Assistant Accountant

Fresh Start Recruitment; Mansfield; Hybrid; GBP 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is looking for an Assistant Accountant based in Mansfield. This role involves managing payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and VAT returns. Candidates should be part-qualified or fully qualified accountants with strong Excel skills. The position offers a hybrid working model, competitive salary of £35,000, and various benefits including private healthcare and a yearly bonus.

Benefits

Pension

Life assurance

Private healthcare

Yearly production bonus

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Experience in an SME and/or FMCG industry is a bonus.
• Ability to work in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

• Run accurate and timely monthly payroll.
• Own accounts payable and receivable from start to finish.
• Maintain and reconcile balance sheet accounts.
• Prepare and submit VAT returns accurately.
• Support the full close process including accruals and prepayments.

Skills

Experience across end-to-end finance processes

Strong Excel skills

Self-starter with ownership drive

Confidence with IT systems

Education

Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent)

Tools

Xero

Job description

Overview

Ref 11081
Assistant Accountant
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire (with occasional travel to head office)
Hybrid – 4 days in the office, 1 from home
£35,000 plus pension, life assurance, private healthcare, yearly production bonus and 28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Responsibilities

• Payroll: Run accurate and timely monthly payroll.
• Ledgers: Own accounts payable and receivable from start to finish—posting invoices, weekly payment runs, reconciling payments in, and managing credit control.
• Bank reconciliations: Keep our bank accounts balanced and under control.
• Balance sheet ownership: Maintain and reconcile balance sheet accounts.
• VAT returns: Prepare and submit VAT returns accurately and on time.
• Month-end accounts: Support the full close process including accruals, prepayments, stock, and margin variance analysis.
• Factory & operations support: Partner with the factory team on KPI reporting and help drive operational performance.
• All-hands on support: From time to time, assist with wider business and factory tasks beyond finance, such as HR, IT, or general admin when needed.
• Continuous improvement: Identify ways to streamline processes and bring fresh ideas to how finance is run.

Qualifications

• Experience across end-to-end finance processes (bonus if this experience is within an SME and/or FMCG industry).
• Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).
• Confident with IT systems and strong Excel skills.
• Experience with Xero is a bonus, but not a dealbreaker.
• A self-starter with the drive and independence to take ownership.
• Energy and pace—you’ll enjoy working in a fast-moving environment and being part of a team supporting a brand on an ambitious growth journey.