Accounts Payable & Banking Manager in Kendal

This role is based at our Group Office in Lupton on a hybrid basis, with 3 days in the office. There may also be occasional travel requirements to work alongside operational colleagues across the Group.

We are the highest Ofsted-rated provider in the country for special education and care. Our teams are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things.

For children with complex needs, the level of care and education we provide must go above and beyond. That’s what drives us here at Witherslack Group. With our high staff-to-child ratio and in-house clinical teams, we’re proud to have won a reputation for excellence and market-leading OFSTED ratings.

We’re looking for an experienced and proactive Accounts Payable & Banking Manager to join Witherslack Group and take overall responsibility for our Accounts Payable, Purchase to Pay and banking functions. This is a key role within our Finance team, responsible for ensuring our processes are efficient, accurate, well controlled and consistently delivered across the organisation.

You’ll lead the end to end Accounts Payable and Purchase to Pay process, overseeing invoice processing, approval workflows, timely payments and the effective use of our Workday PO system. You’ll also lead our cash management cycle, including accounting, reconciliation and reporting, while ensuring accurate reporting across areas such as AP ageing, accruals and payment forecasting.

As a key driver of continuous improvement, you’ll identify opportunities to standardise processes, introduce automation and make better use of technology across the function. You’ll establish and monitor appropriate KPIs, using performance data to identify trends, manage risks and drive improvements. You’ll also play an important role in our month-end process, overseeing site level performance reviews, journals and relevant checks around areas such as capex and prepayments.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys combining operational leadership with process improvement and strategic thinking. You’ll manage and develop the team, ensuring resources are effectively allocated around key deadlines, while helping to shape our Finance function as the Group continues to grow.

Here at Witherslack Group, we celebrate everyone’s differences as that’s what makes us the best at what we do. Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs - and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. We’ll give you the chance to build an exciting career in a fast-growing organisation, where you’re free to achieve your potential.

Here’s what we need from you:

• Significant experience working within Accounts Payable, Purchase to Pay, banking or a similar finance environment, with experience of leading or managing teams.
• Strong experience of working with ERP systems, ideally with experience of managing and improving finance systems and processes.
• Proven track record of driving process improvement, automation and standardisation, with the ability to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, controls and service delivery.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Excel and the ability to use data and reporting to monitor performance, identify trends and support effective decision-making.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to partner effectively with colleagues and stakeholders across all functions of the business.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines, particularly during month-end and key payment periods.
• A proactive and analytical approach, with the confidence to identify risks, challenge existing processes and implement practical solutions.
• Experience of cash management, reconciliations, month-end processes and financial reporting would be highly beneficial.

For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the care sector. With us, you’ll get to make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get:

• Salary: Dependent on experience and qualification
• Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with 7 weeks’ holiday (including bank holidays)
• Flexible benefits package: meaning you can increase/decrease your holiday allowance, pension and life insurance
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
• Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts
• Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities
• A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost). We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.