At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage accounts payable and expenses accounting in a dynamic financial services environment.
- Company: Join a leading global asset management firm with a strong UK presence.
- Benefits: Competitive day rate and hybrid working model during an exciting period of change.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and involvement in finance transformation initiatives.
- Why this job: Be part of impactful projects while enhancing your accounting skills in a regulated setting.
- Qualifications: Must be a qualified accountant with experience in accounts payable and cost-focused finance roles.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Hays is working in partnership with a leading global asset management business to appoint a qualified accountant into a temporary Accounts Payable & Expenses Accounting role. The organisation operates within the financial services sector, with a strong UK and international footprint, supporting complex and regulated investment management activities. This assignment sits within an established UK finance function and has been created to support a period of increased reporting, change, and operational demand.
Reporting into senior cost leadership within UK Finance, this role requires a qualified accountant to take responsibility for the end-to-end delivery of accounts payable, expenses accounting, and associated cost processes across UK entities. Key responsibilities will include:
- Full Accounts Payable ownership, including invoice validation, coding, PO matching, payment processing, and resolution of vendor queries.
- Expenses accounting and reporting, ensuring employee claims adhere to policy and are accurately posted to the general ledger.
- End-to-end Purchase Order (PO) management, including reconciliation of PO liabilities and liaison with Procurement.
- Daily bank reconciliations and investigation/resolution of reconciling items.
- Supporting month-end and quarter-end close, including accruals, reconciliations, and variance analysis for expense accounts.
- Supporting VAT submissions and broader cost accounting requirements in line with UK and group standards.
- Producing management information, supporting audits, and contributing to process improvements and finance transformation initiatives, including systems or ledger migrations.
This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role requiring strong technical accounting knowledge, control awareness, and the ability to operate effectively in a regulated financial services environment.
To be considered, you must be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with:
- Proven post-qualification experience within Accounts Payable, Expenses Accounting, or cost-focused finance roles.
- Strong understanding of accounting principles, internal controls, and expense policy governance.
- Experience working with ERP systems (e.g. SAP, Oracle or similar), particularly around PO-driven AP environments.
- Solid Excel capability (pivot tables, lookups, formulas).
- Experience supporting month-end close, balance sheet reconciliations, and audit processes.
- Working knowledge of UK VAT and taxation controls.
- The ability to manage deadlines, work accurately under pressure, and engage confidently with senior stakeholders.
- Experience within asset management, investment management, banking, or wider financial services is highly advantageous.
This role will suit a technically strong, qualified accountant who is comfortable operating in an interim, operational finance role while maintaining strong controls and supporting change.
You will be working within an exciting period of change for the business and be involved in project work. You will receive a competitive day rate and work within a hybrid environment.
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
Qualified Accountant - Accounts Payable & Expenses Accounting - in London employer: Hays
Contact Detail:
Hays Recruiting Team
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We think this is how you could land Qualified Accountant - Accounts Payable & Expenses Accounting - in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Qualified Accountant - Accounts Payable & Expenses Accounting - in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Qualified Accountant. Highlight your experience in Accounts Payable and Expenses Accounting, and don’t forget to mention any relevant ERP systems you've worked with!
Showcase Your Skills: We want to see your strong technical accounting knowledge shine through. Be specific about your Excel skills and any experience you have with month-end close processes or VAT submissions.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points for key achievements and responsibilities to make it easy for us to see why you’re a great fit for the role.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity in the asset management sector.
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays
✨Know Your Numbers
Brush up on your accounting principles and be ready to discuss them in detail. Since this role involves accounts payable and expenses accounting, make sure you can explain processes like invoice validation and PO matching clearly.
✨Showcase Your Tech Skills
Familiarise yourself with ERP systems like SAP or Oracle, as well as Excel functions such as pivot tables and lookups. Be prepared to share examples of how you've used these tools in previous roles to streamline processes or improve accuracy.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills, especially around vendor queries or month-end close challenges. Think of specific situations where you successfully resolved issues and be ready to walk the interviewer through your thought process.
✨Engage with Confidence
This role requires interaction with senior stakeholders, so practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. Show that you can manage deadlines and work under pressure while maintaining strong controls—this will demonstrate your fit for the fast-paced environment.