Finance Assistant

Searchability; Carterton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite at Brize Norton

Contract until June 2027

Job summary

Searchability is seeking a Finance Assistant to support the Financial Controller and deliver accurate cost forecasting, analysis and reporting for defence sector projects. The role involves close collaboration with procurement and operational teams to ensure costs are correctly recorded and reported to management.

You will assist with month-end processes, accruals, journals and cost centre reporting, while developing financial insights for key stakeholders and UK government agencies.

Qualifications

• Experience in financial analysis, forecasting and cost control.
• Knowledge of P&L, debits/credits and cash flow principles.
• Experience producing cost centre reports and MI for management.
• Experience supporting month-end processes, journals and reconciliations.
• Excellent Excel and reporting skills.
• Excellent communication with non-finance stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Maintain cost, revenue and cash flow forecasts across the business.
• Support financial planning, forecasting and resource planning.
• Analyse actual costs, revenues and allocations; investigate variances.
• Produce cost centre reports and management information.
• Support month-end close, accruals, journals and postings.
• Assist with payroll, invoicing, treasury processes.
• Collaborate with procurement to review cost coding and commitments.
• Monitor financial risks and contractual expenditure.
• Present financial analysis to management and customers.
• Support ad-hoc reporting for MOD and UK Government agencies.

Skills

Financial analysis

Forecasting

Cost control

Month-end close

Communication

P&L understanding

Education

AAT/CIMA desirable

Tools

Excel

Job description

FINANCE ASSISTANT

• £32.00 per hour via Umbrella
• Brize Norton – 100% onsite
• 35 hours per week | Initial contract until June 2027, with likely extension
• BPSS clearance required | AAT/CIMA desirable

ABOUT THE CLIENT

Our client operates within the UK military aviation and defence sector, supporting complex programmes and operational services. They are looking for a Finance Assistant to work closely with the Finance Director and Financial Controller, providing financial analysis, cost forecasting and reporting to support business performance and management decisions.

THE FINANCE ASSISTANT ROLE:

You will support the Financial Controller with financial transactions, operational cost analysis, forecasting and financial performance reporting. Working closely with operational teams, procurement and senior management, you'll help ensure costs are accurately recorded, budgets are controlled and financial decisions are supported by meaningful analysis.

Key responsibilities include:

• Maintaining cost, revenue and cash flow forecasts across the business.
• Supporting financial planning, operational forecasting and resource planning.
• Analysing actual costs, revenues and allocations, investigating variances and supporting accurate financial postings.
• Producing cost centre reports, financial performance analysis and management information.
• Supporting month-end close, including accruals, journals, sales reserves and periodic postings.
• Assisting with payroll accounting, invoicing, billing and treasury processes.
• Working with procurement to review purchase commitments, cost coding and the timely recognition of costs.
• Monitoring financial risks, opportunities and contractual expenditure.
• Presenting financial analysis to local management and programme customers.
• Supporting ad-hoc financial reporting for MOD and other UK Government agencies.
• Identifying opportunities to improve financial processes and reporting.

FINANCE ASSISTANT ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

• Experience in a Financial Controller, Cost Controller, Management Accountant, Assistant or similar finance role.
• Good understanding of financial principles, including debits and credits, Profit & Loss (P&L) and cash flow.
• Experience with cost control, financial analysis and forecasting.
• Experience producing cost centre reports and financial management information.
• Understanding of actual versus forecast costs, revenue allocation and variance analysis.
• Experience supporting month-end processes, journals, accruals or financial reconciliations.
• Strong Excel, analytical and reporting skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain financial information to non-finance stakeholders.