Finance Assistant, EU

United Wheels Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 31,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

United Wheels Inc. is seeking an entry-level Finance Assistant to support the EMEA Finance team with day-to-day transactional work.

Under the Finance Director, EMEA, you will help with accounts payable, accounts receivable, credit control, and general accounting tasks in a growing finance function at Covation Global / United Wheels Inc. The role emphasizes accuracy, organisation, and a willingness to learn, offering opportunity to gain broad finance experience within a best-in-class team based

Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year of experience in a finance role or a relevant accounting qualification (or studying towards one).
• Good understanding of basic accounting and bookkeeping principles.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and organisation.
• Strong computer skills, including Excel; experience with accounting software an advantage.
• Willingness to learn and develop within a growing finance team.

Responsibilities

• Accounts Receivable & Credit Control Support: assist with customer set-up and maintenance, credit checking, cash allocation, raise debit/credit notes, issue customer statements, load invoices onto portals.
• Accounts Payable: vendor maintenance, invoice processing and coding, PO matching, invoice approval, answer supplier queries, initiate payment runs and raise payments, reconcile monthly statements.
• Reconciliations, Month-End & General Accounting: maintain cashbook, bank reconciliations, balance-sheet reconciliations, process corporate card and expenses, load journals, assist with month-end adjustments and ad-hoc projects.

Skills

Attention to detail

Accounting principles

Excel proficiency

Willingness to learn

Education

Accounting qualification or studying

Tools

Excel

Accounting software (JD Edwards)

Job description

Location: Wixams, Bedford, UK
Department: Finance
Reports To: Finance Director, EMEA
Legal Entity: United Wheels UK Ltd

Job Status: Full-time Permanent
Level: IC
Travel: None

Summary

The Finance Assistant provides day-to-day transactional support to the EMEA Finance team, assisting with accounts payable, accounts receivable, credit control, and general accounting tasks. Working under the direction of the Finance Director, EMEA, this is an entry-level role suited to someone early in their finance career who is accurate, organised, and keen to learn. It is a great opportunity to develop broad finance experience and contribute to a growing, best-in-class Finance team at Covation Global / United Wheels Inc.

Why This Role Matters

A finance team runs on accurate, timely transactional work — invoices processed, payments raised, cash allocated, and accounts reconciled. The Finance Assistant keeps that engine running day to day, supporting credit control and accounts payable so suppliers and customers are handled correctly and the ledgers stay clean. Dependable, detail-accurate support frees the wider team to focus on reporting and analysis and gives the EMEA Finance function a reliable foundation as it grows.

What Success Looks Like (3 Core Outcomes):

• Accurate, Timely Transaction Processing: Accounts payable and receivable tasks — invoice processing, PO matching, cash allocation, payment runs, and customer statements — are completed accurately and on time.
• Clean, Reconciled Accounts: Bank, cashbook, balance-sheet, and vendor-statement reconciliations are kept current and accurate, with discrepancies flagged and resolved promptly.
• Dependable Support to the Finance Team: The Finance team receives reliable, well-organised support across month-end tasks, journals, expenses, and ad-hoc projects, with a willingness to learn and take on more over time.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Other duties may be assigned.

Accounts Receivable & Credit Control Support

• Assist the Credit Controller with customer set-up and maintenance, credit checking, and cash allocation.
• Raise debit and credit notes and issue customer statements.
• Load sales invoices onto customer portals.

Accounts Payable

• Carry out vendor maintenance, invoice processing and coding, PO matching, and invoice approval, and answer supplier queries.
• Initiate payment runs and raise payments in the bank portal.
• Verify vendor accounts by reconciling monthly statements and related transactions.

Reconciliations, Month-End & General Accounting

• Maintain the cashbook, including monitoring and weekly bank reconciliations.
• Prepare balance-sheet reconciliations.
• Process corporate credit card and expense transactions.
• Support month-end adjustments and load journals.
• Assist with account reconciliations, general accounting duties, and special and administrative projects as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None.

Education and/or Experience

• Minimum of 1 year of experience in a finance role, or a relevant accounting qualification (or studying towards one).
• Good understanding of basic accounting and bookkeeping principles.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and organisation.
• Strong computer skills, including Excel; experience with accounting software an advantage.
• A willingness to learn and develop within a growing finance team.

Covation Global’s competencies are grounded in our Core Values (Integrity, Simplicity, Priority, Agility) and Strategic Pillars (Rider Centricity, Collaborative Innovation, Operational Excellence).

• Integrity: We do what we say. Operates with honesty, transparency, and accountability at every step; honours commitments to partners, riders, and colleagues, and builds trust through consistent, responsible decisions.
• Simplicity: Complexity is a tax. Delivers clarity, ease, and purposeful design in everything; streamlines processes, removes unnecessary steps, and focuses on what matters most.
• Priority: Focus on what matters most. Ruthlessly prioritises the critical few over the trivial many, concentrating energy and resources where they drive the greatest value and outcome.
• Agility: Speed is precision in motion. Moves with purpose, speed, and adaptability; embraces change, thinks creatively, acts decisively, and responds quickly to shifting needs and market conditions.
• Rider Centricity: Keeps the rider at the centre of decisions. Anticipates needs and works to deliver best-in-class experience, better quality, and better value across every brand and function.
• Collaborative Innovation: Develops game-changing solutions inspired by the rider, supported by collective research and shared expertise, and validated by business results; challenges the status quo to drive improvement.
• Operational Excellence: Delivers results with lean, efficient execution. Drives continuous improvement across products, processes, operations, costs, and service, while maximising value for the organisation.
• ESG & Responsible Growth: Supports sustainable innovation, ethical operations, and positive community impact, ensuring growth is achieved responsibly and with integrity to people and the planet.

Language Skills

• Ability to read and interpret invoices, statements, and basic financial documents.
• Good written and verbal communication skills for handling supplier and customer queries.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, proportions, and percentages, and to work accurately with numbers.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to apply common-sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardised situations.

Computer Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word.
• Knowledge of accounting software; experience with an ERP system (e.g., JD Edwards EnterpriseOne) an advantage.

Physical Demands

This is an office-based role. Reasonable adjustments may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this role, the employee is regularly required to use a computer and communicate with colleagues, suppliers, and customers. The employee is frequently required to sit and may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

This role is office-based at the Ampthill, Bedford office. Reasonable adjustments may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work environment is professional and collaborative, working alongside the EMEA Finance team. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

United Wheels Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
We are dedicated to building a workplace where people from all walks of life feel seen, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences, and we encourage you to bring your full, authentic self to work.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.