Finance Assistant

SANS Institute; Swansea; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the finance sector is seeking a Finance Assistant to provide crucial financial and business support to their EMEA Finance team. This fixed-term full-time position offers the opportunity to develop professionally while engaging in key responsibilities such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, and routine reporting. Ideal candidates will demonstrate strong numeracy and communication skills, with a keen interest in building a career in finance.

Qualifications

• Interest in recognised finance qualification.
• Basic understanding of finance principles.
• Intermediate Excel skills with data analysis capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Assist in generating weekly reports for unpaid fees.
• Process payments and manage invoices for EMEA region.
• Enter financial data accurately into systems.

Skills

Numeracy skills

Microsoft Excel

Communication

Problem-solving

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Ability to work independently

Attention to detail

Education

Relevant finance qualification (e.g., AAT, CIMA, ACCA)

Degree in Accounting or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Dynamix SL

SAP

Concur

Job description

Finance Assistant

Department: Finance

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: Swansea, UK

Reporting To: Senior Finance Executive

Description

Responsible for providing financial and business support to the EMEA Finance team, whilst also working closely with the US Accounts Payable Team and all other stakeholders and third parties to ensure all financial transactions for each department are properly allocated, reconciled, and processed in accordance with set/agreed department budgets. The finance assistant will handle routine monthly reporting duties, along with investigation into any discrepancies and irregularities.
This role is a Fixed Term Contract for 6 months.

Key Responsibilities

Accounts Receivable / Credit Control

• Assist in generating weekly reports for unpaid fees and invoices.
• Help track customer payments and ensure fees are correctly recorded.
• Support with managing the weekly voucher report related to course payments.

Accounts Payable

• Process payments and assist with managing invoices from suppliers for the EMEA region.
• Help ensure payments are made on time by collaborating with the US Accounts Payable Team.
• Assist with validating Purchase Orders and working with the US team to ensure everything is correct.
• Additional accounting tasks may be assigned as needed.

Other

• Enter financial data accurately into the company’s financial systems.
• Assist in reviewing financial reports and verifying details where needed.
• Work with other teams to help create finance-related documents and provide basic training if needed.
• Perform filing and general office duties.
• Provide cover for the Facilities Co-ordinator during holidays or absence.
• Take on other tasks as required to support the finance team.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential Skills/Experience

• Interest in pursuing a recognised finance qualification (e.g., AAT, CIMA, ACCA) or recent completion of relevant studies.
• Basic understanding of finance principles and an interest in building a career in the sector.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills – able to use formulas, sort and filter data, create PivotTables, and support basic data analysis.
• Strong numeracy skills with a keen eye for detail.
• PC literate with good Outlook, Zoom/Teams and MS Office skills.
• Comfortable learning new systems and working with digital tools.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate across all business functions.
• Ability to perform multiple activities simultaneously.
• Ability to use own initiative and work independently.
• Able to work in high pressure situations and deadline driven.
• Effective problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Not afraid to challenge the status quo.
• A pro-active forward thinking team player.
• Highly organised with strong time management skills.
• Professional, with integrity and respect for confidentiality.
• Willing and able to learn and develop.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline such as Accounting or equivalent.
• Experience in Accounts Payable/Receivable or Payroll function.
• Experience in using Dynamix SL or SAP accounting software.
• Previous experience of a pan EMEA/APAC role.
• Experience in using Concur for processing expenses.
• Experience in using Dynamix SL or SAP accounting software.
• Knowledge and experience of UK Taxes including VAT and Payroll.