Assistant Accountant

Places for People; Preston; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension with matched contributions up

Bonus scheme

35 days holiday (incl. bank)

Healthcare cashback plan

Wellbeing support & EAP

Place Rewards discounts

Training & career progression

Life Assurance & will-writing services

Job summary

Places for People is seeking an Assistant Accountant to support the financial management of social housing operations, planned investment programmes and compliance activities. You will help produce reporting packs, forecasts and budgets, and complete accruals, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations.

You will work with finance, operational teams and external managing agents to ensure accurate financial information, identify control improvements, and help standardise reporting.

Qualifications

• Experience producing or supporting management accounts, including accruals, prepayments, journals and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Practical knowledge of Microsoft Excel and experience using it to analyse or report financial information.
• Experience working with finance policies, procedures and financial controls.
• Knowledge of statutory and regulatory accounting or reporting requirements.

Responsibilities

• Assist in producing management accounts and reporting packs for operations and investments.
• Analyse variances, investigate performance and ensure accurate cost-centre reporting.
• Collaborate with finance, operations and external agents to standardise reporting and strengthen controls.

Skills

Management accounts experience

Microsoft Excel (analytical)

Finance policies & controls

Statutory & regulatory accounting

Education

Finance qualification (AAT or equivalent)

Progress towards professional qualification

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

As the UK's leading Social Enterprise, we move lives forward every day by building, managing and supporting thriving Communities. From new homes, social housing and student accommodation to leisure, education and Community initiatives, our work makes a positive difference to millions of People across the UK. And that takes People who care about doing the right thing. People who are ambitious, ready to grow and motivated to make a difference through the work they do.

We're looking for Colleagues who bring energy, curiosity and ownership. People who enjoy being challenged, support those around them and want to keep raising the bar. Because when we perform at our best, we create more opportunities to invest in our Customers, our Communities and each other.

Experience matters, but it's only part of the story. If you share our values and want to build a career where your work has real impact, we'd love to hear from you.

More about your role

As our Assistant Accountant within Assets and Investments Finance, you will support the financial management of our social housing operations, planned investment programme and compliance activity. You will help produce accurate reporting packs, management information, forecasts and budgets, while completing accruals, prepayments, payroll journals and balance sheet reconciliations.

You will investigate financial performance and variances, resolve errors and help provide a clear picture of performance at cost-centre level. Working with finance and operational teams, as well as external managing agents, you will ensure financial information is accurate, appropriately coded and recorded in line with accounting standards, tax requirements and internal procedures. You will also identify opportunities to strengthen controls, standardise reporting and make financial processes more efficient.
This is an initial fixed term contract until May 2027. This role is based on site in Preston 2 days a week.

At Places for People we are committed to a safe working environment so a basic DBS check is mandatory.

Essential criteria

• Experience producing or supporting management accounts, including accruals, prepayments, journals and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Practical knowledge of Microsoft Excel and experience using it to analyse or report financial information.
• Experience working with finance policies, procedures and financial controls.
• Knowledge of statutory and regulatory accounting or reporting requirements.
• A relevant finance qualification, progress towards a professional finance qualification, AAT qualification, or equivalent practical accounting experience.

More about you

You are comfortable working with detailed financial information, investigating variances and meeting regular reporting deadlines. You can organise your workload, use your initiative and build effective working relationships with finance and non-finance colleagues across different locations.

Management accounts experience would be particularly valuable, as would experience improving financial controls or processes. You will be confident working with a varied group of stakeholders and able to explain financial information clearly to support informed decisions.

What you'll get

We know rewarding work deserves rewarding benefits. That's why, alongside a competitive salary, you'll have access to a package designed to support you at work and beyond. You'll receive:

• Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
• Bonus scheme for colleagues at 2%
• 35 days holiday (including bank holidays) with the option to buy or sell days
• Healthcare cashback plan for everyday medical costs, with private GP and health support services available
• Comprehensive wellbeing support including counselling, flu jabs, our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and access to our Wellbeing Hub, supporting your mental, physical and financial wellbeing
• Access to Our Place Rewards, offering discounts and savings on groceries, travel, shopping, home products and other lifestyle purchases
• Ongoing training, professional qualifications, internal development programmes and career progression opportunities
• Recognition programmes including Star Awards and Colleague Awards, celebrating achievements and recognising great work
• Strong focus on inclusion, wellbeing and colleague engagement
• Free membership to Places Gyms
• Life Assurance to provide financial security for your loved ones, alongside access to will writing services to help you plan for the future with confidence