Finance Assistant - Fixed Term

Serco Limited; England; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

A global service provider is seeking a Finance Assistant for a 14-month fixed term role, conducting key financial tasks for essential services. Located in Warrington, the position offers £30-£33,000 dependent on experience. Candidates should have strong finance experience, Excel skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. The role also supports personal growth and development in a diverse workplace.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Annual leave purchase scheme

Up to 6% contributory pension scheme

Flexible working options

Employee Assistance Programme

Health Cash Plans

Flu jabs

Career development training

Qualifications

• Experience in finance, commercial, or data-focused support role.
• Basic understanding of finance principles like budgeting.
• Ability to reconcile large volumes of data efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Reconcile weekly supplier invoices and resolve queries.
• Assist with pricing of new business opportunities.
• Contribute to commercial submissions for customer proposals.
• Engage with suppliers to negotiate competitive pricing.
• Ensure accurate data changes are captured in a timely manner.

Skills

Finance experience

Analytical skills

Excel proficiency

Problem-solving

Job description

Overview

Meaningful and vital work: In this position, your work is vital to the business, in terms of decisions and growth. You will gain a world of opportunity working for a globally operating business delivering essential services across 5 vital sectors, personal growth, achievement and development won’t be hard to find. You'll also work with great people. You’ll find yourself working in a highly motivated, supportive environment where no two days are the same, with experienced colleagues who strive for excellence.

Finance Assistant – 14 Month Fixed Term Opportunity Hybrid – Attached to Warrington, WA3 6ZH £30-£33,000 (dependent on experience)

Here at Serco, we are seeking a Finance Assistant for our AASC contract. The Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract (AASC) is the largest contract within Serco Group, with an annual turnover of approximately £700m over the past two years. This role operates in a dynamic environment, providing accommodation and associated services for asylum seekers on behalf of the Home Office. The role reports to the Contingent Accommodation Finance Business Partner for the AASC contract.

In this key role you will be responsible for collecting timely and accurate financial data, reconciling weekly supplier invoices, and assisting with the pricing of new business opportunities. You’ll work closely with suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve queries, ensure cost control, and support commercial submissions to our customers.

Responsibilities

• Reconcile weekly supplier invoices and promptly resolve any outstanding queries.
• Assist with pricing of new business, providing operational support where required.
• Contribute to commercial submissions for new or existing customer proposals.
• Engage with suppliers to negotiate competitive pricing, using benchmarking and data analysis to drive value.
• Ensure that data changes are captured accurately and in a timely manner.
• Compare cost data from suppliers against expected figures, highlighting discrepancies to support invoice validation.
• Share financial analysis with the operational management team to aid the invoice approval process.
• Identify and resolve data gaps by liaising with virtual teams and external suppliers.
• Support the business in applying standard cost control practices, providing relevant data and insight.
• Provide ad hoc support to finance and operations teams as required.
• Make recommendations for process improvements to drive efficiency and accuracy.

What you’ll need to do the role

• Demonstrable experience in a finance, commercial, or data-focused support role.
• Basic understanding of finance principles, such as cost allocation, budgeting, and variance analysis.
• Excellent Excel and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret and present financial data clearly.
• Proven ability to reconcile large volumes of data and resolve invoice or supplier discrepancies efficiently.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.

Why Serco

Meaningful and vital work: In this position, your work is vital to the business, in terms of decisions and growth. You will gain a world of opportunity working for a globally operating business delivering essential services across 5 vital sectors, personal growth, achievement and development won’t be hard to find. You\'ll also work with great people. You’ll find yourself working in a highly motivated, supportive environment where no two days are the same, with experienced colleagues who strive for excellence.

What we offer

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Annual leave purchase scheme.
• Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Flexible working options.
• Serco discounts which include cinema, merlin entertainment and online shopping discounts, and discounts on mobile phone plans and leisure centre memberships.
• A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme, Health Cash Plans, free flu jabs and more.
• A wealth of career development training to suit your future aspirations. These range from role specific training, leadership coaching, formal study and much more to support you to build your career with Serco.
• A safe and supportive culture.
• A company passionate about diversity and inclusion.