Reports to: Head of Finance & Governance
Location: Saint Paul’s Hammersmith, W6 9PJ
Contract: 1 FTE (5 days a week)
Salary: £32,000 – £40,000 depending on experience

About Saint Paul’s

Saint Paul’s Hammersmith is a vibrant Anglican church in West London, dedicated to encountering God and awakening our city. We exist to see God’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, and to be a white-hot centre of faith, prayer, and presence in the heart of London.

Our vision is to build a church alive, a place where people meet Jesus, grow in discipleship, and are sent out to transform their homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

We are deeply committed to nurturing faith, fostering authentic community, and being a resource for the wider city through worship, discipleship, hospitality, and the creative use of our buildings. Every member of staff plays a part in carrying this vision and culture, both in the everyday and in the extraordinary.

Role Purpose

The Finance and Accounting Officer is responsible for the accurate, timely and controlled execution of all transactional finance activities at Saint Paul’s Hammersmith, including financial transactions, payments, payroll, pensions, reconciliations and bookkeeping records. The role ensures financial integrity, compliance with charity and HMRC requirements, and the production of clean, well-organised and audit-ready records supporting decision-making by leadership and helping the wider church to steward resources with care and integrity.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Processing & Controls

• Process all income and expenditure in Xero in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensure correct coding (fund, department, nominal code and budget line).
• Maintain a complete and auditable transaction record with appropriate supporting documentation.
• Perform monthly bank, credit card and control account reconciliations (fully resolved within reporting timelines).
• Post journals including accruals, prepayments, and reclassifications.

2. Accounts Payable & Expenses

• Validate supplier invoices against approvals and budget authority.
• Process supplier payments in accordance with delegated authority matrix.
• Ensure expenses comply with policy and are fully supported.
• Maintain supplier master data and manage supplier queries.

3. Payroll & Pensions

• Prepare payroll inputs (starters, leavers, changes, adjustments).
• Reconcile payroll outputs and postings to the general ledger.
• Maintain HMRC-compliant payroll records and submissions.
• Administer pension contributions (NEST/Standard Life) and reconciliations.

4. Income, Giving & Gift Aid

• Reconcile all income streams (donations, card payments, booking systems).
• Maintain accurate Gift Aid records and support claims submission.
• Monitor completeness and accuracy of donor data and audit trail.

5. Reporting & Period Close

• Support monthly close process (including reconciliations and journals completed on schedule).
• Provide transaction listings and variance explanations to budget holders.
• Maintain structured filing for audit and independent examination.

6. Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Support internal control environment (segregation of duties, approvals, documentation).
• Document processes and identify efficiency improvements.
• Support external audit / independent examination requirements.

Essential Skills and Experience

·       3+ years in a finance, bookkeeping or accounting role.

·       Strong working knowledge of Xero.

·       Solid understanding of accounting fundamentals (double entry, accruals, reconciliations).

·       Experience with payroll processes and HMRC compliance.

·       Strong Excel capability and data handling skills.

·       High attention to detail and ability to identify anomalies.

·       AAT qualified (Level 3 or Level 4), or progression towards a professional qualification (ACCA / CIMA) is highly desirable.

Personal Qualities

• Highly organised, reliable and consistent.
• Detail-focused and comfortable with routine, deadlines and recurring processes.
• Honest, trustworthy and able to handle confidential information wisely.
• Calm and steady under pressure, especially around payroll and payment deadlines.
• Practical, solution-focused and willing to improve systems where needed.
• Warm, approachable and collaborative in working style.
• Able to serve staff and congregation members with patience, clarity and care.
• Committed to the vision and values of Saint Paul’s Hammersmith.

Working Requirements

• Proof of right to work in the UK.
• Work schedule: 5 days per week, Monday to Friday, with Fridays normally worked from home.
• Attendance at Tuesday morning staff meetings.
• Occasional Sunday work required for major gift days, usually twice per year for two Sundays in a row.
• Some flexibility may be required around payroll deadlines, year-end, audit preparation and major church events.

Key Church Services and Events

• Key annual church events, including the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, Church Weekend and select evening events.
• Easter and Christmas services where required.
• Staff events, including the annual staff retreat, typically one week in January.
• Gift days and other significant finance-related church moments.

Package

• Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 depending on experience.
• Holiday: 25 days plus bank holidays, plus your birthday off as an additional day.
• Pension: Employer pension contribution.
• Benefits: Laptop, annual offsite staff retreat and ongoing training and development opportunities.
• TOIL: Time off in lieu for agreed Sunday, evening or additional event commitments.

How To Apply

Please apply by sending a copy of your CV (max 3 pages) and your completed Saint Paul's Application Form to jobs@sph.org with the subject title: Finance and Accounting Officer.