Treasury Assistant - Apprentice

Job Description

At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovationand support human capital development. More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitiousscience and engineering endeavours of the 21st century. Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design,in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide. Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO WorldHeritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKAO teams in Australia and South Africa as part of aglobal astronomy and engineering community. Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last for decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment,30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us! An exciting opportunity for an intelligent, switchedon and confident individual who is seeking a career in treasury and accounting to join an international, multicultural organisation. The Role The Treasury Assistant will support the Treasury function within the organisation by facilitating cash managementoperations to meet liquidity and funding requirements. The Treasury Assistant will be responsible for ensuring bank accounts are managed and funded efficiently along with providing support to the Treasury Accountant on activities related to administrationof bank, credit card and investment accounts, cash and investment reporting, reconciliations, credit card processing, foreign exchange (FX) trading, and treasury risk management. In addition to the treasury related activities, the Treasury Assistant will providegeneral support on other finance tasks, having exposure to both accounting and treasury practices. The Treasury Assistant will be an enthusiastic team player with the ability to grasp and learn new concepts quickly, a great communicator with strong attentionto detail and the ability to work to tight deadlines. They will learn to process financial transactions including bank transfers, investment/money market deposits, foreign exchange contracts and assist with onboarding activities related to new treasury projects.This is an excellent opportunity for an entry-level candidate wanting to begin a career in treasury, with exposure to wider finance activities. SKAO will fund and support the completion of an apprenticeship resulting in the individual achieving either theDiploma in Treasury Management with the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) or Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification. The route and qualification will be dependent on the previous experience and qualifications of the successfulcandidate and will be guided by the apprenticeship provider, in consultation with the successful candidate. The Treasury Assistantwill reportto the Treasury Accountant and will be based at the SKAO Global Headquarters at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory,Cheshire, UK. This role is a 3-year fixed term appointment, and may offer the opportunity for progression to a permanent position within the SKAO finance team upon completion of the apprenticeship. We welcome applications from candidates of all nationalities,especially those from member countries. However, for this role visa and relocation support will not be available and applicants must be able to comply with the terms of a UK based local contract, details of which may be accessed on SKAOs recruitment portal.SKAO is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible working environment, meeting the requests of our Colleagues whilst also fulfilling the needs and objectives of the Observatory. We encourage applications from under-represented groups such as women andindividuals with disabilities, as well as open conversations during the recruitment process in relation to any specific requirements. There may be occasions where this role requires the post holder to work across different time zones and, in line with SKAOpolicy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager. Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties Prepare a report of daily cash balances and reconciliations. Propose and process inter-account transfers to meet the organisationsinternal funding requirements and structure. Support the Treasury Accountant in preparation of weekly and monthly cash flow forecasts and preparation of reporting on treasury activities to senior management. Assist in the administration of the organisationsvarious online banking, credit card, FX trading & investment platforms. Calculate investment income accruals and provide details to support the finance team with accurate accounting of related income. Prepare bank reconciliations for group managed bank accountsand investments. Support the Treasury Accountant in preparing internal controls documentation for treasury related activity, and support with internal audit queries. Prioritise and manage treasury-related internal helpdesk tickets as they are raised. Respondto customer queries and transaction-related issues via management of the shared department mailbox. Support the Treasury Accountant on any other treasury related projects. Support the finance team on any other ad-hoc tasks or projects. Undertake any otherreasonable duties, such as assisting with other business processes and systems, as directed by theTreasury Accountant or Group Financial Controller. Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience Maths A-level grade C and above or relevant degree in Finance. Experienceof using MS Excel at an intermediate level. Excellent attention to detail and the ability to keep accurate records. Able to take ownership of allocated tasks and understand the importance of prioritisation and meeting deadlines. Strong ethics, with an abilityto manage confidential data. Be a self-motivated team player who is flexible and adaptable to change. Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience Knowledge of Excel pivot tables. Knowledge of cash and liquidity management. Knowledge of financial markets