School/Department or Research Centre

Finance Department

Role Title

Finance Assistant

Responsible to

Finance Supervisor

Responsible for

N/A

Salary/Grade

Grade 4 £25,249 - 28,778

Hours

1 FTE

Contract Basis

Permanent

Disclosure Check

Basic

Location

Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh

Finance Department

The purpose of the Finance Department is to:

• Processing all financial transactions accurately and promptly.
• Implementing and reporting on actions that support the University’s financial sustainability strategies.
• Providing reliable and insightful management information to stakeholders, including the University Court, senior management, budget holders, and the Scottish Funding Council.
• Maintaining robust internal financial controls that satisfy internal and external auditors, the Audit Committee, and the University Court.
• Supporting the effective management of research, knowledge exchange, and commercial activities.

Role Purpose

This role provides essential administrative support to the Finance Office team, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. The postholder will be the first point of contact for students, handling front-desk enquiries and phone calls, while also assisting with key financial tasks such as cashiering, credit control, and accounts payable. The role ensures efficient, accurate, and customer-focused service to support the wider Finance team.

Principal Duties or Key Result Areas

• Provide front-line support to students and staff at the Finance Office, handling enquiries in person and via telephone.
• Perform general administrative duties to support the smooth running of the Finance team.
• Assist with financial transactions including cashiering, credit control, and accounts payable.
• Process journals and other routine accounting entries accurately and in a timely manner.
• Maintain and update financial records, ensuring information is complete, accurate, and easily accessible.
• Ensure that all documentation and communications are appropriately filed and recorded for audit and reporting purposes.
• Support the Finance team with ad-hoc tasks and projects as requested by the Finance Supervisor and Senior Financial Accountant.

Person Specification – Essential

Person Specification – Desirable

Strong organisational and administrative skills, with high numeracy, accuracy, and attention to detail.

Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues at all levels and external stakeholders.

Experience in a customer-facing role, providing professional and efficient service.

Experience with core financial management processes, including journal entries and maintaining/updating spreadsheets.

Experience using financial accounting software to enter, maintain, and report on financial transactions and data.

Ability to work effectively as part of a team, while also demonstrating initiative and working independently with minimal supervision.

Effective time management skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities and competing demands.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, for financial analysis and reporting

Relevant financial qualification, such as AAT or equivalent.

Previous experience in a similar role, particularly within financial administration.

Experience of working in a further or higher education institution.