Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage payroll and central costs, ensuring accuracy and timely reporting.
- Company: Join a leading finance team at Compass UK&I with a collaborative spirit.
- Benefits: Enjoy exclusive discounts, wellness classes, and career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in finance while growing your skills and career.
- Qualifications: Part-qualified Accountant with finance experience and strong Excel skills.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with excellent support for study and career progression.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Overview
Responsible to: Finance Manager (Payroll, Tax and Intercompany)
Location: Parklands Court, Rubery
Sector/Business area: Financial Accounts team, Central Finance
Overall purpose of the role
Reporting to the Finance Manager (Payroll, Tax & Intercompany), the Assistant Payroll & Central Costs Accountant will take responsibility for ensuring all central costs are correctly budgeted, forecasted and recorded, with variances reviewed and explained and corrective action taken as necessary. They will play a key part in ensuring proper control of CGUK&I balance sheets and that payroll payovers are correct and on time.
Financial Accounts team - Purpose and Context
The Financial Accounts team performs a pivotal role within Compass UK&I, overseeing fixed assets, leases/IFRS16 accounting, property related transactions, intercompany, balance sheet reconciliations, Group reporting, audit and financial statements, below the line transactions, accounting for M&A and providing advice and guidance on accounting matters as required. We also support the Tax team on sales and employment taxes as well as other Central Finance teams.
Key Accountabilities
- PURPOSE
- Ensure central costs are correctly recorded in SAP
- Budgeting and forecasting of central costs
- Balance sheets/control accounts
- Working effectively as part of a team
- Building relationships with key stakeholders
- Liaising with colleagues from other teams for resolution of queries
- Prepare and post month end journals relating to payroll and central costs (e.g. audit, insurance etc), maintaining clear, professional working papers to back up all journals
- Assist with budgeting and forecasting of central costs
- Liaise with Intercompany finance assistant to ensure recharges are raised and posted in a timely manner
- Reconcile and post credit card charges on a monthly basis, including resolution of queries
- Review and post month end journals relating to working capital and cash
- Reconcile various balance sheets on a monthly basis, highlighting any risks and opportunities and providing a clear plan to resolve any items which have not cleared as expected
- Prepare payment files for payroll related 3rd party payments (payovers) including reconciling from payroll reports and resolving any variances with the payroll team
- Maintain process notes for all business-as-usual work to enable cross training, cover and support within the team
- Cross train other team members
Candidate Requirements: Key Skills, Knowledge & Experience
- Essential:
- Part-qualified Accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) [approx. 1 year completed] and minimum of one year in a finance role.
- Must be willing to commit to actively studying and qualifying in a reasonable time frame
- Intermediate Excel skills (common formulae, pivot tables etc)
- Good organisational and presentational skills
- Flexible and adaptable in this busy, evolving environment
- Continuous improvement mindset to question current processes
- Experience of balance sheet reconciliations
- Experience of month end (accruals, prepayments, variance analysis etc)
- Use of financial software (particularly SAP)
Benefits
- Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
- Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and more
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
- Regular emails filled with the best discounts and savings available
- Receive Wow Points every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
- Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
- You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
- Contributory pension scheme
- Study support
- Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
Assistant Payroll & Central Costs Accountant in Birmingham employer: Compass Group
Contact Detail:
Compass Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Payroll & Central Costs Accountant in Birmingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the finance sector, especially those who work at Compass UK&I. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just land you an interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your Excel skills and understanding SAP. We all know that being part-qualified is great, but showing you can handle the tools of the trade will set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to showcase your teamwork skills! The role involves liaising with various teams, so be ready to share examples of how you've built relationships and resolved queries in past roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Compass UK&I.
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Payroll & Central Costs Accountant in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Assistant Payroll & Central Costs Accountant. Highlight your finance experience, especially any work with budgeting, forecasting, and balance sheet reconciliations. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you a great fit. Don’t forget to mention your commitment to studying and qualifying as an accountant – we love that dedication!
Show Off Your Excel Skills: Since intermediate Excel skills are essential for this position, make sure to mention any relevant experience you have with formulas, pivot tables, or financial software like SAP. If you've used these tools in past roles, let us know how they helped you succeed!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s super easy, and you’ll be able to showcase your application in the best light. Plus, we love seeing applications come directly from our site!
How to prepare for a job interview at Compass Group
✨Know Your Numbers
Brush up on your financial knowledge, especially around budgeting, forecasting, and balance sheet reconciliations. Be ready to discuss how you've handled these tasks in previous roles or during your studies.
✨Excel Skills are Key
Since intermediate Excel skills are essential for this role, make sure you can confidently talk about your experience with common formulae and pivot tables. Consider preparing a few examples of how you've used Excel to solve problems or streamline processes.
✨Show Your Team Spirit
This position requires effective teamwork and relationship-building. Think of examples where you've successfully collaborated with others, resolved conflicts, or supported colleagues in achieving shared goals.
✨Prepare for Process Improvement Questions
With a continuous improvement mindset being crucial, be ready to discuss any experiences where you've identified inefficiencies and suggested improvements. Highlight your adaptability and willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment.
