Assistant Financial Accountant

Alternative Networks (now part of Daisy Group); Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy distribution company based in Crawley is seeking an Assistant Financial Accountant to support monthly financial controls and reconciliations. The ideal candidate will have strong numeracy skills, some experience with financial data, and willingness to learn. This role offers a competitive salary, a 7.5% bonus, and the possibility for blended working models after probation. Benefits include annual leave, pension contributions, and additional perks.

Benefits

25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays

Reservist Leave – Additional pay

Personal Pension Plan

Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Discounted gym membership

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience of undertaking reconciliations or processing transactional data.
• Ability to analyze data and understand financial information.
• Keen, motivated to learn and develop.

Responsibilities

• Participate in daily reconciliation of bank accounts via SAP.
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations.
• Support annual statutory and regulatory reporting.

Skills

Numerate

Good awareness of double entry bookkeeping

IT skills: Microsoft Excel

SAP proficient

Analytical skills

Education

Strong grades in GCSE and/or numerate A-level/undergraduate/graduate studies

Job description

Overview

81576 - Assistant Financial Accountant. This Assistant Financial Accountant will report to the Financial Accounting Manager and will work within the Finance directorate based in our Crawley office. You will be a permanent employee. You will attract a salary dependant on your experience and a bonus of 7.5%. This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 3 days in the office and 2 remote.

Close Date: 07/11/2025

• We Also Provide The Following Additional Benefits

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays.
• Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
• Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
• Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee Assistance Programme

About UK Power Networks

UK Power Networks (UKPN) is the UK's largest electricity distribution network. We provide electricity infrastructure to deliver electricity supply to our customers safely, reliably, efficiently and sustainably. We operate across three DNO licence areas; London, the East and the South East of England, serving over 8.5 million customers and businesses. Employing over 6,000 people, UKPN's primary role is to deliver safe, reliable and sustainable electricity to customers. UKPN has a key role to play in the UK's ambition to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, in connecting renewable energy to its network and facilitating the uptake of low carbon technologies. UKPN is widely recognised as the leading electricity distribution company in the UK and is recognised as a Top 25 Best Big Company to Work For and among just 5% of companies in the world awarded Investors in People’s highest status - Platinum.

Job Purpose

This is an exciting opportunity for a trainee accountant to join the UKPN finance team. You will report to the Financial Accounting Manager and support the monthly financial controls processes. This is an excellent opportunity to gain practical experience in Financial Control in a commercial environment.

Principal Accountabilities

• You will participate in the daily reconciliation of the Group's bank accounts via SAP transitory account monitoring and clearance, month end reconciliations and cash accrual postings.
• You will prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring that all reconciliations are robust, balances are supported and that issues are resolved promptly.
• Participate in the monthly intercompany reconciliation process and subsequent settlements.
• Help with the maintenance and implementation of the Group's Financial Authority Limits.
• Participate in month end accounting processes to ensure the accurate processing of transactions, on time and following established procedures.
• Support the preparation, update and maintenance of procedures applicable to the Group. Look improve the internal control framework.
• Provide support to the statutory and regulatory reporting process including maintaining balance sheets, preparing accruals and provisions support, collaborating with auditors.
• Undertake VAT adjustments and assisting the Tax department in query resolution.
• To participate in ad hoc projects.

Nature and scope

Supported by the Financial Manager, the Financial Accountant and the Banking and Controllers Administrator you will undertake financial activities such as month end accounting, banking, intercompany reconciliations & settlement, individual and group balance sheet reconciliations and financial controls. The ideal applicant will be rigorous in their approach and have the tenacity to track transactions to their origins to help accurate reconciliation and subsequent processing. This is an excellent opportunity to gain an understanding of important financial processes and contribute to important outputs from the Financial Accounting team. To be successful you will need to be motivated and proactive and receptive to learning and developing quickly.

Qualifications

• Numerate (demonstrated by strong grades in GCSE and/ or numerate A-level/undergraduate/graduate studies)
• Some experience undertaking reconciliations or processing large quantities of transactional data
• Good awareness of double entry bookkeeping/ accounting (either through study or experience)
• IT skills: must have a knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• Analyse data and understand financial information
• SAP proficient

Key Competencies

• Keen, willing and motivated to learn and develop
• Numerate with a desire to question and understand financial data
• Willing to get stuck in and work on own initiative
• Plan workload and work to specified deadlines
• Able to work with others and build productive working relationships with other partners, inside and outside of finance

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment. Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

If in doubt ask!

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at [e-mail] quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.