Finance Officer (Part-Time)

About the Lyric

The Lyric Theatre enjoys a special place within Northern Ireland’s artistic landscape. As a prolific production house, the Lyric is the beating cultural heart of Northern Ireland – inspiring and entertaining audiences with both new and established plays and helping to launch the careers of some of our most famous actors, directors, and playwrights. The Lyric is a playhouse for all. We are a shared civic space for artists and audiences alike; a creative hub for theatre-making, nurturing talent and promoting the critical role of the arts in society.

As Northern Ireland’s only full-time producing theatre, each year we produce 9 or 10 full-scale productions, 2 of which run concurrently at Christmas. We also receive visiting work from touring companies. We stage some 400 performances each year and are the largest employer of theatre practitioners in Northern Ireland. Our modern theatre opened in 2011 and consists of the 390-seat main stage and the 124- seat flexible Naughton Studio. In recent years, the theatre won 4 Irish Theatre Awards, was voted NI’s most welcoming theatre, staged co-productions with the Abbey Theatre, Soho Theatre and the Dublin Theatre Festival and toured to New York, London, Glasgow, and Dublin.  In 2022, we won Best Play Revival for Translations with Abbey Theatre at the UK Theatre Awards, in addition to our Creative Learning department winning Excellence in Arts Education.  In 2023 we won Theatre of the Year at The Stage Awards, and Business Contribution to the LGBTQIA+ Community at the GNI Mag Awards, as well as Best Play Revival for Beauty Queen of Leenane with Prime Cut at the UK Theatre Awards.

There are two group companies. Lyric Theatre NI (The parent company) is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity and is also the owner and operator of the theatre and the primary recipient of grant funding. Lyric Players Theatre Productions Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lyric Theatre NI and is responsible for producing professional theatre productions and the operation of food and beverage operations within the theatre. The combined turnover of the two companies is in excess of £3.5million. The two companies employ more than 90 employees. For more information on the Lyric Theatre, visit www.lyrictheatre.co.uk.

Purpose of the Post

The Finance Officer is a key position within the finance and corporate services team, supporting many of the core functions of the department supporting the delivery of finance services to the theatre and our scenic workshop facility at Mallusk. Key duties include purchase ledger processing, payment runs, credit card maintenance, and payroll. They will also support the Head of Finance & HR in the preparation of accurate and timely management accounts, the analysis of variances and financial reporting.

This is an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic individual looking to take the next step or consolidate their career in accounting and financial management. The role will be fully supported by the Finance Manager giving the opportunity for advancement and growth within the finance function.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Finance

• Maintenance of the Purchase Ledger including filling, matching, coding and posting supplier invoices to Sage, and dealing with any queries or anomalies.
• Preparation of fortnightly payment runs;
• Reviewing and posting of Direct Debits and other bank payments;
• Maintenance and reconciliation of the company Credit Cards;
• Sales Ledger maintenance including Credit Control, when needed;
• Maintenance of systems for Petty Cash payments and floats, when needed;
• Assist with the settlement of Visiting Company shows, including contra collation and settlement preparation;
• Assisting with preparation of year end accounts and external audit requirements;
• To support and work closely with the other members of the finance team to provide accurate, timely and informative financial information.

Payroll

• Preparation of weekly payroll including the operation of an effective salary payment system by BACS and FPS submissions;
• Maintenance of accurate records of all documentation in relation to payroll, tax, and national insurance;
• Monitoring the processing of P32 payments and EPS submissions;
• Reviewing of payroll Journals and completion of payroll related nominal reconciliations;
• Ensuring processing of new starters, leavers, maternity, paternity leave etc is followed;
• Handling of employee queries and information requests;
• Maintaining the Company’s Auto-Enrolment and Company Pension schemes;
• Overseeing the preparation of pension reconciliation spreadsheet for staff and casts;
• Uploading of weekly and monthly pension information.

Other

• Observe the strictest confidentiality at all times;
• Comply with the theatre’s policies and practices on health and safety and equal opportunities;
• Undertake other duties as may reasonably be required.

This list is for guidance only and is not exhaustive. The post holder will also be required to carry out other reasonable duties as required by the line manager and head of department.

Personnel Specification

Essential Criteria

1. At least 2 years’ experience working in a similar role in a busy finance function to include purchase ledger;
2. Either:
   1. Holder of, or currently studying towards, a professional accountancy qualification (e.g., ATI, ACCA); or
   2. Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a similar role.
3. Experience of using Sage Line 50 or a similar accounting package;
4. Experience of Payroll processing using Sage Payroll or a similar payroll package;
5. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, including intermediate or advanced Excel Skills;
6. Ability to achieve a high level of accuracy and work to strict monthly deadlines.

Desirable Criteria

1. Demonstrable interest in theatre and the arts;
2. Experience of the Management accounts process;
3. Experience of working in the voluntary/charity sector.

Personal Qualities

Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate the following qualities:

1. Strong inter-personal skills, with excellent written and verbal communication skills;
2. An enthusiastic and flexible approach to work;
3. The ability to plan and manage their own workload;
4. A natural problem solver with the ability to multi-task;
5. The ability to prioritise and manage their time effectively;
6. Natural aptitude for figures and attention to detail.

How to Apply

Please send your CV, Cover Letter (Max 2 pages), two References (including names, address, email, phone number and occupation), and equal opportunities monitoring form (downloaded from Lyric Theatre website), quoting the reference 24LT02 in the subject heading to recruitment@lyrictheatre.co.uk or to The Monitoring Officer, Lyric Theatre, 55 Ridgeway Street, Belfast, BT9 5FB.

Failure to complete and submit a covering letter that demonstrates how you meet the criteria will result in your application being disqualified. Canvassing will disqualify.

More information can be found on the Lyric Theatre website.