Assistant Financial Accountant

Herts for Learning Ltd; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Herts for Learning Ltd (HFL Education) invites applications for an Assistant Financial Accountant to strengthen the Company Finance Team. You will support month-end and year-end processes, prepare reconciliations, maintain asset records, and contribute to VAT returns and budget holder support.

The role requires strong Excel skills, experience with finance systems (Xero preferred), and the ability to meet deadlines while working with stakeholders across the business.

Qualifications

• Sound understanding of financial accounting.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Experience with finance systems; Xero experience desirable.
• Able to meet deadlines and work independently.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Support month-end and year-end activities.
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations.
• Maintain the fixed asset register.
• Produce VAT returns.
• Review payroll outputs and journals; rolling cash flow forecasts.

Skills

Financial accounting

Excel

VAT reporting

Budgeting support

Analytical thinking

Relationship building

Tools

Xero

Job description

Are you a confident finance professional looking to take greater ownership of core accounting processes while developing your business partnering experience? We are seeking an Assistant Financial Accountant to join our Company Finance Team and help deliver accurate, timely and insightful financial information across HFL Education.

Playing an important part in the Company Finance Team, you will support month-end and year-end activities, prepare balance sheet reconciliations, maintain the fixed asset register, produce VAT returns, review payroll outputs and journals, and prepare rolling cash flow forecasts. You will also provide practical financial support and constructive challenges to budget holders, contribute to audit work, and help strengthen our systems, controls, and processes.

You will bring a sound understanding of financial accounting, strong Excel skills, and excellent attention to detail. Organised, proactive and comfortable managing competing deadlines, you will be able to work independently and to build effective relationships across the business. Experience of finance systems is essential, while experience of Xero, VAT-reporting or supporting budget holders would be particularly valuable.

Our collaborative Company Finance Team works across HFL Education to safeguard financial control, collect income efficiently, pay suppliers promptly, and provide reliable information for decision-making. If you are ready to broaden your finance experience and make a valued contribution to an organisation that supports schools and educational settings, we would love to hear from you.

At a glance

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Ideally Full-time (52 weeks per year) but part time would be considered

Location: Hybrid working consisting of remote working, with a requirement to work in our Head Office in Stevenage at least one day per week and as required to meet business needs.

We are a committed Disability Confident employer and a signatory of the BITC Race at Work Charter reflecting our continuing commitment to be unbiased across our recruitment and workplace practices.

We actively encourage suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply and to join us. We use an anonymous application process to ensure we always select candidates based on their skills and competencies. When two or more candidates have equal merit, the candidate with protected characteristics will have an advantage over others. This tie-breaker approach is described as positive action in the Equality Act 2010 and we believe strongly in the power of overcoming disadvantage.

If you are invited to interview, please be prepared to discuss the subject of unconscious bias with us. These conversations are extremely useful in giving us an idea of what working together will be like.

HFL is an equal opportunities employer, committed to building and celebrating an environment that is inclusive and equitable, in which everyone can flourish, regardless of race, age, sexuality, gender, disability, or status.