Bookkeeper in Stevenage

Location: Stevenage - Office Based

Salary: £35,000-£40,000 per annum, plus an attractive benefits package and pension

Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am-5:30pm

Reporting to: Managing Director

Accounting Software: QuickBooks Online

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced, organised and proactive Bookkeeper to join a growing UK business based in Stevenage.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on finance professional to take ownership of the day-to-day bookkeeping and financial administration of an SME. Working closely with the Managing Director and liaising with the external accountant, you will play an important role in maintaining accurate financial records, ensuring timely reconciliations and providing reliable financial information to support business decisions.

The ideal candidate will have strong practical bookkeeping experience, excellent attention to detail and recent, hands-on experience using QuickBooks Online. You will be comfortable working independently, investigating discrepancies and ensuring financial records are accurate, complete and up to date.

Key Responsibilities

Day-to-Day Bookkeeping

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date accounting records using QuickBooks Online, ensuring all transactions are supported by appropriate invoices, receipts and documentation.
• Process supplier invoices, expenses, customer invoices and credit notes accurately.
• Apply appropriate account codes and VAT treatments, referring complex or unfamiliar matters to the external accountant where necessary.
• Review bank feeds, match transactions and ensure duplicate entries are avoided.

Banking and Payments

• Reconcile bank accounts, credit cards and other relevant accounts regularly, completing formal month-end reconciliations.
• Investigate discrepancies, resolve errors and maintain a clear audit trail.
• Prepare supplier payment schedules and payment batches for approval.
• Follow established financial controls, including expenditure approval procedures and verification of supplier bank details.

Sales and Purchase Ledgers

• Maintain accurate customer and supplier accounts and balances.
• Allocate customer receipts and supplier payments, reconcile supplier statements and resolve account queries.
• Monitor overdue customer accounts and undertake appropriate credit-control activities.
• Prepare clear aged debtor and creditor reports.

Month-End and Financial Reporting

• Complete the agreed month-end checklist and investigate unusual or unexplained balances.
• Produce routine profit and loss, balance sheet and cash-position reports.
• Highlight significant financial movements, overdue debts and upcoming payment requirements to management.
• Prepare supporting schedules and financial information for the external accountant.
• Assist with year-end preparation and respond to accountant queries.

VAT and Financial Administration

• Prepare VAT returns and supporting reconciliations for review and submission, where authorised.
• Maintain organised digital financial records and promptly identify missing documentation.
• Ensure financial information is accurate, complete and readily accessible.
• Identify opportunities to improve bookkeeping processes, reporting and financial controls.

Payroll

Payroll responsibilities will depend on the final scope of the role. These may include preparing payroll inputs for an external provider, checking approved payroll changes, reviewing payroll outputs, maintaining confidential records and coordinating payroll-related reporting and payments.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Demonstrable experience maintaining the books of a UK business with a comparable volume and complexity of transactions.
• Recent, practical experience using QuickBooks Online, including bank feeds, reconciliations, customer and supplier accounts, VAT reporting and standard financial reports.
• A sound understanding of double-entry bookkeeping and the relationship between the profit and loss account and balance sheet.
• Working knowledge of routine UK VAT treatment and the documentation required to support financial entries.
• The ability to investigate discrepancies and complete reconciliations independently.
• Competent Excel skills, including sorting, filtering, basic formulas and reconciling data.
• Excellent attention to detail, strong organisational skills and the ability to manage deadlines reliably.
• Clear and professional communication skills, with the confidence to liaise with colleagues, customers, suppliers and external accountants.
• A responsible approach to handling confidential financial information.

A relevant AAT, ICB or equivalent qualification would be advantageous. However, candidates with strong, demonstrable practical bookkeeping experience will also be considered.

Desirable Experience

• QuickBooks ProAdvisor certification.
• Payroll administration experience, depending on the agreed responsibilities.
• Experience improving bookkeeping processes or bringing financial records up to date following a backlog.
• Cash-flow reporting and credit-control experience.
• Experience within a similar business environment.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for a self-starter who takes ownership of their work and can manage day-to-day responsibilities with minimal supervision.

You will be highly organised, dependable and methodical, with the confidence to ask questions when information is missing or a financial treatment is uncertain. You will communicate issues promptly, exercise sound judgement and understand when management approval or specialist advice is required.

Above all, you will take pride in maintaining accurate financial records and providing a reliable, professional bookkeeping service to the business.

Salary And Benefits

The successful candidate will receive a competitive salary of £35,000-£40,000 per annum, alongside an attractive benefits package, including:

• 25 days' annual leave, including a business shutdown over the Christmas period.
• Pension scheme.
• Life assurance.
• Healthcare.
• Income protection, including critical illness cover.
• Free on-site parking.

Tate is committed to promoting equal opportunities. To ensure that every candidate has the best experience with us, we encourage you to let us know if there are any adjustments we can make during the application or interview process. Your comfort and accessibility are our priority, and we are here to support you every step of the way. Additionally, we value and respect your individuality, and we invite you to share your preferred pronouns in your application.

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