Central Assistant Accountant (7 month FTC)

Cox Automotive; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off (paid)

Well-Being Day

Charity Day

Career progression

Pension

Job summary

Cox Automotive is seeking a Central Assistant Accountant for a 7-month fixed-term contract based in Leeds with hybrid working. The role covers day-to-day processing, month-end activities and producing management information, supporting the Auctions business within the Manheim Finance Team.

You will work closely with branches, handling cash book duties, reconciliations and various reports while contributing to financial accuracy and timely reporting.

Qualifications

• Strong IT skills with emphasis on Excel and data analysis.
• Clear written and verbal communication across teams.
• Excellent attention to detail for accurate financial data.
• Good time management and ability to meet deadlines.
• Organisational skills and self-motivation to develop professionally.

Responsibilities

• Assist day-to-day financial processing of branch accounts.
• Own month-end processes for key balance sheet areas.
• Support production of monthly management accounts and KPIs.
• Maintain robust financial controls and procedures.
• Conduct monthly balance sheet reconciliations and assist audits.
• Manage cash book, bank reconciliations, and weekly journals.
• Oversee daily cashier inputs and timely postings.
• Process and post manual sundry invoices through CODA.
• Run weekly AIMS journal and collaborate with branches.
• Produce weekly and monthly loss reports and variance analyses.
• Review credit card expenses in Certify for delegates.
• Generate weekly/monthly default reports for visibility.
• Support accruals and prepayments aligned with month-end timetable.
• Ensure monthly financial reports are delivered accurately and on time.

Skills

Excel skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Time management

Organisational skills

Motivation

Personal development

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The Role

Central Assistant Accountant (7 month FTC)

Leeds / Hybrid

£28,000

37.5 hours a week (Monday - Friday)

Accelerate your career with a company that leads the way!

Overview

The Manheim Finance Team plays a pivotal role within the broader Cox Automotive UK finance function. As a trusted business partner, our purpose is to provide expert financial support and insight that empowers informed decision-making, drives business value, and effectively manages risk.

Our team delivers a comprehensive suite of services, including:

• Accounting - ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting
• Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) - offering insight and foresight through budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis
• Business Partnering - working closely with operational teams to support strategic initiatives and drive financial performance

Centrally based at our Head Office in Leeds, we support all locations within the Manheim network, helping to ensure financial excellence and operational efficiency across the UK.

Why Join Us & What's In It For You?

As a Cox Automotive team member, you'll have access to a wide range of benefits, including exclusive discounts, cashback offers and our brilliant peer to peer recognition scheme. And there's even more to enjoy:

• Option to buy additional holiday days
• Your birthday off every year - paid
• One annual Well-Being Day for you to relax and recharge
• One paid Charity Day to give back and support a cause that matters to you
• Opportunities for career progression across the Cox Automotive network
• Competitive pension scheme

About The Role

As a member of the Manheim Finance Team, you will play a key role in providing financial support to our Auctions business. This position offers a blend of hands‑on financial processing, analysis, and control, contributing directly to the accuracy and integrity of financial reporting.

What You'll Be Doing

• Assist with the day-to-day financial processing of branch accounts, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in transactional finance.
• Take ownership of month-end processes for key balance sheet areas, including the preparation and review of provisions.
• Support the production of monthly management accounts, including analysis of results, preparation of commentary, and delivery of relevant KPIs.
• Monitor and help maintain robust financial controls and procedures within your area of responsibility.
• Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations and assist in preparing audit files to support internal and external audits.
• Manage the cash book and bank reconciliations, ensuring timely coding of outstanding items and posting of weekly journals.
• Oversee the daily cashier session inputs, ensuring payments are recorded accurately and in a timely manner.
• Manage the processing and posting of manual sundry invoices through CODA, ensuring compliance with internal procedures.
• Run the weekly AIMS journal, working closely with branches to resolve any blockers or discrepancies.
• Produce weekly and monthly losses reports, highlighting key trends and variances.
• Review and manage credit card expense submissions in Certify for assigned delegates, ensuring policy compliance and accurate coding.
• Generate and maintain weekly and monthly default reports, supporting operational visibility and control.
• Support the production of accruals and prepayments, ensuring alignment with the month-end timetable.
• Ensure the accurate and timely delivery of monthly financial reports, meeting group deadlines and ensuring revenues and costs are recorded in the appropriate accounting periods.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a proactive and detail-oriented individual who can thrive in a fast-paced finance environment. The ideal candidate will bring a strong mix of technical skills, communication ability, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

• Strong IT skills, with a particular emphasis on Microsoft Excel (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, data analysis).
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to work collaboratively across teams.
• Excellent attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in financial data and reporting.
• Strong time management and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and meet deadlines.
• A self-motivated individual with the drive and determination to succeed, and a genuine interest in ongoing personal and professional development.

We're Committed to Inclusion

We are proud to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in all its forms. We are a place where you can be you.

Who we are

Cox Automotive is the world's largest automotive service organisation. We provide dependable solutions that improve performance and profitability throughout the vehicle lifecycle to manufacturers, fleets, and retailers. Our businesses are organised around our customers' core needs across vehicle solutions, mobility, remarketing, funding, and retail.

The Benefits

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Testimonials

Aneliese Platts

Senior Designer

"The people that work here are what sets Cox Automotive apart. We genuinely work as a team, and I feel the same level of support everywhere in the business. Working here is like a family away from home, but most importantly we have fun whilst doing it!"

Ann Fairbanks

Executive PA & Business Support

"I wouldn't be where I am today without Cox Automotive. The company has real culture of learning, pushing the boundaries and making YOU better. It's all built on strong values that are more than just words, they're acted on every single day."

Gemma Hepple

National Operations Manager

"In my nine years here, Cox Automotive has allowed me to learn, grow and hone my skills. There's a real commitment to inclusion and diversity and today I am proud to be in what was historically perceived to be a 'man's' role."