Job Summary
New Beacon Group is seeking an experienced, hands-on Accountant / Senior Bookkeeper to take responsibility for the day-to-day finance function and accounting records across our business operations.
This is an all-round finance role. As the main finance person within the business, you will be responsible for both the day-to-day transactional work and the month-end and year-end accounting processes. There is no separate transactional finance team, so the successful candidate must be equally comfortable processing invoices and payments, reconciling accounts and chasing outstanding debts as they are preparing accruals, prepayments, journals and ensuring the trial balance and balance sheet are accurate at month end.
Our business operates across three departments, each with its own income and expenditure streams. The accounting itself is relatively straightforward, but accuracy, organisation and proper allocation and reconciliation across the different business areas are essential.
You will work closely with the CEO on financial and accounting matters and with our external accountants/auditors during the year-end process.
Strong practical experience with Xero is essential.
Key Responsibilities
Day-to-day finance
- Maintain complete and accurate accounting records in Xero across the business.
- Process purchase invoices and supplier payments.
- Raise recurring and miscellaneous sales invoices.
- Allocate income and expenditure accurately across the three business departments.
- Complete bank and credit card reconciliations.
- Maintain accounts payable and accounts receivable records.
- Carry out active credit control, including monitoring outstanding accounts, chasing arrears and supporting debt recovery where required.
- Maintain appropriate supporting documentation and resolve accounting discrepancies promptly.
- Process payroll through Xero Payroll, including deductions and pension information.
- Maintain the Fixed Asset Register.
Month-end and financial control
- Take responsibility for the month-end close.
- Prepare and post accruals, prepayments, journals and other month-end adjustments.
- Reconcile balance sheet accounts and investigate outstanding or unusual balances.
- Ensure the trial balance and balance sheet are complete and accurate at each month end.
- Review income and expenditure across the individual business departments to ensure transactions have been correctly recorded and allocated.
- Prepare monthly revenue and other management reports.
VAT, year-end and external accountants/auditors
- Prepare and submit VAT returns and ensure appropriate VAT treatment of transactions.
- Maintain accounting records in accordance with HMRC requirements.
- Prepare year-end schedules, reconciliations and supporting information.
- Work directly with external accountants/auditors, responding to queries and providing supporting documentation.
- Assist with year-end adjustments and ensure the accounting records reconcile to the final accounts.
Experience and Skills
Essential
- Minimum 3 years' relevant bookkeeping/accounting experience, ideally within an SME or owner-managed business.
- Strong hands-on experience of day-to-day transactional accounting.
- Practical experience completing month-end processes, including accruals, prepayments and journals.
- Experience with balance sheet reconciliations and maintaining accounting records through to trial balance.
- Experience preparing VAT returns.
- Strong practical knowledge of Xero.
- Good Excel skills.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to identify and resolve accounting discrepancies.
- Able to organise and prioritise the complete finance workload independently.
- Comfortable working directly with senior management and discussing accounting issues.
Desirable
- AAT qualified, ACCA/CIMA part-qualified or qualified by experience.
- Experience working across multiple departments, cost centres or business entities.
- Experience supporting year-end accounts and external accountants/auditors.
- Xero Payroll experience.
- Property, commercial property, leisure, hospitality or multi-department business experience.
What We Offer
- Approximately 21–24 hours per week.
- Flexible working hours across approximately three/four days per week.
- £30,000–£35,000 FTE, pro rata depending on experience.
- Company pension.
- Free on-site parking.
- A varied role with responsibility for the complete day-to-day finance function.
- Direct working relationship with senior management.
- On-site working in Stafford.
Reference ID: Part Time Accountant
Expected start date: As soon as possible
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: £29,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Expected hours: 21.0 – 24.0 per week
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Flexitime
- Free parking
- Gym membership
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Stafford ST18 0BF: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Accounting: 3 years (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Location:
- Stafford ST18 0BF (preferred)
Work Location: In person
