At a Glance
- Tasks: Support finance operations, analyse performance, and ensure accurate reporting in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Join Restaurant Associates, a leader in hospitality and catering with a focus on excellence.
- Benefits: Enjoy free meals, gym discounts, career development, and exclusive travel offers.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values your unique talents and promotes growth.
- Why this job: Kickstart your finance career while making a real impact in a dynamic industry.
- Qualifications: Previous finance experience, strong attention to detail, and intermediate Excel skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Location: Canary Wharf, London
We are looking for a motivated and detail‑oriented Finance Assistant to join a busy hospitality and catering operation based in Canary Wharf. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with previous finance experience who enjoys working in a fast‑paced environment and wants to develop within a commercially focused role. The successful candidate will support the finance function across multiple operational areas, helping to ensure accurate reporting, strong financial controls, and effective analysis of business performance.
You’ll work closely with operational managers and senior stakeholders, providing valuable insight into sales, labour, stock, and purchasing performance while supporting the day‑to‑day running of the finance department. This role would suit someone who is highly organised, analytical, and confident managing multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
Key Responsibilities- Support weekly and period‑end financial reporting processes
- Analyse sales performance and provide ad hoc reporting when required
- Produce labour reports and support managers with labour analysis
- Investigate stock, gross profit, and cost variances alongside operational teams
- Support financial controls, compliance checks, and audit processes
- Maintain reporting systems and ensure operational data is kept up‑to‑date
- Assist with reconciliations, administration, and finance‑related queries
- Work collaboratively with operational teams to improve financial understanding and performance
- Support purchasing compliance and reporting processes
- Assist with maintaining EPOS and reporting systems
- Previous experience within a finance, accounts, or analytical role
- Hospitality or catering industry experience would be highly beneficial
- Strong attention to detail and a passion for accuracy
- Intermediate Excel skills and confidence working with data
- Excellent communication and organisational skills
- Able to prioritise workload and meet deadlines in a busy environment
- Analytical mindset with the ability to identify trends and investigate issues
- Proactive, adaptable, and willing to support across multiple areas of the business
- Free meals
- Subsidised gym membership
- Contributory pension scheme
- Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
- Digital GP and wider healthcare benefits for you and your immediate family
- Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
- Discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets
- Cash rewards for spending, usable on a wide range of brands
- Free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
- Share all discounts and offers with friends and families
About Us: Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together. Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplaces as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.
Equal Opportunity: Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive – because diversity is our strength!
Finance Assistant employer: Restaurant Associates UK
Restaurant Associates is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant Canary Wharf, London, offering a dynamic work environment where finance professionals can thrive. With a strong focus on employee development through Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes, we provide numerous benefits including free meals, subsidised gym memberships, and exclusive travel discounts, all while fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that empowers our team members to reach their full potential.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Assistant
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the finance and hospitality sectors on LinkedIn or at local events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your skills, especially in finance and hospitality. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they're about.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your financial analysis skills! Brush up on your Excel and data management abilities, as these are crucial for the Finance Assistant role. Being able to demonstrate your analytical mindset during interviews will give you an edge.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Finance Assistant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Finance Assistant role. Highlight your previous finance experience and any relevant skills, especially those related to hospitality or catering. We want to see how you can bring your unique background to our team!
Show Off Your Analytical Skills:Since this role requires a keen analytical mindset, don’t shy away from showcasing your ability to identify trends and investigate issues. Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate how you've tackled similar challenges.
Keep It Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key! Keep your language straightforward and avoid jargon. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point while still showing off your personality.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s super easy, and you’ll be able to find all the details you need about the role and our company. Let’s get your application in!
How to prepare for a job interview at Restaurant Associates UK
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Finance Assistant, you'll be dealing with numbers all day long. Brush up on your financial reporting skills and be ready to discuss your previous experience with sales performance analysis and labour reports. Show them you can handle data like a pro!
✨Excel Skills are Key
Since intermediate Excel skills are a must for this role, make sure you're comfortable with functions, pivot tables, and data analysis tools. Consider preparing a few examples of how you've used Excel in past roles to streamline processes or improve reporting accuracy.
✨Demonstrate Your Attention to Detail
In finance, accuracy is everything! Be prepared to share specific instances where your attention to detail made a difference in your work. Whether it was catching an error in a report or ensuring compliance during audits, highlight those moments to show you’re the right fit.
✨Show Your Team Spirit
This role involves working closely with operational managers and teams, so it's important to demonstrate your collaborative skills. Think of examples where you've successfully worked with others to improve financial understanding or resolve issues, and be ready to share them during the interview.
