Finance Assistant

The Independents; Greater London; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The Independents is a global ecosystem of 23 partner agencies delivering exceptional brand experiences for luxury and lifestyle clients, with a presence across major cities worldwide. We are hiring a Finance Assistant to join our London team, supporting day-to-day finance across UK entities.

This hands-on role reports to the Finance Manager and, with 12–18 months of junior finance experience, offers growth within an international agency environment.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a junior Finance, Finance Assistant or Accounts Payable role (12–18 months+).
• Finance-related qualification such as AAT or equivalent preferred.
• Hands-on NetSuite experience strongly preferred; Sage or similar ERP experience considered.
• Strong Excel skills and comfort with financial data.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day accounting activities across multiple UK entities.
• Process supplier invoices and assist with AP data entry and reconciliation.
• Prepare and issue customer invoices and support client billing.
• Complete basic bank reconciliations.
• Prepare and reconcile inter-company AR and AP invoices.
• Create and maintain project codes.
• Review expense claims and supporting documentation; follow up on outstanding items.
• Reconcile company credit card expenses.
• Prepare Excel files for bulk invoice imports across projects.
• Support month-end close and other daily accounting tasks.
• Maintain accurate financial records and documentation.
• Act as point of contact for employees regarding expenses.
• Support wider Finance team with admin tasks.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organised

Communication

Independence

Time management

Excel proficiency

Education

AAT or equivalent qualification

Tools

NetSuite

Sage

Excel

Job description

The Independents is a global ecosystem of 23 best-in-class partner agencies crafting extraordinary brand experiences that captivate audiences worldwide. In collaboration with its clients across the luxury and lifestyle industries, The Independents creates meaningful connections between people and the brands they love.

The Independents’ curation reflects an expansive roster of industry pioneers, including 2 x 4, Atelier Athem, Atelier Lum, Bureau Béatrice, Bureau Betak, Bureau Future, Ctzar, Inca Productions, k2, Karla Otto, Kennedy, Kitten Production, Kitty Events, Lefty, Lucien Pagès Communication, MA+Group, Phantasm Group, Prodject, Sunshine, Terminal 9 Studios, The Qode, TI Productions and We Are Ona. The group’s capabilities span research, core strategy, communications strategy, design, production and distribution, a scope that adapts to every creative challenge.

The group translates strategic insights into creative concepts, which are developed into personally relevant experiences that engage local and global audiences by way of its presence in Milan, Paris, London, Munich, Barcelona, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Riyadh.

In March 2025, The Independents launched L’Incubateur, a pioneering initiative conceived to identify, support and accelerate the next wave of talent, entrepreneurs and creative agencies on a global scale. Since June 2023, The Independents has been backed by Banijay Group and TowerBrook Capital Partners.

To support our continued growth, we are looking for a Finance Assistant to join our London team.

We are open to both full-time and part-time applications, with part-time support considered from 3 days per week.

This is a hands-on role supporting the day-to-day finance operations across our UK entities. Working closely with the Finance Manager, you’ll play an important role in ensuring our financial processes are accurate, organised and running efficiently.

The role would suit a junior finance professional with some previous hands-on experience who is looking to develop their career within a growing, international agency environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day accounting activities across multiple UK entities.
• Process supplier invoices and assist with Accounts Payable data entry and reconciliation.
• Prepare and issue customer invoices and support client billing.
• Complete basic bank reconciliations.
• Prepare and reconcile inter-company Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable invoices.
• Create and maintain project codes.
• Review employee expense claims and supporting documentation, following up on outstanding expenses where required.
• Consolidate monthly staff and client-rebilled expenses, ensuring receipts and supporting documentation are accurately reconciled.
• Reconcile company credit card expenses.
• Prepare and maintain Excel files for bulk invoice imports across multiple projects.
• Support the Finance Manager and CFO with month-end close activities and other day-to-day accounting tasks.
• Maintain accurate and well-organised financial records and documentation.
• Act as a point of contact for employees regarding expenses and related queries.
• Support the wider Finance team with general accounting and administrative tasks as required.

Key Attributes & Experience

• Previous experience in a junior Finance, Finance Assistant or Accounts Payable role, ideally 12–18 months or more.
• A finance-related qualification or studies, such as AAT or equivalent, would be advantageous.
• Hands-on experience using NetSuite is strongly preferred. Experience with Sage or a similar accounting/ERP system will also be considered.
• Strong Excel skills and confidence working with spreadsheets and financial data.
• Excellent attention to detail and a methodical, organised approach.
• Strong follow-up skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Comfortable taking ownership of tasks and working independently.
• Professional and confident when communicating with colleagues across all levels of the business.
• Able to work accurately and efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible and proactive in approach, with a willingness to support the wider Finance team.
• Previous experience within a PR, advertising, creative or agency environment would be advantageous.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.