Employer: Initially St Luke-in-the-City, Liverpool but once established, Hope Parish Liverpool PCC – see note at the bottom about TUPE arrangements.
Salary: £27,300pa full-time equivalent based on 35 hour week, £15.00 per hour.
Part-time: 17.5 hours per week (0.5). Working pattern to be agreed at offer stage.
Holidays: 25 days plus bank holidays and 2 additional days during Christmas (pro rata for part-time staff).
Contract type: Permanent.
Office Base/workplace: The Hope Parish Liverpool Office (location TBC). Possible home working for some hours negotiable once candidate is established in role.
Accountable to: PCC Treasurer and Chair
Reports to: Support Services Manager
Introduction:
We are six Church of England parishes in Toxteth & Wavertree Deanery working towards becoming one larger single parish, with more effective administration and support structures to support local churches, enabling them to focus on local ministry and mission.
We are currently working towards this structural change and plan to bring the parishes together in the months ahead. Once the churches come together as a new parish, we will be known as Hope Parish Liverpool.
This is an exciting and challenging role for an experienced bookkeeper, who is open to seeing how their skills can strengthen the church. For some applicants, this will involve training for this context and in software packages designed for church and charity.
Job Summary:
As Finance Officer you will play a pivotal role in the management of the parish accounts and payroll. The Finance Officer will take on much of the day-to-day bookkeeping and reporting tasks currently shouldered by individual parishes, and so free up lay people and clergy for mission and ministry. You will also work closely with the volunteer PCC Treasurer and church Finance Coordinators, supporting them to maintain accurate accounts, monitor finances and prepare annual budgets for the individual churches. We are looking for somebody with strong interpersonal skills, who enjoys working collaboratively with others and is confident mentoring volunteers with differing levels of experience.
You will be expected to provide operational excellence in line with best practices and agreed protocols, ensuring seamless financial support, and promoting a positive work culture that encourages growth and development.
The Finance Officer is a new role within the larger single parish of Hope Parish Liverpool, and as such the specific tasks and duties may develop over time as the new Parish becomes established and in the future as new initiatives emerge.
You will work within the Support Services Team (SST) which will be the administrative hub of HPL. As a team member you will be expected to learn from colleagues and cover for them if absent subject to a reasonable request to do so from the PCC Chair.
Main Responsibilities
- Record all income and spending for each church using appropriate accounting software and perform monthly bank reconciliations
- Pay suppliers on time (after checking approved budgets and PCC protocol for exceptional payments) and issue invoices or fee requests
- Implement financial decisions made by the PCC as agreed with the PCC Treasurer, ensuring that appropriate financial systems and controls are used
- Run the parish payroll (including tax and pensions), and handle Gift Aid claims with HMRC
- Help local finance coordinators set their annual budgets and provide monthly bank reconciliations and reports to show them how they are spending
- Manage the Hope Parish Liverpool budget for Support Services
- Advise and support volunteers with a financial role on how to use the accounts system as appropriate, how to download reports, and to follow financial & Gift Aid best practices.
- Prepare the annual financial statements, work with the auditor to provide evidence, and file reports to the Charity Commission.
- Lead on all legislative financial compliance requirements including charity law.
General Responsibilities
- Take responsibility for your own health and safety
- Comply with Diocesan safeguarding policy
- Undertake any safeguarding training as required
- Comply with UK data protection laws
- Exercise clarity and rigor over what income and funds are those of Hope Parish Liverpool, and what income and funds are the exclusive property of its churches/worshipping communities
Who we are looking for:
We are looking for somebody who will bring the relevant skills, experience and confidence to shape and fulfill the responsibilities of the role. It is essential that the person is sympathetic to the Christian faith and able to support the ministry and mission of the parish.
We need someone who thrives when working in a team, who is a self-starter and able to prioritise and manage their own workload. You will work alongside local church leaders, volunteer financial coordinators, the Fit for Mission Diocesan team and others in Support Services.
In terms of personal qualities, you will be someone who:
- has extensive financial experience, including bookkeeping and running payroll
- is comfortable learning new software, managing digital files, and informing others about online safety
- is a supportive communicator, able to explain financial details to volunteers and help them feel confident with the numbers
- is able to maintain neat electronic records and meet strict deadlines
- can work autonomously within a team alongside church leaders, volunteers and diocesan officers
- is sympathetic to the Christian faith and able to support the ministry and mission of Hope Parish Liverpool
This role is ideal for motivated individuals seeking to further their career within finance, offering opportunities for professional growth and development within a supportive environment.
If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply for this exciting new opportunity, to shape and strengthen our parish, develop excellence, and contribute to our overall success.
What we can offer you
- hybrid working
- a flexible working arrangement
- appropriate training
- scope to be involved in shaping the Support Services Team and supporting churches into new ways of working
Person Specification
The successful candidate will need to demonstrate that they meet the following criteria which are either essential or desirable requirements for the job unless otherwise specified.
Essential Criteria:
- Bookkeeping/accounting e.g. AAT qualification
- Experience of financial processes and procedures
- Experience of preparing financial records, e.g., for a small to medium sized organisation
- Experienced in using accounting and payroll packages
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to handle a range of diverse tasks and prioritise according to demands
- Excellent organisation skills with an ability to work to deadlines
- Experience and confidence in using Microsoft 365 packages, particularly SharePoint, Excel (or similar)
- Willingness to learn new software to fit the role (My Fund Accounting Online, Church Database etc)
- Flexible work approach
- Ability to deal with a wide range of people, to quickly build rapport and act with patience, sensitivity and tact
- Approachable and dependable
- Ability to use own initiative
- Positive and supportive member of a team
- To have an understanding of, and be in sympathy with, the Church of England
- To be supportive of the mission and ministry of Hope Parish Liverpool
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working within a charity context
- Preparing charity accounts and an understanding of the charity SORP
- Experience of using My Fund Accounting Online
- Some knowledge of Church of England structures
Change of employer note: Under the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment rights (TUPE) guidelines, the postholder’s employment will move from St Luke-in-the-City, Liverpool to the Hope Parish Liverpool.
This post will be recruited in line with the Parish Safer Recruitment process.
Closing Date for Applications: 28/08/26
If you would like an informal conversation regarding this role, please reach out to [email protected]
Pay: £15.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Liverpool
