Assistant Financial Controller

Hunterlodge Advertising; Rickmansworth; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Hunterlodge Advertising, a UK-based full-service advertising agency, is seeking a hands-on, mid-level finance professional to own daily financial administration and support the Finance Director.

You will work closely with colleagues across the agency to support month-end reporting, cashflow management, and robust financial controls, while the Finance Director retains responsibility for strategy, governance and statutory reporting.

Qualifications

• Hands-on finance role focusing on accuracy, discrepancy resolution and smooth processes.
• Experience with purchase and sales ledgers, reconciliations, month-end journals and management accounts.
• Attention to detail, and ability to resolve issues and explain financial information clearly.
• Knowledge of VAT processes and internal controls.
• Proficient with accounting software and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong organisation and communication skills, with the ability to explain financial queries to non-finance colleagues.
• Proactive approach and ability to own daily workload while knowing when to escalate.

Responsibilities

• Maintain purchase and sales ledgers, process supplier invoices, client billing, staff expenses promptly.
• Check invoices against purchase orders, supporting documentation and approval procedures, ensuring correct coding and allocation to jobs.
• Prepare supplier payment runs for approval and resolve invoice and payment queries with suppliers and client finance teams.
• Monitor aged debt, follow up overdue invoices and flag collection issues to the Finance Director.
• Maintain organised financial records with a clear audit trail.
• Complete regular bank, credit card, supplier statement and ledger reconciliations, investigating discrepancies promptly.
• Reconcile media platform charges and credit card transactions against PO, campaign records and supplier invoices.
• Maintain and reconcile work-in-progress (WIP) with account teams to confirm costs and status.
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations and flag unreconciled balances or unusual transactions for review.
• Prepare month-end journals, accruals, prepayments and payroll entries with supporting schedules.
• Prepare monthly management accounts and supporting reports for the Finance Director to review.
• Support cashflow forecasting by updating expected receipts and payments.
• Assist with budgets and forecasts, investigate variances and provide cost/margin details.
• Coordinate payroll information and liaise with payroll provider to ensure accurate processing.

Skills

Accounts payable

Bank reconciliations

Month-end reporting

Cashflow management

VAT processes

Excel

Communication

Education

AAT qualified or ACCA/CIMA part-qualified

Tools

Accounting software

Job description

Hunterlodge is a UK-based, full-service advertising agency with a growing and diverse client portfolio. Following a series of recent client wins, we are strengthening our finance team and looking for an experienced finance professional to take ownership of day-to-day financial administration and support our Finance Director.

Role Overview

This is a hands-on, mid-level finance role for someone who enjoys keeping accounts accurate, resolving discrepancies and making sure financial processes run smoothly. You will own the daily finance workload, maintain reliable records and reconciliations, and prepare timely information for the Finance Director to review.

Working closely with colleagues across the agency, you will support month-end reporting, cashflow management and financial controls. The Finance Director will retain overall responsibility for financial strategy, governance and statutory reporting.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate purchase and sales ledgers, processing supplier invoices, client billing, credit notes and staff expenses promptly.
• Check invoices against purchase orders, supporting documentation and agreed approval procedures, ensuring correct coding and allocation to jobs.
• Prepare supplier payment runs for approval and resolve invoice and payment queries with suppliers and client finance teams.
• Monitor aged debt, follow up overdue invoices and flag collection issues to the Finance Director.
• Maintain organised financial records and supporting documentation, with a clear audit trail.

Reconciliations & Media Finance

• Complete regular bank, credit card, supplier statement and ledger reconciliations, investigating and resolving discrepancies promptly.
• Reconcile media platform charges and credit card transactions against purchase orders, campaign records and supplier invoices.
• Maintain and reconcile work-in-progress (WIP), working with account teams to confirm costs, billing status and outstanding items.
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations and flag unreconciled balances or unusual transactions for review.

Month-End Reporting & Cashflow

• Prepare month-end journals, including accruals, prepayments and payroll entries, and maintain the supporting schedules.
• Prepare monthly management accounts and supporting reports for the Finance Director to review within agreed deadlines.
• Support cashflow forecasting by maintaining up-to-date information on expected receipts, supplier payments and other commitments.
• Assist with budgets and forecasts, investigate variances and provide information on job costs, margins and expenditure.
• Coordinate payroll information and liaise with the payroll provider or relevant colleagues to ensure accurate processing.

Financial Controls & Process Improvement

• Apply the agency’s financial controls and approval procedures consistently, escalating errors, exceptions and potential risks.
• Prepare information and reconciliations to support VAT returns, year-end accounts and other statutory requirements under the Finance Director’s guidance.
• Support external accountants and auditors by gathering records, preparing schedules and responding to routine queries.
• Identify practical improvements to finance processes, reporting and systems, helping reduce manual work and improve accuracy.
• Support the maintenance of Environmental Management System records and compliance documentation.
• Collect and update sustainability data, including utilities, travel and waste, to support carbon reporting.
• Help maintain the environmental legal register and gather evidence for internal and external audits, working with the relevant colleagues.

Experience & Skills

• Solid experience in a hands-on finance role, such as Assistant Financial Controller, Management Accountant or an experienced Assistant Accountant.
• Practical experience of purchase and sales ledgers, reconciliations, month-end journals and management accounts.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to investigate discrepancies and follow issues through to resolution.
• Good working knowledge of accounting principles, VAT processes and financial controls.
• Confident use of accounting software and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong organisation and communication skills, with the ability to manage deadlines and explain financial queries clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• A proactive approach and the confidence to take ownership of the daily workload while knowing when to escal ...??

Qualifications & Desirable Experience

AAT qualified, part-qualified or qualified ACCA/CIMA, or equivalent practical experience. A degree is not essential.

• Experience in an advertising agency or another project-based business, particularly involving media spend and WIP, would be advantageous. Familiarity with ISO 14001 administration would also be helpful.