AAT Finance Assistant Apprentice (Apprenticeship) in Newcastle upon Tyne

We are looking for a detail-oriented individual to support our Purchase Ledger and the wider finance function. You will play a key role in maintaining strong supplier relationships, ensuring financial accuracy, and supporting the cash flow forecasting process.

Responsibilities

• Purchase Ledger & Supplier Management: Act as the primary point of contact for the purchase ledger email account, ensuring all invoices are captured and queries from suppliers or staff are resolved promptly.
• Onboarding: Manage the setup of new supplier accounts, performing due diligence by verifying company details and payment information.
• Invoice Processing: Accurately code and upload purchase invoices and credit notes into our cloud-based project accounting platform.
• Financial Coding: Develop a deep understanding of the company’s nominal structure to ensure all costs are allocated correctly.
• Reconciliations: Perform regular reviews of supplier statements to ensure accounts are up to date and any discrepancies are addressed.
• Ensure creditor accounts are reconciled by running regular aged creditor reports.
• Payments & Cash Management: Execute weekly payment runs and monthly staff expense cycles, ensuring all payments are processed accurately and on time.
• Providing suppliers with remittance advice once payments have been approved.
• Forecasting: Maintain the direct debit schedule and provide input for the weekly cash flow forecast.
• Internal Controls: Review internal purchase orders ahead of payment runs to ensure proper authorization and budget alignment.
• Expenses & Credit Cards: Review staff expense claims against company policy, ensuring all documentation is valid before submission.
• Perform monthly processing and reconciliation of company credit card statements.
• Banking & Month End Support: Manage daily bank postings into the finance software.
• Complete monthly bank reconciliations to ensure the accuracy of our financial data.

Training

Foundation covers the basic principles of accountancy, and is your starting point if you’ve never studied accountancy before. You’ll learn the basic principles of accountancy, such as double-entry bookkeeping, costing and preparing financial statements, as well as how to use accountancy software. This level is ideal if you’re new to accountancy and finance, have previously worked in an accounts department, or are looking to change your career into Accountancy. To pass this level, you will be examined on five units. All assessments are computer-based exams (CBE). The area you will cover includes: Bookkeeping transactions, Bookkeeping controls, Elements of costing, Using accounting software, Foundation Synoptic Assessment. Training will be provided either via classroom or remote sessions. An apprenticeship has to be relevant to the job you are undertaking and you must dedicate 20% of your time towards it.

Qualifications required

GCSE’s grades 9/A* - 4/C including Maths and English.

Skills required

Software and digital literacy. Comfortable with handling emails, saving digital documents and using Microsoft packages such as Excel.

Prospects

This role is an ideal entry point for an aspiring finance professional starting their AAT Level 2. We are pleased to offer full support and mentorship through the first level of their studies, providing a practical environment to apply their learning. We don’t have the internal complexity for level 3 and 4 work yet, so we see this as a great 12-15 month role for someone starting out.

Qualification / Standard: ST0608 Accounts or finance assistant

Duration: 15 months