Accounts Payable Assistant Apprentice

We’re excited to welcome a new Accounts Payable Assistant Apprentice to our friendly Finance team. If you enjoy working with numbers, like keeping things organised, and are curious about how accounting works, this apprenticeship could be the perfect start to your finance career. In this role, you’ll learn core accounting skills, gain hands‑on experience, and receive the support you need to develop your confidence and capability. We’re looking for someone who is motivated, curious, and eager to learn, with a genuine interest in starting a career in finance. You don’t need previous finance experience – just the right attitude and a willingness to develop new skills.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Accurately and promptly process supplier invoices using three‑way matching to purchase orders and goods receipts, ensuring all payments are made on time and in compliance with university policies.
• Manage the automated import of invoices, including creating and maintaining templates, and efficiently resolving validation errors and exceptions.
• Process student payment requests and sundry creditor expenses in accordance with university policies.
• Prepare and submit BACS, International, and CHAPS payments in line with scheduled payment runs.
• Perform monthly reconciliation of supplier statements, investigating and resolving discrepancies, while maintaining professional relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Transfer invoice attachments from emails to system folders for manual entry and distribute payment queries to the Accounts Payable team on a rota basis.
• Reconcile supplier accounts regularly, coordinate refund requests where applicable, and ensure all incoming funds are accurately recorded and allocated.
• Review bank reconciliations to process direct debits and refunds.
• Assist with the testing, implementation, and continuous improvement of finance systems and processes, including documentation and user training.
• Address routine payment variances promptly and elevate complex issues to management.
• Work collaboratively within the Accounts Payable team, supporting colleagues and contributing to a positive and productive working environment.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant legal, financial, and data protection regulations and University policies.

Skills and Experience Required

For this busy role, you’ll need to feel confident using a range of digital tools, including MS Office, Teams, and other systems. You should bring a methodical, detail‑focused approach, along with strong numeracy skills. A positive attitude toward customer service and flexibility and adaptability to team and work requirements is essential. You’ll also be committed to developing your professional skills and continuous improvement throughout the apprenticeship.

Qualifications Required

You will be GCSE educated including Mathematics and English at grade C/4 or equivalent.

What kind of training will you receive?

The Accounts Assistant Apprenticeship will be delivered online by our digital training partner, with support from the tutor, line manager and workplace mentor. All learning will take place in the workplace, with dedicated time provided for training activities.

Apprenticeship Eligibility Criteria

In order to meet the eligibility criteria, the apprentice should not have previously undertaken any training which would duplicate the training or assessment received under this apprenticeship.

UKVI Visa Regulations

The University is required to meet UKVI visa regulations, and we are not able to sponsor for this position. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK will have to satisfy UKVI regulations before they can be appointed. You must have been a UK/EEA resident for the last 3 years.

Additional Information

Please view the job description and person specification for a full list of the duties and essential criteria. Please attach a personal statement showing clearly how your skills and experience match the Person Specification and why you would like to complete this apprenticeship.

Internal applicants – please ensure you apply via your employee self‑service portal.

Contact Details / Informal Enquiries

Tracey Brindle, Accounts Payable Manager, t.brindle@herts.ac.uk

Closing Date 22 February 2026

Interview Date 03 March 2026

Reference Number REQ000540

Date Advert Placed 06 February 2026

Equal Opportunity

Our vision is to transform lives: UH is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and building a diverse community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of their protected characteristics, and recognise there are different ways applicants may achieve the criteria in this document. We offer a range of employee benefits including generous annual leave, flexible location opportunities within the UK, discounted Sports Village memberships and free Active Staff sessions, personal and professional development and family‑friendly policies.