Accounts Assistant

Handpicked Recruitment; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Handpicked Recruitment is supporting a multinational shipping group in London to appoint an experienced Accounts Assistant on a 6-month fixed-term contract, with potential to become permanent. The role covers AP/AR, invoicing, reconciliations and daily finance operations.

You will process supplier and customer invoices, perform bank reconciliations, assist month-end, and work with Xero. Strong Excel skills and accuracy are essential in this busy environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in Accounts Assistant or similar role.
• Hands-on AP/AR, invoice processing, reconciliations.
• Strong Excel skills and accuracy.
• Experience with Xero preferred.
• Experience in multinational or multi-entity business advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day accounts payable and accounts receivable activities across the business.
• Process supplier invoices with accurate coding, approvals and timely payment.
• Raise customer invoices and ensure timely billing.
• Reconcile supplier statements and resolve discrepancies.
• Monitor customer accounts and support credit control.
• Process supplier payments and assist with payment runs.
• Perform bank reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Maintain financial records using Xero.
• Assist with month-end processes and reporting.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders, suppliers and customers to resolve finance-related queries.
• Support intercompany reconciliations and transactions across multiple entities.
• Ensure accounts payable and receivable ledgers are accurate and up to date.
• Assist with cash flow monitoring and reporting.

Skills

Accounts payable

Accounts receivable

Invoice processing

Reconciliations

Credit control

Excel

Stakeholder liaison

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Multi-entity experience

Education

AAT qualification

Tools

Xero

Job description

Location: London – Hybrid (1 day working from home)

Contract: 6-month fixed-term contract, with potential to become permanent

Our client is a multinational shipping group seeking to appoint an experienced Accounts Assistant to support its finance function on an initial 6-month contract, with the potential for the role to become permanent.

The role will take responsibility for a range of accounts payable and accounts receivable activities, working closely with the wider finance team to ensure accurate financial records, timely processing of transactions and the smooth running of day-to-day finance operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day accounts payable and accounts receivable activities across the business.
• Process supplier invoices, ensuring accurate coding, approvals and timely payment.
• Raise and issue customer invoices, ensuring accuracy and timely billing.
• Reconcile supplier statements and resolve outstanding queries and discrepancies.
• Monitor customer accounts, follow up on overdue balances and support credit control activities.
• Process supplier payments and assist with payment runs.
• Perform bank reconciliations and investigate any discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate financial records and transactions using Xero.
• Assist with month-end processes, including reconciliations, journals and reporting.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders, suppliers and customers to resolve finance-related queries.
• Support intercompany reconciliations and transactions across multiple entities.
• Ensure accounts payable and receivable ledgers are accurate and up to date.
• Assist with cash flow monitoring and reporting.
• Support the wider finance team with ad hoc accounting and administrative tasks.

Candidate Requirements

• Previous experience in an Accounts Assistant, Finance Assistant or similar accounting role.
• Strong hands-on experience across both accounts payable and accounts receivable.
• Good understanding of invoice processing, reconciliations, payment runs and credit control.
• Strong Excel skills and confidence working with financial data.
• Excellent attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Confident communicator, comfortable liaising with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience working within a multinational or multi-entity business would be advantageous.
• Exposure to the shipping, logistics or maritime sectors would be beneficial but is not essential.
• AAT qualified or studying towards an accounting qualification would be advantageous.
• Proactive, reliable and comfortable working within a busy finance environment.
• Available to commit to an initial 6-month contract, with an interest in a potential permanent opportunity.