At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team managing accounts receivable and payable for a thriving business.
- Company: Join a £100M+ turnover company in Harlow with a collaborative office culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid work flexibility, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a fast-paced environment with excellent career advancement opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by optimising financial processes and leading a high-performing team.
- Qualifications: Experience in accounts management and strong leadership skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 50000 £ per year.
Looking for an experienced Accounts Manager to lead a team of 5, including 2 in Purchase Ledger, 2 in Credit Control, and 1 in Sales Invoicing for a £100M+ T/O business in Harlow. This role will be office based (can offer 1 day hybrid flexibility).
Role Overview
We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Head of Accounts Receivable & Payable, responsible for leading the Group's end-to-end transactional finance operations, ensuring efficient management of sales ledger, credit control, purchase ledger, supplier payments, and cash flow optimisation. The role is accountable for maintaining robust financial controls, improving working capital performance, and driving process efficiencies.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Team Management
- Lead, develop, and manage the Billing, Credit Control, and Accounts Payable teams.
- Set clear objectives, performance metrics, and development plans for team members.
- Build a high-performing transactional finance function focused on service, accuracy, and efficiency.
- Accounts Receivable / Sales Ledger
- Oversee accurate and timely invoicing, billing, cash allocation, and reconciliation processes.
- Ensure debtor balances are actively managed and aged debt is minimised.
- Monitor AR KPIs including DSO, overdue debt, collections performance, dispute resolution, and cash forecasting.
- Drive process improvements to accelerate invoice-to-cash cycles.
- Credit Control & Collections
- Own credit control strategy, customer credit risk assessment, and collections policies.
- Establish and enforce credit limits, payment terms, escalation procedures, and bad debt controls.
- Manage aged debt recovery and support legal escalation where required.
- Monitor provisioning and bad debt exposure.
- Accounts Payable / Purchase Ledger
- Lead supplier invoice processing, approval workflows, reconciliations, and payment execution.
- Ensure supplier payments are accurate, timely, and aligned with agreed terms.
- Optimise payment cycles to support working capital objectives while maintaining supplier relationships.
- Cash Flow & Working Capital
- Support cash flow forecasting through effective management of receivables and payables.
- Drive working capital improvement initiatives.
- Other
- Maintain strong internal controls across transactional finance activities.
- Support internal and external audits.
- Drive automation, standardisation, and continuous improvement across AR/AP processes.
- Provide regular reporting and insight to senior finance leadership.
- Improve reporting, workflow efficiency, and data quality.
Key Skills & Experience
- Team management and leadership experience in Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Credit Control, or Transactional Finance.
- Strong understanding of sales ledger, purchase ledger, credit risk, collections, and cash management.
- Proven track record of improving processes, controls, and working capital performance.
- Excellent analytical, leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong understanding of internal controls and audit requirements.
- Proven experience in aged debt reduction.
- Team engagement and productivity.
Accounts Manager - AR & AP in Harlow employer: Operations Resources
Join a dynamic and thriving £100M+ turnover business in Harlow as an Accounts Manager, where you will lead a dedicated team in a supportive and collaborative work environment. We prioritise employee growth through clear development plans and performance metrics, while also offering a flexible hybrid working model to promote work-life balance. With a strong focus on process improvement and financial excellence, this role provides a unique opportunity to make a significant impact within the organisation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Accounts Manager - AR & AP in Harlow
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance world, especially those who might know about opportunities in accounts management. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to job openings that aren't even advertised!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your leadership and team management skills. Be ready to share examples of how you've improved processes or managed teams effectively. We want to see that you can lead our Accounts Receivable and Payable teams with confidence!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your analytical skills during interviews. Be prepared to discuss how you've tackled cash flow optimisation or reduced aged debt in previous roles. This will demonstrate your ability to drive efficiencies in our transactional finance operations.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows us you're genuinely interested in joining our team at StudySmarter!
We think you need these skills to ace Accounts Manager - AR & AP in Harlow
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Accounts Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing teams and your expertise in accounts receivable and payable. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about this role and how you can lead our team to success. Be specific about your achievements in transactional finance.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:Since this role involves leading a team, make sure to highlight your leadership experience. Share examples of how you've developed teams and improved processes in your previous roles. We love seeing strong leaders!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Operations Resources
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Accounts Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of key financial metrics. Brush up on your knowledge of DSO, cash flow forecasting, and aged debt management. Be ready to discuss how you've improved these metrics in previous roles.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
This role involves leading a team, so be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully managed and developed teams in the past. Highlight specific instances where you set objectives, improved performance, or resolved conflicts within your team.
✨Process Improvement Focus
The job requires driving process efficiencies, so come armed with examples of how you've streamlined operations in accounts receivable or payable. Discuss any automation or standardisation initiatives you've led and the impact they had on working capital.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Strong communication skills are essential for this position. Prepare to talk about how you've effectively engaged with stakeholders, whether internal or external. Share experiences where your communication helped resolve issues or improve relationships with suppliers or clients.
