Finance Assistant

Extons Foods Ltd

Manchester

On-site

GBP 26,000 - 34,000

Full time

8 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Free parking, within proximity to all

31 days holiday, inclusive of bank hol

Birthday day off

Health cash plan (Medicash)

Enhanced parental leave

Employee Assistance Program

Company pension scheme – employer 4%

Company paid events throughout the

Fruity Tuesday

FREE pack of cheese every week

Discounted staff cheese shop

Doughnut Fridays

Job summary

Extons Foods Ltd in Manchester is seeking a Finance Assistant to join our busy Finance team, covering Accounts Payable, Payroll and Reporting responsibilities. You will report to the Finance Manager and work closely with our Finance Business Partner, gaining exposure to cost analysis, month-end activities and ad hoc projects in a friendly, family‑run environment.

The role suits someone with a keen eye for detail, good Excel skills and a proactive approach to continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Experience in a finance/accounts environment with AP/AR, payroll or reconciliations.
Proficient in Excel; familiar with accounting software such as Sage or similar.
Strong numerical ability and excellent attention to detail.
Ability to reconcile information and investigate differences rather than just processing.
Comfortable with large volumes of data and multiple tasks.
Good organisational and communication skills across teams.
Proactive problem solving and willingness to learn wider reporting responsibilities.
Confidential data handling with discretion.
ERP experience desirable (e.g., SAP ByDesign).
AAT qualification or accounting studies are useful but not essential.

Responsibilities

Manage day-to-day accounts payable including invoice processing and supplier reconciliations.
Prepare and process weekly payroll and resolve queries with HR and managers.
Handle cash and banking activities including reconciliations.
Support cash-flow reporting and monitor receipts/payments.
Provide accounts receivable cover including cash allocation and credit control support.
Produce regular reports using Excel and financial systems data.
Assist with cost, trend and variance analysis for the Finance Partner.
Investigate discrepancies and assist with month-end reconciliations.
Contribute to process improvements and reporting automation.
Engage in ad-hoc finance and commercial projects as needed.

Skills

Accounts payable/receivable

Excel proficiency

Numerical ability

Attention to detail

Payroll experience

Communication

Problem-solving

Discretion with confidential data

Time management

Proactive mindset

ERP experience

Education

AAT qualification

Accounting studies

Tools

Sage

SAP ByDesign

Job description

About Us:

Established in 2000, Extons Foods are now one of the UKs largest independent cheese processing companies supplying sliced, grated, block and continental cheese to wholesalers, retailers, and sandwich manufacturers. We have continually grown and we’re not slowing down! A Family Run business with a friendly hands-on approach.

Role Description:

We’re looking for a ‘Finance Assistant – Accounts Payable, Payroll & Reporting’ to join our Finance team. This is a varied role combining responsibility for key day-to-day finance activities with the opportunity to develop your reporting and analytical skills.

You’ll report to the Finance Manager and work closely with our Finance Business Partner, giving you exposure beyond traditional transactional finance and the opportunity to develop towards a broader finance or analytical role.

Whether you're an experienced finance professional or early in your career and eager to learn, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds who bring analytical curiosity, precision, investigates differences and identifies ways to improve the way we work.

Key Responsibilities:

Managing day-to-day accounts payable, including invoice processing, supplier reconciliations, queries and payment runs.
Preparing and processing our weekly payroll, working with managers and HR to resolve queries and discrepancies.
Managing cash and banking activities, including bank reconciliations and investigating reconciling items.
Supporting cash-flow reporting and monitoring expected receipts and payments.
Providing accounts receivable cover, including cash allocation, customer account reconciliations and credit control support.
Preparing regular reports using Excel and finance-system data.
Supporting the Finance Business Partner with cost, trend and variance analysis.
Investigating unusual movements or discrepancies and helping to understand what's driving them.
Supporting month-end activities and reconciliations.
Helping improve and automate finance processes and reporting.
Getting involved in ad-hoc finance and commercial projects as your experience develops.

The ideal candidate must have:

Experience working within a finance/account’s environment, with exposure to some combination of accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, banking or reconciliations.
Proficient in Microsoft Excel and experience using account software (eg Sage or similar).
Strong numerical ability and excellent attention to detail.
Ability to reconcile information and investigate differences rather than simply process transactions.
Comfortable working with large volumes of data and transactions.
Good organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
Confident communicating with colleagues across different areas of the business.
A proactive approach to identifying and resolving problems.
Willingness to learn and take on broader reporting and analytical responsibilities.
Ability to handle confidential data and sensitive information with discretion.
ERP experience, ideally SAP ByDesign or similar finance systems (desirable).
AAT qualification or accounting study would be useful but is not essential.

Personal Attributes:

Curious about the story behind the numbers and how finance supports business decisions.
Strong problem‑solving skills and a questioning mindset.
Takes ownership of tasks and follows issues through to resolution.
A proactive, 'can-do' attitude with a willingness to learn new systems and processes.
Adaptability and resilience in a fast‑paced environment.
A genuine interest in developing a career in finance, accountancy, or commercial finance

Working Hours: