Account Manager in Hemel Hempstead

Electrical Contracting | Buy-to-Let Property Portfolio | Student Accommodation

Salary: £40,000+ per annum, dependent on experience and capability

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: Unit 5, Enterprise Way, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 7YJ

Reporting To: Directors

Full UK Driving Licence: Essential

Experience: Minimum 1 year relevant accounting experience

About the Role:

We are seeking an experienced, commercially aware and highly organised ACCA-qualified Accounts Manager to manage the accounting and financial operations across three related businesses covering Electrical Contracting, a substantial Buy-to-Let Property Portfolio and Student Accommodation.

This hands-on role requires at least one year of relevant professional accounting experience and the ability to manage multiple companies, properties and projects simultaneously.

You will oversee accounting records, sales and purchase ledgers, project and property accounting, mortgages and finance, CIS and VAT compliance, cash flow, management accounts and year-end support.

Working closely with the Directors, you will go beyond transactional accounting by analysing financial performance, identifying risks and discrepancies, challenging unnecessary expenditure, strengthening controls and identifying opportunities to improve profitability and efficiency.

Key Responisbilities:

1. Aspects Electrical Limited – Electrical Contracting

• Raise customer invoices and review contracts, quotations, purchase orders and completed works before billing.
• Monitor outstanding balances, conduct credit control and follow up overdue accounts.
• Allocate payments, resolve queries and prepare aged debtor reports.
• Process supplier invoices and credit notes and reconcile supplier statements.
• Match invoices to supporting documentation and prepare payment schedules.
• Identify duplicate, incorrect or unauthorised invoices before payment.

Construction & Project Accounting

• Maintain financial records for individual projects and contracts.
• Monitor labour, materials, subcontractor and other costs against budgets.
• Monitor project profitability, work-in-progress and outstanding billing.
• Track variations, additional works and customer approvals.
• Liaise with Project Managers regarding costs, purchase orders and billing.
• Identify cost overruns, adverse variances and profitability concerns.

CIS & Subcontractors

• Manage CIS processes, subcontractor verification and records.
• Apply correct CIS deductions and prepare/submit returns within HMRC deadlines.
• Reconcile CIS deductions and resolve subcontractor payment queries.

VAT

• Maintain VAT records and ensure correct VAT treatment.
• Prepare VAT workings and support/submit returns as required.
• Identify and correct VAT errors and maintain appropriate documentation.
• Liaise with external accountants/tax advisers where necessary.

2. Buy-to-Let Property Portfolio

• Maintain property-by-property accounting, income and expenditure records.
• Reconcile rental income against tenancy agreements and monitor arrears.
• Record and allocate expenditure including repairs, utilities, council tax, insurance, service charges, cleaning, contractors, management and professional fees.
• Maintain tenant/property income schedules and record acquisition/disposal costs.
• Prepare property-level Profit & Loss information.
• Monitor rental yields, cash returns and property profitability.
• Identify unusual or excessive expenditure.
• Support financial analysis for acquisitions, refurbishments and disposals.

Mortgages & Property Finance

• Maintain mortgage and loan schedules covering balances, rates, payments and repayment terms.
• Reconcile mortgage statements and correctly account for interest, capital repayments and finance costs.
• Monitor fixed-rate expiries, maturity dates and refinancing requirements.
• Assess the impact of borrowing costs on profitability and highlight unusual charges.
• Provide advance reminders regarding refinancing and fixed-rate expiries.
• Prepare financial information required by lenders, brokers and Directors.

3. Bricross Trading Limited – Student Accommodation

• Reconcile rental income against tenancy agreements and payment schedules.
• Monitor deposits, outstanding payments and discrepancies.
• Track and correctly allocate operating expenditure.
• Monitor occupancy, rental income and profitability.
• Work with the accommodation team to resolve financial queries.
• Provide Directors with clear information on financial performance.

4. Bank Reconciliations & Cash Flow

Across the three businesses:

• Complete bank, credit card, mortgage and loan reconciliations.
• Investigate discrepancies and ensure transactions are allocated correctly.
• Monitor company cash balances and prepare cash-flow forecasts.
• Monitor expected customer/rental receipts and upcoming supplier, mortgage and significant payments.
• Identify potential cash-flow shortages in advance and update Directors.

5. Management Accounts & Financial Reporting

Prepare regular management information including:

• Monthly management accounts and company Profit & Loss reports.
• Property and project-level Profit & Loss reports.
• Balance sheet reconciliations.
• Rental income and arrears reports.
• Aged debtor and creditor reports.
• Cash-flow forecasts and mortgage/loan schedules.
• Budget versus actual reports.
• Property profitability and rental yields.
• Student accommodation and electrical project profitability.

The Accounts Manager must be able to understand, analyse and explain the figures rather than simply produce reports. You will investigate variances, identify financial risks and opportunities and communicate findings clearly to Directors.

You should confidently apply your ACCA accounting knowledge to management reporting, financial controls, cash-flow management, profitability analysis, and commercial decision-making.

6. Payroll & Staff Costs

• Work with the payroll provider/accountant to ensure accurate payroll information.
• Review payroll journals and reconcile payroll transactions.
• Monitor PAYE, National Insurance and pension liabilities.
• Maintain accurate payroll accounting records.

7. Budgeting & Financial Analysis

• Assist with company, property and project budgets.
• Compare actual performance against budgets and investigate variances.
• Analyse costs and identify excessive or unusual expenditure.
• Monitor project, property and student accommodation profitability.
• Analyse rental yields and cash returns.
• Prepare financial forecasts where required.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve profitability.
• Assess financial risks and provide commercially relevant analysis to Directors.

8. Accounting Software & Systems

Experience with QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage, Microsoft Excel and/or property accounting software is desirable.

• Maintain the chart of accounts and accurate transaction coding.
• Maintain digital records, documentation and audit trails.
• Improve accounting procedures and financial controls.
• Identify opportunities for automation and efficiency.
• Ensure financial information is accurate and accessible.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriate financial controls.
• Monitor accounting and financial deadlines.
• Identify accounting errors, risks and control weaknesses.
• Report significant financial issues promptly.
• Support Directors with financial and commercial decision-making.
• Liaise with project/property managers, suppliers, customers, contractors, brokers, lenders and external accountants.
• Support year-end accounts with schedules, reconciliations and supporting information.

Candidates must have:

• Minimum 1 year relevant professional accounting experience, ideally as an Accounts Manager, Senior Accountant, Management Accountant or similar.
• Strong bookkeeping and financial accounting knowledge.
• Experience with UK accounting practices.
• Good knowledge of VAT and accounting compliance.
• Strong management accounts, balance sheet reconciliation and cash-flow skills.
• Experience with sales and purchase ledgers.
• Ability to prepare, analyse and interpret financial information.
• Ability to identify discrepancies, risks and unusual expenditure.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage accounting across multiple companies.
• Ability to work independently, take ownership and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication and organisational skills.
• Confidence communicating financial information to Directors.
• Full UK Driving Licence – Essential.
• Ability to travel between offices, properties and project locations.

Experience in one or more of the following:

• Electrical contracting/construction accounting.
• CIS and subcontractor accounting.
• Buy-to-let/property investment accounting.
• Property P&L and rental-yield analysis.
• Mortgage and refinancing accounting.
• Student accommodation accounting.
• Multi-company accounting.
• Budgeting, forecasting and management accounts.

What we Offer:

• £40,000+ per annum, dependent on experience and capability.
• A varied role across electrical contracting, property investment and student accommodation.
• Direct involvement with Directors and commercial financial decision-making.
• Responsibility across multiple growing businesses.
• Opportunity to apply ACCA expertise in a practical commercial environment and improve financial controls, efficiency and profitability.