Japanese Speaking Accountant & Administration Manager

People First Team Japan/ピープルファーストチームジャパン; Twickenham; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

People First is seeking a bilingual accounting professional for a permanent role in the UK. The position involves day-to-day bookkeeping, month-end and year-end closings, and preparation of financial statements.

You will manage accounts payable/receivable, cash flow, and multi-currency transactions, with payroll and staff onboarding duties also included. The role requires native-level Japanese and advanced business-level English, plus practical experience with QuickBooks or Sage.

Qualifications

• Native-level Japanese and advanced business-level English.
• Experience with bookkeeping through month-end and year-end closings.
• Knowledge of UK accounting standards and VAT is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Day-to-day accounting, month-end and year-end closing, and preparation of financial statements.
• Management of accounts payable/receivable, cash flow, and multi-currency transactions.
• Budget preparation, budget vs. actual analysis, and financial reporting to management.
• Payroll, attendance management, and employee onboarding/offboarding.
• Administration of employment contracts, office management, and general administrative duties.
• Accounting system management and process improvement.
• Experience with QuickBooks or Sage is required.

Skills

Bookkeeping

Month-end close

Payroll

Excel (VLOOKUP & Pivot)

English & Japanese

UK VAT & tax

Multi-currency accounting

Accounts payable/receivable

Internal controls

Tools

QuickBooks

Sage

Job description

Location: South London

Job status: Permanent

Working hours: 37.5 hours per week (2–3 days per week Hybrid working available after initial training.)

Start date: January 2027

• Day-to-day accounting, month-end and year-end closing, and preparation of financial statements
• Management of accounts payable/receivable, cash flow, and multi-currency transactions
• Budget preparation, budget vs. actual analysis, and financial reporting to management
• Payroll, attendance management, and employee onboarding/offboarding
• Administration of employment contracts, office management, and general administrative duties
• Accounting system management and process improvement
• Proven accounting experience, with the ability to independently handle bookkeeping through to month-end and year-end closing
• Practical experience using QuickBooks or Sage
• Native-level Japanese and advanced business-level English
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills (including VLOOKUP and Pivot Tables)
• Knowledge of UK accounting standards and tax regulations (including VAT) is an advantage
• Experience in import/export, international trade, or food wholesale industries is an advantage

People First is committed to increasing diversity, and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability.

Please note that we can only consider candidates who are eligible to work in the UK and are able to provide relevant supporting documentation.