Assistant Management Accountant

This role plays a key part in delivering high-quality financial information that enables leaders to understand performance, control costs, make well-informed decisions as well as offering support with the Payroll. The postholder will be responsible for maintaining accurate accounting records, supporting effective financial control, and ensuring core finance processes run smoothly and efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and deliver monthly management information, including clear and insightful commentary on financial performance.
• Record and maintain accurate accounting entries, including accruals, prepayments, and other journals, ensuring completeness and accuracy of results.
• Perform balance sheet reconciliations, investigate discrepancies, and resolve variances in a timely manner.
• Produce budget versus actual analysis, identifying trends, risks, and areas requiring management attention.
• Work closely with budget holders to explain variances and support informed decision-making.
• Prepare regular analysis of departmental expenditure to support cost control.
• Maintain the fixed asset register and ensure depreciation and disposals are accurately recorded.
• Develop, maintain, and improve financial models and supporting spreadsheets.

Payroll Administration

• Manage the end-to-end monthly payroll process across all entities, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Process employee lifecycle changes, including starters, leavers, and contractual updates.
• Administer workplace pension arrangements, including auto-enrolment and re-enrolment duties.
• Prepare and submit pension returns and liaise with pension providers to resolve queries.
• Process payroll deductions and benefits, such as salary sacrifice and cycle-to-work schemes.
• Act as a key point of contact for payroll-related queries, responding professionally and promptly.
• Coordinate with payroll providers and internal stakeholders to resolve issues efficiently.
• Maintain strong payroll controls and ensure confidentiality at all times.

Finance Operations & Support

• Support month-end and year-end close activities to agreed timetables.
• Assist with external audit requirements and provide supporting schedules and explanations.
• Contribute to statutory reporting processes where required.
• Provide support to sales ledger and purchase ledger activities during peak periods.
• Set up and process bank payments in line with approval controls.
• Assist with ad-hoc finance projects and continuous improvement initiatives as required.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Previous experience in a small to medium size finance role.
• Practical exposure to producing management accounts.
• Part-qualified or qualified by experience.
• Sound understanding of core accounting principles.
• Strong numerical and analytical capability with high attention to detail.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a team environment.
• Good working knowledge of Excel, including formulas and pivot tables.
• Well organised, able to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Motivated to learn and develop professionally.
• Experience using Xero.
• Strong general knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Outlook.
• Actively studying towards a professional accounting qualification.