Assistant Accountant

Holstein UK; Telford; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension

Generous holiday allowance

Other benefits

Job summary

Holstein UK is seeking a permanent, full-time Assistant Accountant to join the small finance team and support the Head of Finance. You will handle payroll administration, prepare management accounts, input ledger data, and assist with year-end processes in a dynamic, member-owned environment.

The role requires solid finance experience, strong literacy, and proficiency with Excel; familiarity with Business Central is desirable.

Qualifications

• At least 2 years working in a finance department.
• Experience preparing month end journals
• Payroll administration experience
• Good literacy
• Knowledge of financial systems and procedures
• Proficient with Excel and Word

Responsibilities

• Support Head of Finance in recording financial details for Holstein UK Group.
• Assist in preparing management accounts and payroll administration.
• Input sales and purchase ledger documents; post month-end journals.
• Process supplier payments and reconciliations; manage bank transactions.
• Maintain monthly balance sheet reconciliations and assist with annual budgets.

Skills

Strong finance background

Excellent communication & teamwork

High attention to detail

Education

AAT qualification / Part-qualified accountant desirable

Tools

Business Central

Excel

Word

Job description

Are you looking to join a passionate, fun and hardworking team? Owned by its members, Holstein UK is a progressive and dynamic company with family values at its core and a drive for personal development, as well as team spirit. At the heart of the UK dairy industry, the Holstein UK Group provides a wide array of services to assist members in breeding profitable, robust, and productive dairy cattle.

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a permanent, full time Assistant Accountant, reporting to the Head of Finance. You will work as an integral part of a small team, assisting in preparation of the management accounts and liaising directly with our payroll providers, for our charity organisation and commercial companies within The Group.

The ideal candidate will have a strong finance background, excellent communication and interpersonal skills and high attention to detail.

In return, we offer a great working environment from our contemporary Head Office with a competitive salary, company pension, generous holiday allowance and a range of other benefits.

Purpose of the Job

Supporting the Head of Finance in the recording of financial details of the Holstein UK group, including maintaining financial records, processing and inputting data, logging and processing payments, cash handling, general financial housekeeping and payroll administration.

To work as an integral part of a small finance team and provide support to fellow team members as and when required, to ensure the finance function operates efficiently and effectively.

Key Responsibilities

General

• Working closely and proactively with the Head of Finance to assist with the smooth operation of finances within the organisation
• Assisting with the resolution of all internal and external finance related queries in a polite, professional and effective manner, whether in face to face meetings, by telephone or email
• Act as the business’s Business Central super user including the training of non-finance staff on purchasing
• Any other duties that may be deemed appropriate to this role
• Supporting the Finance Officers by inputting sales and purchase ledger documents when required
• Posting and allocating bank transactions on the sales and purchase ledgers
• Setting up supplier payment runs, ensuring timely payment of invoices
• Carryout regular documented reconciliations of debtor and creditor control accounts

Bank & Payments

• Ensuring employee expenses and received on time, checking for accuracy and authorisation with back-up, and arranging for them to be processed by pre-set appropriate deadlines
• Ensuring Contractor payments are received on time, checking for accuracy and authorisation with back-up, and arranging for them to be processed by pre-set appropriate deadlines
• Online banking – managing accounts, and preparation of bank reconciliations on monthly basis
• Record monthly Barclaycard transactions

Accounting / Journals

• Maintain and reconcile finance month end schedules
• Prepare and post month end journals
• Reconciliation of certain other balance sheet control accounts on a monthly basis
• Assist the Head of Finance with the preparation of annual budgets
• Assisting the Head of Finance with the preparation of year-end files for statutory audit

Payroll

• Monthly payroll administration
• Liase with external payroll provider
• Download and save all payroll reports each month

Note: This is not intended as an exclusive list of responsibilities, which may differ with the development of the organisation. The responsibilities of this post may change in line with the developing requirements of the organisation, subject to appropriate consultation with the post-holder.

The Person

• At least 2 years experience working in a finance department
• Experience preparing month end journals
• Experience of payroll administration
• Evidence of a good standard of literacy
• Knowledge and experience of a variety of financial systems, processes and procedures
• Proficient user of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word
• Experience working on Business Central Finance System is desirable but not essential
• Experience of working in the charity environment is desirable but not essential

Qualifications/Experience/Skills:

• Qualified AAT or Part Qualified Accountant is desirable
• Strong understanding of double entry accounting
• Ability to work pro-actively with a confident approach
• Ability to work to a deadline and prioritise workload
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in approach
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality
• Ability to follow instruction