Assistant Accountant

Sellick Partnership; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Sellick Partnership is recruiting a Assistant Accountant in Birmingham. The role focuses on financial accounting, month-end processes, reconciliations and balance sheet control within a public sector environment. Hybrid working is available, with 1 day per week in the office.

You will support month-end activities, reconciliations, VAT and audit support, and contribute to high-quality financial reporting across the finance team.

Qualifications

• Public sector experience preferred.
• Strong financial accounting background with month-end exposure.
• Experience with balance sheet accounting and reconciliations.
• Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP, PivotTables) and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Support month-end accounting processes and journals.
• Perform balance sheet, control, AP and AR reconciliations.
• Maintain fixed asset and lease records with accurate balances.
• Assist with VAT, tax, statutory and audit returns.
• Support preparation of financial statements and audit information.
• Liaise with internal and external auditors to resolve queries.
• Assist with AP/AR and employee expenses processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial controls and processes.

Skills

Excel

VLOOKUP

PivotTables

Numerical accuracy

Education

AAT qualification or equivalent

Tools

Oracle

ERP systems

Job description

Salary: Up to £38,486 per annum

Hybrid: 1 day per week in the office

Location: Birmingham

This is an excellent opportunity for a finance professional with a strong financial accounting background to join a well-established Finance function. The successful candidate will support a broad range of financial control and accounting activities, with particular emphasis on month-end processes, reconciliations, balance sheet accounting, financial reporting and audit.

The role would suit someone who enjoys working across a varied finance function and has a genuine interest in working within the public sector. While forecasting experience is useful, the team are particularly keen to speak with candidates who have strong hands‑on experience across financial accounting, balance sheet reconciliations and financial control.

The responsibilities of the Assistant Accountant will be:

• Supporting month-end accounting processes, including journals, prepayments and period close activities.
• Completing a range of balance sheet, control account, accounts payable and accounts receivable reconciliations.
• Supporting the maintenance of fixed asset and lease records, ensuring balances are accurate and up to date.
• Assisting with VAT, tax, statutory and other financial returns.
• Supporting the preparation of financial statements and information required for audit.
• Working with internal and external auditors to provide supporting information and resolve queries.
• Supporting accounts payable, accounts receivable and employee expense processes.
• Assisting with the maintenance of the finance system and identifying opportunities to improve financial controls and processes.
• Supporting wider government accounting requirements and providing assistance to the wider Finance team as required.

The ideal candidate for the Assistant Accountant role will have:

• Previous experience working within a Public Sector organisation.
• Extensive experience working within a financial accounting environment, ideally with strong exposure to month-end and reconciliations.
• A good understanding of balance sheet accounting and experience reconciling accounts using an ERP or finance system.
• Strong Excel skills, including VLOOKUPs and PivotTables, with a high level of numerical accuracy and attention to detail.
• AAT qualification or equivalent finance/accounting qualification or degree.
• Experience using finance or ERP systems, with Oracle experience being advantageous.
• Experience supporting financial statements, audit activity and financial controls.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.