Finance Assistant

Optima UK Inc Ltd; Leicester; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

Optima UK is seeking a part-time Finance Assistant in Leicester for around 20 hours per week, office-based. The role covers credit control, purchase ledger, reconciliations and payroll support, within a proactive finance team.

Ideal candidates will have transactional finance experience, strong numeracy and communication skills, with familiarity in Sage Line 50 being advantageous.

Qualifications

• Experience in transactional finance and customer accounts.
• Credit control experience and chasing overdue payments.
• Understanding of purchase ledger, invoicing and reconciliations.
• Strong numeracy, attention to detail and organisation.
• Confident communicator with customers.

Responsibilities

• Manage approximately 60 customer accounts and chase overdue payments.
• Process supplier invoices, match, batch and code.
• Perform bank and card reconciliations and resolve discrepancies.
• Support monthly payroll processing for hourly-paid and salaried staff.
• Maintain accurate financial records and support the finance team.

Skills

Transactional finance

Credit control

Purchase ledger

Account reconciliations

Payroll support

Customer communication

Education

AAT qualification

Tools

Sage Line 50

Job description

Finance Assistant

Location: Leicester, LE4
Hours: Part-time - approximately 20 hours per week (to be confirmed)
Working Arrangement: Fully office-based

The Role

Optima UK is recruiting on behalf of an established manufacturing business in Leicester that is looking for an experienced Finance Assistant to join its team on a part-time basis.

This is a varied, hands-on position covering credit control, purchase ledger, account reconciliations and payroll support. Credit control will be a key focus, making this an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys taking ownership of their workload and working as part of a supportive finance team.

The ideal candidate will have previous transactional finance experience, a proactive approach and the confidence to manage customer accounts and outstanding payments. Experience with Sage Line 50 or within a manufacturing environment would be an advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Credit Control: Manage approximately 60 customer accounts with a combined ledger value of around 1 million, chasing overdue payments, monitoring outstanding balances and maintaining positive customer relationships.
• Purchase Ledger: Process supplier invoices, including matching, batching and coding, and assist with two supplier payment runs per month.
• Account Reconciliations: Complete bank, credit card and other account reconciliations, identifying and resolving discrepancies.
• Payroll Support: Assist with monthly payroll processing for approximately 100 hourly-paid and 30 salaried employees, with payments made on the last Friday of each month.
• General Finance Administration: Maintain accurate financial records, process transactions and ensure deadlines are met.
• Team Support: Work closely with colleagues across the finance function, assisting with additional duties when required.

Skills & Experience Required

• Previous experience as a Finance Assistant, Accounts Assistant or within a similar transactional finance role.
• Practical credit control experience, including managing customer accounts and chasing outstanding payments.
• Good understanding of purchase ledger, invoice processing and account reconciliations.
• Strong numerical accuracy, attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Confident communication skills, particularly when dealing with customers regarding outstanding payments.
• Ability to manage workloads independently while contributing to a wider team.

Desirable Experience

• Experience supporting payroll processing.
• Knowledge of Sage Line 50.
• AAT qualification or equivalent.
• Previous experience working within a manufacturing environment.

About You

We are looking for someone who is positive, reliable and willing to get involved. You will be comfortable taking responsibility for your own workload, supporting colleagues when needed and going the extra mile to ensure the finance function runs smoothly.