- SIRXFIN004A - Manage financial resources
SIRXFIN004A
Manage financial resources
Application
This unit requires those with managerial responsibility to maintain accurate accounting systems to successfully negotiate, develop and implement store budgets, and analyse and report on income and expenditure against budget targets according to store policy and procedures. | |
Prerequisites
Nil | |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||
1 | Control costs. | 1.1 | Implement cost reduction measures according to store policy and procedures. |
1.2 | Assess and interpret information on costs and resource allocation. | ||
1.3 | Actively encourage team members to control costs in their areas of responsibility. | ||
1.4 | Promptly implement recommendations for improving cost reduction or communicate to relevant personnel. | ||
2 | Control budget. | 2.1 | Monitor and maintain expenditure within budget targets according to store policy. |
2.2 | Compare actual income and expenditure to budget targets at regular intervals according to store policy. | ||
2.3 | Monitor, analyse and compare gross profit and loss figures by department or section and store, with budget targets. | ||
2.4 | Monitor and analyse net profit figures, including floor space profitability according to budget targets. | ||
2.5 | Monitor and analyse stock turnover figures according to budget targets. | ||
2.6 | Promptly inform relevant personnel, where potential occurs for budget under or overspend. | ||
2.7 | Take prompt corrective action where significant deviations from budget occur. | ||
2.8 | Negotiate necessary changes or allocations to agreed budget in advance of requirement. | ||
2.9 | Ensure modifications to existing budgets are authorised according to store policy. | ||
3 | Propose expenditure. | 3.1 | Ensure estimates of costs and benefits are supported by valid, relevant information. |
3.2 | Ensure final recommendations are supported by realistic alternatives and contain accurate, clear proposals. | ||
3.3 | Ensure recommendations clearly indicate net benefits over designated timeframe and related changes in operations. | ||
3.4 | Clarify contentious issues by further explanation. | ||
3.5 | Compare estimates to actual costs and benefits to improve future proposals. | ||
4 | Maintain store accounting systems. | 4.1 | Manage and maintain store policy and procedures in regard to record-keeping systems. |
4.2 | Monitor and maintain store systems for recording sales figures, revenue and expenditure. | ||
4.3 | Monitor and maintain systems for recording and retrieving financial, personnel and payroll information as required by store policy. | ||
5 | Prepare store sales budgets. | 5.1 | Maintain store policy and procedures in regard to preparation of budget or target figures. |
5.2 | Compare, analyse, document and report budget and actual sales revenue and expenditure figures according to budget targets and store policy. | ||
5.3 | Maintain accurate records on past sales budgets or targets according to store policy. | ||
5.4 | Present proposed budgets or targets accurately and concisely. | ||
5.5 | Justify variations to proposed targets and report according to store policy. | ||
6 | Negotiate budgets. | 6.1 | Conduct budget negotiations within a set timeframe and in a manner likely to promote good relationships. |
6.2 | Ensure budget negotiations reflect the overall store policies and objectives relevant to the manager's area of responsibility. | ||
6.3 | Seek clarification, where areas of uncertainty or disagreement occur. | ||
6.4 | Promptly inform all relevant personnel of budget decisions. | ||
6.5 | Present proposals clearly, concisely, in an appropriate form, and emphasising benefits to store operation. | ||
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. |
The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit: report presentation interpersonal communication skills to: encourage team members to control costs provide information to relevant personnel where potential occurs for budget under or overspend negotiate budgets and provide information on budget decisions through clear and direct communication ask questions to identify and confirm requirements use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences use and interpret non-verbal communication time management literacy and numeracy skills in regard to: report writing compilation and analysis of budgetary figures. |
The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit: store policy and procedures in regard to: financial management resource utilisation store revenue capital and overhead costs interest rates pricing policies, including GST requirements cost of stock, materials and equipment staffing costs operational costs principles and techniques in: interpersonal communication monitoring resource utilisation and costs analysing efficiency and effectiveness cost-benefit analysis differential analysis risk analysis. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: consistently negotiates, develops and implements store budgets according to store policy and procedures monitors, analyses and reports on income and expenditure against budgets according to store policy and procedures manages and maintains accurate accounting systems according to store policy and procedures develops and maintains store policy and procedures in regard to store sales budgets or targets. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: a retail work environment store or sample policy and procedures in regard to financial management an accounting system budgetary information a team involved in budget control. |
Methods of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: observation of performance in the workplace third-party reports from a supervisor research project written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended. |
Assessing employability skills | Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts. Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically in the context of the job role and with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. | |
Store policy and procedures in regard to: | financial management reporting mechanisms. |
Information may include: | resource utilisation capital and overhead costs interest rates stock, materials and equipment staffing levels operational costs. |
Information may be obtained by: | direct observation written reports numerical data. |
Resources may include: | people materials equipment and technology finances time. |
Team members may include: | full-time, part-time, casual or contract staff people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds people with varying degrees of language and literacy levels. |
Communication may be: | formal and informal with individuals or groups written, faxed, emailed or spoken. |
Relevant personnel may include: | relevant managers supervisor team leader. |
Proposals may include: | profitability productivity quality of service environmental impact working conditions working relationships team motivation long-term goals short-term goals. |
Record keeping systems may include: | manual computerised. |
Budget or target figures may encompass: | sales cash flow net profit payroll staff expenditure capital maintenance advertising and promotion. |
Sectors
Sector | Cross-Sector |
Competency Field
Finance | |
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements. | |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.