Accounts Receivable Assistant

Cedar; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Cedar is recruiting an Accounts Receivable Assistant for a prestigious Higher Education client in the South East of England. This 12-month interim contract offers hybrid working with 2 days on site each week, and a rate of £20–£25 per hour.

You will manage customer accounts, process invoices and payments, perform reconciliations, and support queries across multiple stakeholders, using Oracle and other payment platforms. Strong Excel skills and attention to detail are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience with accounts receivable in higher education is preferred.
• Proven ability to process invoices, allocate payments and resolve discrepancies.
• Strong Excel skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and organisational abilities to manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines in a busy finance team.

Responsibilities

• Create, maintain and manage customer accounts, including credit checks.
• Process invoices, credit notes and account adjustments accurately.
• Manage incoming payments, receipting and allocation.
• Process refunds to students and funders with proper authorisation.
• Investigate payment discrepancies and support bank reconciliations.
• Coordinate with students, departments and external customers on billing queries.
• Utilise Oracle and other payment platforms to maintain records.

Skills

Excel

Communication

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Independent working

Tools

Oracle

Job description

Accounts Receivable Assistant

Sector: Higher Education

Location: South East
Contract: 12 Month Interim Contract
Rate: £20 - £25 per hour
Working Pattern: Hybrid, 2 days per week on site

We are working with a prestigious university based in the South East to recruit an experienced Accounts Receivable Assistant for a 12 month interim assignment.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a busy finance function, supporting the effective management of accounts receivable, invoicing, payment processing and customer accounts.

The successful candidate will have previous experience working within a Higher Education finance environment, strong attention to detail and the ability to manage a varied workload while delivering

excellent customer service.

Key Responsibilities

• Create, maintain and manage customer accounts, including undertaking credit checks and appropriate due diligence.
• Process invoices, credit notes and account adjustments, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial procedures.
• Manage incoming payments, including receipting, allocation and investigation of unidentified or unapplied receipts.
• Process refunds to students, funders and other customers, ensuring appropriate authorisation and accurate recording.
• Investigate and resolve payment discrepancies, supporting bank reconciliation processes.
• Liaise with students, academic departments, internal finance teams and external customers to resolve billing and payment queries.
• Utilise financial systems, including Oracle and other payment platforms, to maintain accurate financial records.

Essential Experience

• Previous finance experience within a Higher Education institution is essential.
• Proven experience in accounts receivable, sales ledger or a similar transactional finance role.
• Experience processing invoices, allocating payments and resolving account discrepancies.
• Good understanding of accounting principles and financial procedures.
• Experience using financial accounting systems
• Strong Excel skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent communication, organisational and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise workloads and meet deadlines.

• Familiarity with Higher Education payment processes and student finance transactions.
• Knowledge of credit control procedures and credit risk assessments.

Please note: Previous Higher Education finance experience is essential for this position.