Finance Assistant - Purchase Ledger in Southampton

Location: Support Office, Basingstoke (Hybrid – 3 days in the office)

Reporting to: Purchase Ledger Supervisor

Join our friendly and supportive Finance team at Grandir UK. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to develop their career in finance within a collaborative and fast-paced environment. You’ll play an important role in supporting our nurseries and ensuring smooth and efficient purchase ledger operations across the Group.

Role Purpose

To support the Nurseries and wider Finance team with Purchase Ledger activities across the Group. You will also provide cover for team members during absences and support the Purchase Ledger Supervisor and Finance Operations Manager as required. Systems currently used include Sage 200, Famly and PLEO.

Key Relationships

• Purchase Ledger Supervisor
• Finance Operations Manager
• Group Management Accountants
• Nursery Managers
• Regional Support Managers

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Purchase Ledger Supervisor in managing purchase ledger operations
• Process invoices and employee expense claims in a timely manner
• Produce payment runs for review
• Reconcile supplier accounts and resolve queries and discrepancies promptly
• Set up suppliers on Sage 200 in line with compliance procedures
• Review aged creditor balances
• Complete credit card reconciliations using Pleo
• Process bank postings (including direct debits) and request invoices where required
• Assist with bank reconciliations, including investigating timing differences
• Support month-end and year-end processes, ensuring deadlines are met
• Carry out ad hoc duties as required

Person Specification

• Previous experience in a purchase ledger or similar finance role
• Ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Comfortable working within a team and adapting to changing priorities
• Strong attention to detail with excellent organisational skills
• Ability to prioritise workload effectively
• Ambitious and keen to develop a career in finance
• Experience using Sage 200 or a similar finance system
• Strong Excel skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office

Benefits

• 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Christmas and New Year shutdown
• Flexible working options available
• Generous childcare discount
• £500 refer a friend bonus
• Company pension scheme with employer contributions
• Statutory Sick Pay from day 1
• Life assurance
• Certified Great Place to Work, as voted by our colleagues
• Enhanced Family and Wellbeing Benefits
• Maternity and adoption leave paid at 100% for the first 12 weeks
• Paternity leave paid at 100% for 4 weeks
• Parental bereavement leave – up to 4 weeks paid
• Compassionate leave – up to 2 weeks paid
• Miscarriage leave – up to 2 weeks paid
• Wellbeing Day – an extra day off just for you
• The Grand Event – up to an additional week of annual leave to attend a significant life event after 2 years’ service
• Employee benefits portal with hundreds of retail discounts, including ASOS, gym memberships, cinema, M&S and major supermarkets
• 24-hour remote GP appointments
• Medical cashback for dental treatment, physiotherapy and alternative therapies
• Recognition, rewards and team celebrations throughout the year, with May dedicated to celebrating our teams
• Tailored in-house training and genuine progression opportunities
• Strong sustainability focus, including Carbon Literacy trained teams and Eco Schools accreditation

Safeguarding and Compliance

Grandir UK is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. An enhanced DBS check is required for this role and will be carried out by our approved third-party provider.

Equal Opportunities and Recruitment Process

We are an equal opportunity employer and recruit based on merit. To support our recruitment process, we may use AI-assisted tools for tasks such as application screening and reference checks. These tools help us manage applications efficiently, and all hiring decisions are made by our team.