Assistant Accountant

Sagentia Defence; Bristol; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy in Bristol is seeking an Assistant Accountant to support daily finance functions and assist with billing and reporting. The ideal candidate should be AAT qualified or studying ACCA/CIMA, possess excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, and be able to effectively communicate financial information to non-financial staff. This role is essential for maintaining accurate financial processes and supporting project management, with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package available.

Benefits

Company Profit Share Scheme

Generous Holiday Allowance

Employee Assistance Programme

Private healthcare provided by Bupa

Qualifications

• Previous work experience in a similar finance position.
• Ability to interpret and communicate financial information effectively.
• Confidence in dealing with a variety of people.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day finance functions and practices.
• Prepare financial statements and analyze performance against forecasts.
• Assist with project billing and customer ledger management.

Skills

AAT Qualified or studying ACCA/CIMA

Excellent organisational skills

Attention to detail

Microsoft Excel proficiency

Education

AAT, ACCA, or CIMA qualification

Job description

Department: Finance

Location: Bristol

Description

Science Group is an international science, engineering and technology (“SET”) business providing a range of services to the medical, defence, industrial, food & beverage and consumer sectors, supplemented by a strategic products division where the Group holds leading market positions in associated technology sectors. The Group has a strong balance sheet with significant cash resources and freehold property asset base. The Group provides products and services to clients in the key vertical markets of: medical, defence, food & beverage, industrial and consumer. With offices throughout Europe and North America, two dedicated R&D innovation centres, and employees fluent in over 30 languages, Science Group supports a global client base in over 100 countries.

Key Responsibilities

The Assistant Accountant will be accountable for supporting the day‑to‑day finance function engaging efficient, and effective processes and practices. You will also be responsible for creating and communicating internal and external financial reports to management. Familiarity with project reporting requirements and know how to present complex financial information clearly and concisely is an essential part of this role as you’ll support the management of projects across the business unit. The role is to assist the Finance team with its daily activities of the billing and accounts payable functions in support of Consultants and Clients. Specifically:

• Assisting managers and budget holders to develop and monitor fully costed project proposals and budgets
• Prepare financial statements and analysis for monthly management account packs and assess actual performance against plan/forecast
• Assist with project set up and ad-hoc client billing
• Manage the customer ledger/purchase ledger within the accounting systems
• Perform weekly and monthly bank reconciliations across numerous bank accounts
• Involvement in client invoicing
• Resolve invoice/purchase order/supplier/employee queries in a timely manner
• Process and prepare payment runs for supplier invoices, employee expenses and credit cards on a regular basis
• Reconcile customer and supplier accounts and chase up unauthorised invoices/reconciling differences.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

To be successful in this position you will have previous work experience in a similar position and be comfortable working in an onsite setting. This role would suit someone who is AAT Qualified or currently studying ACCA/CIMA but candidates with relevant experience will also be considered. The ability to interpret financial information and effectively communicate it to staff without a financial background is essential as well as having confidence when dealing with a wide variety of people and prioritising competing deadlines.

Requirements

• Currently studying or qualified AAT, or studying ACCA or CIMA
• Previous experience in a similar finance position
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Skilled with Microsoft ExcelReady and able to exercise initiative
• High level of attention to detail

If you are interested in applying for this role, candidates must have:

• An existing right to live and work in the UK.
• Either hold a current SC clearance or be willing and eligible to undergo a Security Clearance check (SC level) upon starting their employment with the company.
• To gain SC clearance you will normally need at least 5 years’ UK residency.

Benefits

As a consultancy our people are our biggest asset, we are committed to career development and make a focused effort to offer bespoke training and mentoring to allow each individual to thrive within their environment and realise personal potential. At Sagentia Defence, we believe in rewarding our people and supporting their wellbeing. Alongside our competitive salaries we offer a comprehensive benefits package including, Company Profit Share Scheme, Generous Holiday Allowance with the ability to buy and sell holiday, Employee Assistance Programme, 24 Hour access to GP and Mental Health support along with access to hundreds of high street discounts, private healthcare provided by Bupa and more.