Assistant Accountant (Accounts Payable)

The Independent Schools Council; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

35 days’ holiday

Excellent benefits & CPD

Lunch in term time

New Hall Sport Club membership

Job summary

New Hall School invites applications for an Assistant Accountant to support the Finance Department, focusing on Accounts Payable. The role suits a graduate or early-career finance professional, with potential AAT apprenticeship support after probation.

You will handle supplier invoices, purchase ledger tasks, reconciliations and month-end processes within a collaborative team. Strong numerical skills, attention to detail and proficiency in MS Office are essential.

Qualifications

• Strong numerical and organisational skills.
• Experience in finance or accounting environment.
• Experience with computerised accounting systems (e.g., Lightyear) and VAT awareness.

Responsibilities

• Support and contribute to the smooth operation of the Finance Department.
• Process supplier invoices and manage purchase ledger; assist with reconciliations and month-end procedures.
• Support VAT calculations and assist with payment runs and supplier account reconciliations.

Skills

Numerical accuracy

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Education

A Level or equivalent

AAT qualification (advantageous)

Tools

Lightyear

Microsoft Office

Job description

New Hall School is seeking to appoint a conscientious, highly organised and detail-oriented Assistant Accountant to support the effective operation of the Finance Department, with a particular focus on Accounts Payable processes.

This is an excellent opportunity for either a graduate or early-career finance professional wishing to develop a career in accounting, or for an experienced Accounts Payable practitioner seeking a varied role within a leading independent school. Working as part of a collaborative Finance team, the successful candidate will contribute to the smooth delivery of the School's financial operations, including supplier management, purchase ledger administration, reconciliations and month-end procedures.

Applicants should possess strong numerical and organisational skills and have experience within a finance or accounting environment. An AAT qualification, or progress towards one, would be advantageous. The School may support the successful candidate in undertaking an appropriate AAT apprenticeship programme, subject to suitability, successful completion of the probationary period (or earlier by agreement), and a minimum of six months' service.

Key responsibilities:

• to support and contribute to the Catholic ethos of the School and its strategic aims
• to use Lightyear or similar purchase and approval software to process supplier invoices, match invoices to purchase orders and route invoices through the approval workflow in a timely manner
• to review budget holder coded invoices and correct where necessary and prepare approved invoices for payment
• to understand the School's VAT structure and identify and communicate any potentially recoverable expenditure, including VAT where applicable
• to support the preparation of payment runs, including BACS and international payments, ensuring appropriate controls and authorisations are obtained
• to reconcile supplier accounts and the purchase ledger on a monthly basis, investigating and resolving any reconciling items promptly
• to undertake monthly and year-end purchase ledger close procedures in accordance with financial timetables and accounting policies
• to identify, calculate and prepare prepayment and accrual journals in accordance with accounting procedures
• to support the management accounting process and assist with audit requirements, providing increasing responsibility as experience is gained
• to understand Billing and Credit Control processes and provide effective cover and support during busy periods, as well as periods of holiday and sickness absence

The successful candidate will be expected:

• to have a clear understanding of, and commitment to, the aims and ethos of a Catholic independent boarding and day school
• to be educated to A Level standard at grades A or B (or equivalent)
• to hold an AAT qualification (or equivalent)
• to have experience of working with computerised accounting systems especially Purchasing, Accounts Payable & Expense Management Software (such as Lightyear)
• to have previous experience of working in a School or similar educational environment
• to demonstrate a high level of accuracy, discretion, and attention to detail
• to demonstrate strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• to have excellent communication, organisational, and interpersonal skills

What New Hall offers:

• 35 days’ holiday (including bank holidays)
• Excellent benefits & CPD
• Lunch without charge in term time
• Discounted annual membership for New Hall Sport Club

New Hall School offers an exceptional working environment. The main campus occupies the stunning Grade I listed former Tudor palace of Beaulieu. The School’s conference and events venue is at the Grade I listed Boreham House, one mile away. New Hall is a warm, welcoming, and supportive community, with a staff of around 300.

Beaulieu Park railway station is at the entrance to New Hall’s Avenue: 30 minutes to Stratford and 38 minutes to London Liverpool Street. The Elizabeth Line at Shenfield (13 minutes by train) terminates at Heathrow airport. There are nearby airports: London Stansted, London Southend and London City.

All adults employed by the New Hall School have a responsibility for data protection and have a duty to observe and follow the principles of the GDPR Regulations. All applicants must be able to provide evidence of their Right to Work in the UK prior to commencement of employment. As part of our need to comply with UK immigration rules, you will be required to provide Home Office stipulated documentation prior to interview.

As well as verification of identity, we ask all successful candidates to undertake an enhanced DBS disclosure. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, we may also conduct an online search about any shortlisted candidates as part of our due diligence to identify any matters that might relate directly to our legal duty to meet safeguarding duties, in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). New Hall School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

SAFEGUARDING AND FURTHER INFORMATION

Due to the nature of this role, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. In making your application, it is essential you disclose whether you have any pending charges, convictions, bind-overs or cautions and, if so, for which offences. This post will be exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Therefore, applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provision of the Act, and, in the event of the employment being taken up; any failure to disclose such convictions will result in dismissal or disciplinary action. The fact that a pending charge, conviction, bind-over or caution has been recorded against you will not necessarily debar you from consideration for this appointment.