Accounts Payable & Banking Manager

Witherslack Group; Chorley; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Witherslack Group is seeking an experienced Accounts Payable & Banking Manager to lead our end-to-end AP, Purchase to Pay and banking functions. Based at our Group Office in Lupton with a hybrid pattern (3 days in the office) and occasional travel with operational colleagues across the Group.

You will drive efficient processes, oversee invoices, approvals, payments, cash management and reporting, implement automation, set KPIs, and develop the finance team as the Group grows.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in Accounts Payable and Purchase to Pay.
• Experience leading teams in finance.
• Strong Excel and data reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end AP and P2P processes, invoice processing, approvals and payments.
• Oversee cash management, reconciliations, month-end reporting and forecasting.
• Drive process improvement, automation and standardisation across the function.
• Manage the finance team and support site-level performance reviews during key periods.

Skills

Accounts Payable

Purchase to Pay

Banking

Team leadership

Tools

ERP systems

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Accounts Payable & Banking Manager

This role is based at our Group Office in Lupton on a hybrid basis, with 3 days in the office. There may also be occasional travel requirements to work alongside operational colleagues across the Group.

Those huge small victories

We are the highest Ofsted-rated provider in the country for special education and care. Our teams are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things.

For children with complex needs the level of care and education we provide must go above and beyond. That's what drives us here at Witherslack Group. With our high staff-to-child ratio and in-house clinical teams, we're proud to have won a reputation for excellence and market leading OFSTED ratings.

Get out what you put in

We're looking for an experienced and proactive Accounts Payable & Banking Manager to join Witherslack Group and take overall responsibility for our Accounts Payable, Purchase to Pay and banking functions. This is a key role within our Finance team, responsible for ensuring our processes are efficient, accurate, well controlled and consistently delivered across the organisation.

You'll lead the end to end Accounts Payable and Purchase to Pay process, overseeing invoice processing, approval workflows, timely payments and the effective use of our Workday PO system. You'll also lead our cash management cycle, including accounting, reconciliation and reporting, while ensuring accurate reporting across areas such as AP ageing, accruals and payment forecasting.

As a key driver of continuous improvement, you'll identify opportunities to standardise processes, introduce automation and make better use of technology across the function. You'll establish and monitor appropriate KPIs, using performance data to identify trends, manage risks and drive improvements. You'll also play an important role in our month-end process, overseeing site level performance reviews, journals and relevant checks around areas such as capex and prepayments.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys combining operational leadership with process improvement and strategic thinking. You'll manage and develop the team, ensuring resources are effectively allocated around key deadlines, while helping to shape our Finance function as the Group continues to grow.

Bring your whole-self to work

Here at Witherslack Group, we celebrate everyone's differences as that's what makes us the best at what we do. Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs - and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. We'll give you the chance to build an exciting career in a fast-growing organisation, where you're free to achieve your potential. Here's what we need from you;

Significant experience working within Accounts Payable, Purchase to Pay, banking or a similar finance environment, with experience of leading or managing teams.

Strong experience of working with ERP systems, ideally with experience of managing and improving finance systems and processes.

Proven track record of driving process improvement, automation and standardisation, with the ability to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, controls and service delivery.

Strong knowledge of Microsoft Excel and the ability to use data and reporting to monitor performance, identify trends and support effective decision‑making.

Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to partner effectively with colleagues and stakeholders across all functions of the business.

Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines, particularly during month‑end and key payment periods.

A proactive and analytical approach, with the confidence to identify risks, challenge existing processes and implement practical solutions.

Experience of cash management, reconciliations, month‑end processes and financial reporting would be highly beneficial.

What we do for you

We know you're going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the care sector. With us, you'll get to make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people - plus you'll get:

Salary: Dependent on experience and qualification
Holiday: You'll work hard at WG, so you'll be rewarded with 7 weeks' holiday (including bank holidays)
Flexible benefits package: meaning you can increase/decrease your holiday allowance, pension and life insurance - check out our benefits here
Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts
Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities
A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time

Join the UK's best special education and care provider

Our young people deserve the best possible future and we feel the same about our teams. You deserve to have the career you want, with a purpose‑led employer, in an environment that allows you to be yourself .

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost). We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.