Assistant Accountant

Belfast | Full-Time/Hybrid Working

About Whitespace

Whitespace Global Limited is a fast-growing defence and national security technology company headquartered in Belfast. We build sovereign AI infrastructure for the UK's most sensitive environments, including classified, air-gapped, and regulated sectors. We are scaling fast and need sharp, dependable people to grow with us. This is not a typical finance role in a typical company. You will be working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and national security, with real visibility at the top of the organisation.

The Role

We are looking for a curious and organised Assistant Accountant to support our CFO and finance manager as we scale. This is a development role, ideal for someone who wants to learn quickly, work across the full breadth of a finance function, and grow with the business. You will be hands-on from day one, helping run core accounting processes and contributing to the financial infrastructure that will carry us through Series B and beyond. The role suits someone who is methodical, discreet, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift and high standards are non-negotiable. You will work closely with the senior leadership team, and your contribution will be visible and valued from the start.

What You'll Do

• Core Accounting
• Help maintain accurate financial records across multiple cost centres and entities (UK and Irish subsidiaries)
• Process accounts payable and receivable, including supplier invoices and client billing
• Prepare monthly bank reconciliations under the guidance of the finance manager
• Support month-end close activities
• Process employee expenses via our HR and finance tools
• Help with VAT returns and HMRC submissions
• Reporting and Analysis
• Help prepare management accounts and budget variance reports for the finance manager
• Help track project-level costs against contract budgets, including MOD-funded programmes
• Maintain financial dashboards and reporting templates, with scope to suggest improvements
• Governance and Compliance
• Help maintain audit-ready records and support year-end statutory accounts preparation
• Assist in gathering documentation for investor processes and financial due diligence
• Follow internal controls and help keep them well documented
• Support IR35 and contractor compliance administration alongside the COO
• Systems and Process
• Work within Google Workspace (Sheets, Drive) and our finance tooling
• Help document finance processes as we scale
• Liaise with HR (CharlieHR) and project tracking (Float) data to support resource cost reporting

What We're Looking For

• Essential
• Studying toward, or interested in studying toward, an accounting qualification (AAT, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) — OR some hands-on bookkeeping or finance experience
• A solid understanding of double-entry bookkeeping basics, with appetite to learn management accounts preparation
• At least 1 year experience with cloud-based accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks or similar) — or a clear willingness to learn quickly
• Confident with Google Sheets or Excel
• Meticulous attention to detail and strong organisational discipline
• Desirable
• A finance, accounting or business-related degree (or equivalent qualification)
• Any prior internship, placement or experience in a finance team
• Exposure to a technology scale-up, defence, or government contracting environment
• Familiarity with multi-entity working (UK and Ireland)

Life at Whitespace

We are a small team doing genuinely important work. There is no hiding here, and no ceiling either. People who join Whitespace do not slot into a process; they help shape one. We move fast, we are direct with each other, and we hold ourselves to a high standard, but we also look after our people properly. Our culture is built on trust. We trust you to deliver, so we give you the space and the time to recharge. We do not count hours; we count outcomes. You will have access to some of the most interesting AI tools and technology in the market, working alongside people who genuinely care about the mission. If you are early in your career and want a job where your work matters, where you can see the impact, and where you have real room to grow, we would love to hear from you.

Time Off and Working Pattern

We believe that sustainable high performance requires genuine rest. That is why we have built one of the most generous working patterns in the industry, on top of a strong base holiday entitlement. 25 days annual leave plus all UK bank holidays. Four-day working weeks in July, August, and December. Every Friday off, the entire month. No exceptions, no catching up. Last Friday of every other month off. January through June and September through November, the last Friday of the month is a company day off. Early finish every remaining Friday at 3pm. On Fridays where you are working, you finish at 3pm. In total, this adds up to approximately 22 additional full days off per year, plus the equivalent of a further 8 days in early finishes. That is roughly 30 days of additional time back on top of your standard 25 days annual leave. Put another way, you are working approximately 225 days a year. We trust you to deliver in that time, and we back that trust with a working pattern that actually lets you switch off.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually and benchmarked against the market.
• Study support: contributions toward your accounting qualification (AAT, ACA, ACCA or CIMA), with paid study leave for exams.
• Structured mentoring from the Finance Manager to support your development.
• Workplace pension, employer contributions on top of your salary.
• Octopus EV salary sacrifice scheme.
• Electric vehicle leasing through salary sacrifice, saving on tax and NI.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Tax-efficient cycling equipment through salary sacrifice.
• Hybrid working. Belfast office base with genuine flexibility around where and how you work.
• Access to cutting-edge AI tools as standard working instruments, not a side perk.
• A culture that invests in you. Learning, development, and the opportunity to grow your remit as we scale.

Terms and Conditions | Role may require SC clearance; offer conditional on satisfactory background checks.