supported environment, allowing them to develop both work and social skills.

About the role

The Finance Assistant plays a key role in supporting the financial health of Ferring Country Centre, helping to ensure our resources are managed effectively so we can continue to deliver meaningful work in the community.

Working closely with the Chief Financial Officer, you will take ownership of day-to-day financial processes, including invoicing for online sales, purchase ledger management, and supporting credit control. You will use a range of systems, including Xero and Excel, to maintain accurate records and provide useful information on income and expenditure.

This is a varied and evolving role within a growing organisation, offering the opportunity to develop your skills and take on additional responsibilities over time. You will also work collaboratively with colleagues across the Centre, providing support and guidance on financial matters.

We welcome applications from those looking to grow their career in finance and we are happy to support the right candidate through their AAT qualification.

Successful applicants will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

This is a part time role, working 16 hours a week, and there is some flexibility as to how these hours are worked. The Salary shown above is the Full Time Equivalent.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and, where we receive sufficient applications, we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the published closing date, so please make your application as soon as possible!

Key responsibilities:

• Raise and process invoices for online sales and other income streams.
• Process purchase ledger invoices and maintain accurate supplier records.
• Support credit control activity, including monitoring outstanding payments.
• Produce analysis reports for online sales.
• Carry out reconciliations and other routine finance tasks.
• Support the annual audit process.
• Assist with filing and general finance administration.
• Provide ad hoc support to the Chief Financial Officer and wider team.

Required skills and experience:

• Experience in a finance or accounts role is preferred but not essential.
• Experience of transactional finance processes such as invoicing, purchase ledger and reconciliations would be beneficial.
• Strong attention to detail and good numerical accuracy.
• Good working knowledge of Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience of using accounting software, ideally Xero or similar.
• Strong organisation and time management skills.
• Good communication skills and the ability to build effective working relationships.
• A flexible, proactive and reliable approach.

Person specification/About you

You may have some experience in a finance or accounts role, with a good eye for detail and confidence working with numbers. You may be working towards your AAT or have already completed it and excited to put your knowledge into practice. You also may be looking to grow your career in finance and are keen to start your AAT qualification with our support. You’ll be comfortable using Excel and other Microsoft Office packages, and ideally, you’ll have used accounting software such as Xero or something similar. You’ll be organised, able to manage your own workload, and happy working independently when needed. Good communication skills are important, along with the ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues. You’ll also be flexible, reliable, and keen to learn, with a respectful and compassionate approach to working with others.

What we offer

• The opportunity to join a supportive and values-led charity.
• A varied role with room to grow as the organisation develops.
• Company Pension.
• Employee discount.
• Free parking.

The Application process

We welcome applications via Indeed by Friday 26 June 2026 including completion of a short accuracy test.

This will be followed by an informal initial screening video call, before a more formal interview on site so you have the opportunity to meet the team and see the Centre first hand.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Hazel Sheward, Chief Financial Officer, on 01903 245078 Ext: 301.

Ferring Country Centre is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Please note we may close the posting early if we receive enough qualified candidates.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: £26,360.00-£28,250.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Free parking

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Worthing BN12 5JZ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Application question(s):

• 1. A supplier invoice totals £1,248.75 including VAT at 20%. What is the VAT amount included in this total?
• 2. You receive three invoices for £245.60, £89.40, and £310.00. What is the total amount payable?
• 3. A payment of £500 is received, but the invoice it relates to is £475. What should be done with the difference, and how much is it?
• 4. If an employee works 37.5 hours per week and earns £12.80 per hour, what is their weekly pay before deductions?
• 5. A company offers a 5% discount on an invoice of £860 if paid within 7 days. How much would the customer pay if they take the discount?
• 6. You are entering invoice numbers into a system. The sequence should run from INV1001 to INV1010. Which number is missing in this list: INV1001, INV1002, INV1003, INV1005, INV1006?
• 7. A bank statement shows a closing balance of £2,350. The company’s records show £2,180. List one possible reason why these figures might differ.
• 8. You are given a list of amounts to enter: £45.90, £459.00, £54.09, and £405.90. Which one is most likely to be a data entry error if the others follow a similar pattern, and why?

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person