Assistant Accountant

My client is looking for an efficient, organised, energetic part qualified (near qualified) or newly qualified Assistant Accountant to join its Finance team.

This is a newly created role that will report to the Financial Controller, and will cover a range of accounting responsibilities including some statutory reporting, supporting the team’s two management accountants, as well as being responsible for: month-end reconciliations, all bank reconciliations, recording of all income, sales ledger, VAT, fixed asset recording, daily cash flow management, manage the grants database, and undertake several other sundry responsibilities.

The role

• Carry out timely month-end balance sheet reconciliations to an auditable standard, ensure all bank accounts are reconciled regularly and reviewed by the Financial Accountant
• Be responsible for the quarterly VAT return and ensuring the quality of VAT information in the general ledger is consistently correct
• Responsible for grant payable and receivable database, be the main contact person in the Finance team to field queries regarding grants and related internal control processes, and work with colleagues in different teams to ensure milestones and payments are reconciled and records auditable.
• Maintain the fixed asset register for additions/changes, and related depreciation charges.
• Be responsible for day-to-day cash management, ensuring sufficient cash to meet daily needs and cash held in interest bearing accounts is maximised.
• Be responsible for raising sales invoices and a small sales ledger with related credit control procedures, and some sundry forms of income eg book sales, recharges, etc.
• Responsible for processing documents and transactions, prepare quarter-end reconciliations, and draft quarter-end accounts and year-end statutory accounts for review.
• Assist the Management Accountants in their month-end responsibilities with support in producing standard reports to help budget holders, restricted fund income recognition, and ad-hoc analysis of financial information as required.

  The Person

• Newly qualified (or very near qualified) in a relevant accounting qualification (eg ACCA).

• Strong experience working within an organisation’s Finance team, working in team structure that is collaborative yet ensures high levels of checks and balances and segregation of duties.

• Strong experience of working with a medium-sized general ledger package; experience with SUN v6 and Vision Q&A advantageous.

• Strong demonstrable experience of understanding month-end reconciliations including bank reconciliations, management of databases, preparation of VAT returns, preparation of quarter-end and statutory accounts for small entities.

• Highly numerate and high levels of proficiency with MS Excel 2010, very good attention to detail.

• Ability to effectively use appropriate communication styles (listening and articulation) to present information and analysis with clarity and focus.

• Organised, planful, like meeting expectations and deadlines with quality work.

• Customer-oriented, able to build good rapport and trust with team members and colleagues.

• Pro-active and have a ‘can-do’ attitude, able to solve problems on own initiative and participate in maintaining a successful Finance team.

• Flexible approach to work and an ability to adapt to change, a necessity in a growing and face-paced organisation.

Only relevant candidates will be contacted