Senior Accounts Assistant

Pursuit Executive Recruitment Ltd; Essex; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial service company in Essex is seeking a Senior Accounts Assistant to oversee the team in managing workload and supporting accounting processes. Candidates should have an accounting qualification and previous leadership experience. The role involves scheduled accounting, team motivation, and cross-functional liaison. Benefits include income protection, life insurance, and hybrid working options.

Benefits

Income Protection insurance

Life insurance

BUPA health care

Dental Insurance

Company sick pay

Personal leave

Pension

Holiday

Snacks and fruit

Full pay maternity leave

Full pay parental leave

Responsibilities

• Completing scheduled accounting processes in line with specified deadlines.
• Motivating and leading a productive team.
• Maintaining awareness of the team's impact on other departments.
• Supporting and developing colleagues.
• Conducting and contributing to performance reviews.
• Promoting cross-training and succession planning.
• Reviewing and improving existing departmental procedures.
• Assisting with recruitment processes.
• Balancing operations with short-term objectives.
• Communicating transparently with stakeholders.
• Approving time sheets and time-off requests.
• Performing daily and weekly administrative tasks.

Skills

Problem-solving

Strong organisation and time management

Effective verbal and written communication

High attention to detail

Leadership and team motivation

Proactive and self-motivated approach

Commitment to continuous improvement and learning

Delegation

Education

Accounting qualification (full or part-qualified)

AAT Level 4 preferred; Level 3 or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word)

SAP or Sage accounting software

Job description

Senior Accounts Assistant

We are currently recruiting on behalf of a Chelmsford based financial service company for a Senior Accounts Assistant. You will have previous experience within a transactional accounts role with an Accounting qualification (full or part-qualified - AAT Level 4 preferred; Level 3 or equivalent will be considered).

As a senior accounts assistant; you will have team leader responsibilities over the team to help support the manager in Managing workload, allocating resources, and setting deadlines, while monitoring progress and escalating potential issues as necessary.

The team's core focus is to support accounting processes, including transaction entry and journal postings, VAT returns, producing financial statements, financial consolidation, corporate tax reporting, and other related activities, whilst also supporting other corporate areas as required.

Hours: 8:00 - 16:30 - please note at month end there will be the requirement to work additional hours (average finish time 18:00pm)

Hybrid working

Responsibilities

• Completing scheduled accounting processes in line with specified deadlines, including monthly, quarterly, and annual closures.
• Motivating and leading a productive team by delegating tasks fairly and efficiently to create opportunities for personal and professional development.
• Maintaining awareness of the team's impact on other departments and liaising across the company to balance workloads and ensure effective overall operations.
• Supporting and developing colleagues by recognising positive conduct, addressing undesirable behaviours, and setting objectives that promote compliance and ongoing skills development.
• Conducting and contributing to performance reviews, providing constructive feedback and identifying opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Promoting cross-training and succession planning within the team to strengthen flexibility, knowledge sharing, and continuity of operations.
• Reviewing, maintaining, and improving existing working practices and departmental procedures, making well-considered proposals when appropriate.
• Assisting with recruitment processes, from interviews through onboarding and coaching, to ensure a positive and effective new-employee experience.
• Balancing day-to-day operations with short-term objectives to ensure departmental goals are achieved.
• Communicating transparently and constructively with all stakeholders, including regular reporting to management at various levels.
• Approving time sheets and time-off requests in line with departmental procedures.
• Performing daily and weekly administrative, reporting, and processing-based tasks.
• Any other reasonable requests from management

Education & Experience

• Accounting qualification (full or part-qualified) required, with AAT Level 4 preferred; Level 3 or equivalent will be considered.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, etc.).
• Experience with SAP or Sage accounting software is desirable.
• Previous experience in a leadership role.

Essential Skills

Problem-solving: methodical, logical, and objective.

Strong organisation and time management.

Effective verbal and written communication.

High attention to detail.

Leadership and team motivation.

Proactive and self-motivated approach.

Commitment to continuous improvement and learning.

Delegation: trust in the team, appropriate distribution of responsibilities, and empowerment of others to contribute effectively.

Benefits

• Income Protection insurance (75% of salary paid for you to 3 years. (after 6 months service)
• Life insurance - 4 times salary from day 1.
• BUPA health care (after passing probationary)
• Dental Insurance
• Company sick pay - 5 days in probationary period/ 4 weeks after passing
• Hybrid working after passing probationary. 2 days working from home, 3 days in the office.
• Personal leave - 12 hour per holiday year. After passing probationary period.
• Pension - 5% employer. 4% employee (can opt in for salary sacrifice scheme)
• Holiday - 30 days including Bank holiday (need to work Bank holidays)
• 3 additional days holiday around your wedding.
• Snacks and fruit and Hot and cold drinks available in the office
• 3 months full pay maternity leave
• 2 weeks full pay parental leave