Senior Accounts Technician in Preston

We are seeking a professionally qualified Accounts Technician to take full responsibility for the financial operations of our busy temporary labour provider business. This strategic, 4 day per week role (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30am–5:30pm, with a 1 hour lunch break) is based at our Preston office and offers a competitive salary of £40,000 per annum pro rata. You will report directly to the Managing Director and work closely with our external year end accountants.

You will prepare management accounts for our main business ready for review, manage a simple grouped VAT structure, and run our in-house payroll for temporary workers (including tax, NI, Employer NI, holiday pay, deductions, loans, and all tax related compliance). You will also handle pay related queries from temporary workers via our messaging portal and very occasionally by phone in exceptional circumstances. This is a hands on, high level role in our energetic sales driven environment.

The office can be lively and noisy at times, but our operations are straightforward and efficiently managed with strong use of technology (primarily Xero and industry specific payroll software).

As the most senior accounts role in the office, you will have end to end ownership of day to day accounting, financial reporting, VAT compliance, and in house payroll for our temporary and permanent workforce. You will prepare management accounts for review by our external accountants, maintain strong financial controls, and ensure full HMRC compliance across all areas. Working in a bustling sales environment, you will collaborate with the sales teams and offshore support team (who handle high volume data entry and administration) while maintaining focus and accuracy.

• Prepare monthly/ quarterly management accounts ready for review and submission by external year end accountants
• Manage the full in house payroll process for temporary workers, including calculations and payments for Tax, National Insurance, Employer, holiday pay accrual and management, statutory deductions, loans, and other adjustments
• Answer pay-related queries from temporary workers via our messaging portal and occasionally by phone in exceptional circumstances
• Oversee and submit VAT returns for our simple grouped VAT company structure
• Review and validate invoicing, credit notes, and timesheet processing using Xero
• Reconcile bank accounts, invoice discount facilities, and all control accounts
• Prepare accruals, prepayments, P11Ds, and other statutory returns
• Perform credit control (mainly handled by offshore team) and resolve financial inconsistencies across our various systems
• Assist with bank audits and implement/ monitor financial controls
• Manage and quality assure any outputs from offshore team members supporting payroll, reconciliations and credit control
• Maintain accurate financial records on Xero and industry specific payroll software
• Liaise with candidates, clients, consultants, offshore teams, and external accountants as required
• Support ad-hoc accounting tasks and strategic financial projects
• Make payments and manage cash flow effectively
• Provide financial oversight and support to the business as the senior accounts professional in the office
• Managing operational cashflow across our various accounts to reduce bank lending

• Professional qualification (AAT Level 4, ACA, ACCA, or CIMA preferred)
• Proven experience as an Accounts Technician, Senior Bookkeeper, or similar role with responsibility for management accounts and payroll
• Strong experience running in house payroll including Tax, NI, ERNI, holiday pay, deductions, and loans
• Experience managing a grouped VAT company and preparing/ submitting VAT returns
• Expertise in preparing management accounts up to the point of external accountant review
• High proficiency in Xero or other cloud based accounting software (essential) and experience with industry-specific payroll software (advantageous, particularly in temporary labour or Health & Social Care)
• Thorough knowledge of HMRC compliance, PAYE, and employment related legislation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – able to explain pay queries clearly and professionally to candidates
• Excellent attention to detail, analytical skills, and ability to maintain accuracy in a busy environment
• Ability to work autonomously, prioritise effectively, and meet deadlines
• Resilience and ability to thrive in a lively, sales oriented, occasionally noisy office
• Management/ supervision experience of offshore team members (beneficial)
• High integrity, reliability, and a proactive, problem solving mindset

• Salary: £40,000 per annum pro-rata (Approximately £32,000 actual, based on 32 paid hours per week)
• Monthly, quarterly, and annual bonuses and incentives
• Regular staff events – nights out, lunch clubs, race days, sporting events, etc.
• Modern, air conditioned office with breakout area
• Free onsite parking
• Flexible working hours within core office times where appropriate
• Opportunity to play a key role in a growing, successful temporary labour business

• Hours: 4 days per week, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 8:30am–5:30pm (including a 1 hour lunch break; 32 paid hours per week)
• Reporting: Directly to the Managing Director
• Environment: Energetic sales office that can be noisy at times – requires good focus, adaptability
• Location: Preston office with Friday WFH after probation

We celebrate success and support our people. With straightforward systems, manageable but responsible workloads, and a vibrant team, this role gives you real ownership of the finance and payroll function without unnecessary bureaucracy. If you are a qualified, experienced Accounts Technician who enjoys both the technical side (management accounts, VAT, payroll) and contributing to a growing business, we would love to hear from you.

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Private medical insurance
• Work Location: In person