Finance Accounts Assistant in Surrey

A hands-on finance role with a growing specialist care provider. Are you an experienced Accounts Assistant, Finance Assistant, or Bookkeeper looking for your next step somewhere you'll own real responsibility from day one, work across the full finance cycle, and have your AAT studies actively supported? This is a broad, hands-on finance role sitting at the heart of a fast-growing, CQC-registered care business. You will work directly with our Finance Manager and senior leadership, handling everything from sales and purchase ledgers to payroll, pensions, reconciliations, and supplier management using Xero and Sage.

If you're tired of being one cog in a large finance department doing the same narrow task every day, this role gives you exposure to the full finance function of a multi-site, multi-million-pound operating business.

About Unicare

Unicare Complex Care Specialist Ltd is a CQC-registered specialist care provider delivering high-quality supported living and complex care services to adults with autism, learning disabilities, mental health needs, and complex behaviours. Headquartered in Croydon, we operate across Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, and South London and we are scaling. Our finance function is the engine room of that growth. We are looking for an ambitious, detail-focused Finance & Accounts Assistant to take ownership of day-to-day finance operations and grow with the business.

What you'll be doing

• Sales Ledger & Income
  • Raising sales invoices to local authority commissioners and private clients (high volume, high accuracy)
  • Managing the sales ledger end-to-end
  • Allocating receipts, monitoring debtor accounts, and chasing overdue payments
  • Producing aged debtor reports and flagging risk to the Finance Manager
• Purchase Ledger & Supplier Management
  • Processing purchase invoices and matching against POs and delivery notes
  • Reconciling supplier statements monthly and resolving discrepancies directly with suppliers
  • Preparing supplier payment runs for approval
  • Handling supplier queries professionally and promptly
• Bank & Reconciliations
  • Daily bank reconciliations across multiple business accounts
  • Petty cash management and reconciliation
  • Credit card reconciliations and expense processing
  • Investigating and clearing unreconciled items
• Payroll & Pensions
  • Supporting the running of weekly payroll for support workers and monthly payroll for office staff
  • Processing starters, leavers, and payroll changes accurately and on time
  • Calculating SSP, SMP, holiday pay, and overtime
  • Submitting auto-enrolment pension contributions to our provider
  • Handling HMRC RTI submissions and resolving payroll queries from staff
• Month-End & Reporting
  • Supporting month-end close: accruals, prepayments, journal entries
  • Assisting with management accounts preparation
  • Producing weekly and monthly finance reports for the Finance Manager and Directors
  • Supporting year-end audit and external accountant queries
• Compliance & Systems
  • Maintaining accurate records in Xero and Sage
  • Supporting VAT return preparation
  • Ensuring finance processes comply with internal controls and audit requirements
  • Identifying process improvements and helping implement them

What we're looking for

Essential

• Minimum 12 years' experience in an accounts assistant, finance assistant, bookkeeper, or similar finance role
• Practical, working experience of Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, or similar accounting software
• Confident with bank reconciliations, sales ledger, purchase ledger, and supplier statement reconciliations
• Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, SUMIF, pivot tables)
• Excellent attention to detail and numerical accuracy
• Strong written and verbal communication, confident handling supplier and customer queries
• Organised, self-managing, and able to hit deadlines without constant chasing
• Comfortable working on-site in Croydon, Monday to Friday
• Right to work in the UK on a permanent basis without requiring sponsorship

Desirable

• AAT Level 2 completed, currently studying Level 3 or 4 (or equivalent QBE experience)
• Payroll experience - running or supporting payroll cycles
• Auto-enrolment pension processing experience
• Experience in care, healthcare, supported living, or other multi-site service business
• Exposure to VAT returns and HMRC RTI submissions
• Experience handling local authority invoicing or public sector billing

What you'll get in return

• £26,000 - £28,000 salary, reviewed annually and on AAT progression milestones
• Genuine exposure to the full finance function (not just one narrow task)
• A clear progression path toward Senior Finance Assistant, Assistant Management Accountant, and Finance Manager
• 28 days annual leave including bank holidays
• Workplace pension scheme
• Direct working relationship with the Finance Manager and senior leadership
• A friendly, professional team based at our modern Croydon head office
• The genuine satisfaction of working for a values-led business making a real difference to vulnerable people's lives

Who this role is NOT for

• This is not a remote or hybrid role - you will be based in our Croydon office five days a week
• This is not an entry-level or fully trainee role - you should already know your way around a sales ledger and a bank reconciliation
• This is not a narrow, single-task role - if you only want to process invoices and nothing else, this won't suit you
• We will not be sponsoring visas for this role

Who this role IS for

• An Accounts Assistant or Finance Assistant with 12+ years of solid experience, ready for broader responsibility
• A bookkeeper looking to step into a more progressive, AAT-supported career path
• Part-qualified AAT studier wanting funded study support and full finance exposure
• Someone who lives within a sensible commute of Croydon CR0
• Someone who takes ownership, communicates well, and wants to grow with a business that will invest in them

How to apply

Click Apply Now and submit your CV along with a short covering note (a paragraph is fine) telling us: Your current AAT progression (or QBE equivalent), the accounting software you've used and at what depth, why Unicare specifically. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a short pre-screening questionnaire, followed by an interview at our Croydon head office, which may include a short practical exercise on Xero or Sage and a reconciliation task. We review applications on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a strong volume of applicants - so please apply promptly.

Unicare Complex Care Specialist Ltd is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse, inclusive workforce.