Home-Start Clackmannanshire is a long standing, dynamic charity, striving to ensure every young child (under 12) has the best possible start in life locally. Raising a family has never been easy; our trained volunteers and staff are there to support families through challenging times.

We provide a bespoke support package of 1:1 and group services for families, helping them to cope with the stresses and strains of daily life and encourage them to build the skills, confidence, and strength they need to nurture their children for years to come. As part of our service, we run a charity shop in Alloa, which generates income for our support work, offers volunteering opportunities, and is a local Bairn Bank, providing items at no cost when needed.

Purpose of the job:

We are looking for a Retail Supervisor to join our team of volunteers and Retail & Enterprise Manager at our shop on Alloa High Street. The successful candidate will provide day to day management of the shop on their working days, providing effective support for our team of dedicated volunteers, and supporting the recruitment, induction, and on-going training of volunteers.

The post holder will ensure appropriate standards of security and health and safety in the shop and be responsible for effective management of stock to provide a high-quality retail experience, and meet ambitious sales targets.

As the Finance officer you will be an integral member of our team providing vital financial support to our CEO and Board of Trustees. Your accurate record-keeping and timely reporting will be critical to effectively managing our finances and Home-Start Clackmannanshire’s continued success. Your contribution to developing financial procedures and policies in partnership with our CEO and Board of Trustees will ensure that our financial operations are aligned with our values and objectives.

An overview of key tasks:

Financial management and accounting

• Check, process and record all payments, administer invoices, process expense claims.
• Initiate all online payments through our banking system.
• File all relevant financial paperwork.
• Follow up on overdue accounts as appropriate.
• Process all financial transactions through Quickbooks including year end and accrued income/expenditure.
• Maintain accurate records of payment receipts and the reconciling of purchasing cards.
• Undertake accurate monthly reconciliation of bank statements and receipts through Quickbooks.
• Produce monthly budgets report and cash flow statement.
• Support CEO in ensuring that employee expenses and mileage are claimed in accordance with financial policies and procedures.
• Process gift aid submissions and support CEO to acknowledge receipt of donations.
• Produce reports as requested detailing spending attached to restricted funds.

Payroll and HR

• Receive payroll reports from BrightHR, check to ensure accurate, and set up payment to cover salaries, HMRC payment and pensions.
• Input salary information related to core and restricted costs into Quickbooks.
• Prepare our pension payment via the NEST online system to ensure that pension contribution schedules are correct and timely.

Governance

• Support our CEO and Board of Trustees by producing the necessary financial reports.

General

• The Finance officer is responsible for reporting any problems or errors to the CEO in a timely manner.
• The Finance officer is expected to participate in regular supervision, annual appraisal, staff training and development programmes.
• The Finance officer is expected to adhere to Home-Start Clackmannanshire’s policies and procedures, particularly those relating to equality diversity and inclusion and health and safety at work.

Person specification

Essential

• A relevant financial qualification (for example HNC accounting; AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting or equivalent) and proven experience in financial reporting.
• Highly proficient and experienced in using Quickbooks and working with financial data.
• Accuracy in reporting detailed financial information.
• Advanced IT skills including the use of Microsoft Excel.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Confident to work independently to meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of financial policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to learn new skills and keep up to date with changes in electronic systems.
• Commitment to the aims of the charity and our values.
• Positive attitude and willingness to learn.

Desirable

• Excellent working knowledge of accounting software that can be used for charitable accounting purposes.
• Knowledge of the charity sector and financial reporting requirements.

Other

Will be required to obtain a Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme Record Disclosure

The post holder may be required to undertake any other duties that fall within the nature of the role and responsibilities of the post as detailed above.

Home-Start Clackmannanshire is a long standing, dynamic charity, striving to ensure every young child (under 12) has the best possible start in life locally. Raising a family has never been easy; our trained volunteers and staff are there to support families through challenging times. In Scotland, Home-Starts have over 1,500 volunteers supporting over 3,500 families and 6,500 children each year through compassionate, confidential help to parents/carers when they need us most. The parents/carers we support are often overwhelmed and isolated. They may be struggling with mental health, illness, disability, multiple births, poverty, domestic abuse, separation and/or trauma. We provide a bespoke support package of 1:1 in home and group services for families, helping them to cope with the stresses and strains of daily life and encourage them to build the skills, confidence, and strength they need to nurture their children for years to come.

In 2024, Action for Children, NHS (speech and language) and Educational Psychology launched an exciting new provision called Play Roots with the support and funding from our local Child Wellbeing Partnership. Play Roots is an enhanced 0-5 group provision for local families operating across four localities in Clackmannanshire weekly.

Purpose of the job

Play Roots has developed rapidly since the first group launched, with families directly informing our sessions, allowing us to ensure we are delivering a communities based, group support system, providing a nurturing and educational environment for children (0-5) and their parents/carers. Play Roots aims to enhance positive well-being, parent-child attachment, support early childhood development, and encourage wider community connections and changes for parental progression; providing the foundations for children and families to flourish long-term.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, driven practitioner, capable of coordinating the delivery of our four local groups to ensure their effective running, and maximising impact through groups supporting the development of children and parents/carers by creating fun and interesting learning environments/activities to enhance skills, promote emotional resilience, and encourage positive behaviours and routines. Central to this role is effectively liaising with partners and supporting our delivery team made up of staff from Home-Start Clackmannanshire, Action for Children, Educational Psychology, Speech and language, and a growing team of volunteers.

You will also:

• Contribute to the effective day to day operation of the scheme in accordance with the Home-Start Memorandum & Articles of Association, Home-Start, Standards & Methods of Practice, Home-Start Agreement and Quality Assurance Standards.
• Maintain high standards of practice in supporting families within the Home-Start model.
• Ensure equality of opportunity, fairness and diversity in all aspects of the scheme’s work.
• Implement best safeguarding practice in all areas of work.

Main Responsibilities

Supporting the work of Home-Start Clackmannanshire and our Play Roots Partnership

• Undertaking work as delegated by our CEO to support the strategic management, development, evaluation, and future funding of Play Roots.
• Supporting the implementation of and upholding all Home-Start policies and procedures.
• Complying with the scheme’s administration, monitoring and financial systems.
• Promoting the work of the scheme, as required by the CEO.
• Contributing to and supporting the development of the Home-Start network locally, regionally and nationally.

Support for families

• Take a lead role in receiving and assessing referrals to Play Roots in a timely manner.
• Making initial contact/arranging implementation of support or delegating to operational team members within Home-Start and Action for Children to do.
• Lead delivery partners in planning, preparing for, and delivering group sessions (4 sessions across 4 locations, weekly, during term time).
• Enhance group support offer by leading the planning, preparation and delivery of Holiday Programmes for families.
• Providing rich learning environments where children and their families can engage.
• Facilitating interventions one to one or in a group to support identified areas of need.
• Building effective relationships and channels of communication with our partners, such as children, young people, families, colleagues, and external agencies.
• Ensuring support to families is of a high standard, in accordance with Home-Start’s model, policies and procedures.
• To undertake designated responsibilities to safeguard and promote children’s welfare.

Supporting Volunteers

• We could not deliver our services without the support of our incredible team of volunteers. As such, you will be involved in ensuring any Home-Start volunteers contributing to Play Roots sessions are appropriately onboarded, supported, informed, and adhere to all organisational policies and procedures.

Working in Partnership

• Ensuring appropriate liaison with referrers and other professionals.
• Networking appropriately within the community.

The post holder may be required to undertake any other duties that fall within the nature of the role and responsibilities of the post as detailed above.