Finance Assistant

Terry Parris Associates; Goring-by-Sea; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Terry Parris Associates in West Sussex seeks a temporary Financial Associate to support their accountancy team for 1 month. The role focuses on day-to-day financial processing and ensuring records are complete and up to date.

You will handle routine purchase and sales ledgers, banking and reconciliations, and assist with month-end reporting and credit control. The successful candidate will be organised, accurate, able to meet deadlines, and capable of owning routine processes while safeguarding

Qualifications

• Relevant accounting experience preferred.
• AAT qualification or progress towards is advantageous.
• Strong numerical and analytical abilities.
• Ability to work to deadlines.
• Experience with purchase and sales ledgers is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Process supplier invoices and credit notes promptly.
• Match invoices to purchase orders and supporting documentation.
• Reconcile supplier statements and investigate differences.
• Raise and process customer invoices and credit notes.
• Allocate customer receipts against outstanding invoices.
• Monitor outstanding customer balances and reminders.
• Post bank transactions and complete bank reconciliations.
• Process employee expense claims and reconcile credit card transactions.
• Prepare routine journals and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and year-end processes.

Skills

Numerical skills

Attention to detail

Organised

Time management

Communication skills

Independent working

Confidential information handling

Willingness to learn

Education

AAT qualification or progress towards

Tools

Sage 50

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

Financial Associate

JOB DESCRIPTION

Department

Finance

Location

Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex

Reporting to

Financial Manager

Employment type

Full time, temporary role

Duration

1 Month

Role Purpose

Our client requires support for 1 month in their accountancy department, The Accounts Assistant will provide day-to-day support to the Finance team, helping to ensure that financial transactions are processed accurately and promptly and that accounting records are complete and up to date.

The role will have responsibility for routine purchase ledger, sales ledger, banking and reconciliation activities, together with supporting month-end reporting, credit control and other finance processes across the Group.

The successful candidate will be organised, accurate and comfortable working to deadlines, with a willingness to take ownership of routine finance processes and investigate discrepancies when they arise.

Key Responsibilities

Purchase Ledger

• Process supplier invoices and credit notes accurately and promptly.
• Match invoices to purchase orders and other supporting documentation.
• Check appropriate nominal coding, VAT treatment and authorisation.
• Reconcile supplier statements and investigate differences.
• Follow up missing invoices, credit notes and outstanding queries.
• Assist with the preparation of supplier payment runs.
• Maintain accurate supplier records.

Sales Ledger and Credit Control

• Raise and process customer invoices and credit notes.
• Allocate customer receipts against outstanding invoices.
• Monitor outstanding customer balances.
• Issue customer statements and payment reminders.
• Assist with credit control and the collection of overdue accounts.
• Investigate and resolve customer account queries.

Banking and Expenses

• Post bank transactions accurately and on a timely basis.
• Complete regular bank reconciliations.
• Process and reconcile company credit card transactions.
• Process employee expense claims and supporting documentation.
• Investigate unidentified or incorrectly allocated receipts and payments.

General Ledger and Reconciliations

• Prepare and post routine accounting journals as required.
• Maintain supporting schedules for accruals and prepayments.
• Complete assigned balance sheet reconciliations.
• Assist with intercompany transactions and reconciliations.
• Review transactions to ensure they have been posted to the appropriate nominal code, department or cost centre.
• Investigate and resolve reconciliation differences.

General Finance Administration

• Maintain organised and accurate electronic finance records.
• Respond to routine queries from customers, suppliers and colleagues.
• Obtain appropriate approvals and supporting documentation for transactions.
• Maintain finance spreadsheets and supporting schedules.
• Assist with budgeting and forecasting activities where required.
• Provide support during the annual audit and year-end accounts process.
• Assist with improvements to finance procedures, controls and systems.
• Undertake other reasonable finance duties as required.

Key Skills and Experience

• Good working knowledge of Sage 50 (or a very similar accounting system) is highly desired but not essential.
• Good numerical and analytical skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Good organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to prioritise tasks and work to deadlines.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to investigate discrepancies and resolve routine accounting queries.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively as part of the Finance team.
• A professional approach when dealing with confidential financial information.

Qualifications

A relevant accounting qualification or progress towards an accounting qualification such as AAT would be advantageous but is not essential where the candidate has suitable practical experience.

Support for further professional development may be considered in line with the requirements of the role and the business.

Personal Attributes

• Accurate and methodical.
• Reliable and conscientious.
• Proactive in following up queries and outstanding items.
• Comfortable taking responsibility for recurring tasks.
• Able to maintain confidentiality.
• Willing to learn and develop accounting knowledge.
• Capable of building positive working relationships with colleagues, customers and suppliers.