Finance Assistant – Property Group
Salary: £32,000–£35,000 depending on experience
Location: Southampton
Working pattern: Full-time, permanent, office based
Probation: 6 months
About the Role
Lainston Group is an established, independently owned property group based in Southampton, with a substantial residential and commercial property portfolio built over more than 30 years.
We are looking for an experienced Finance Assistant to join our finance team in a broad, hands-on role with real ownership and variety.
You will work across multiple companies, properties, bank accounts and financial systems, supporting the day-to-day finance function while developing a strong understanding of how the different parts of the group interact.
The role has established routines and processes, but priorities can change, so we are looking for someone who is organised, adaptable and comfortable taking ownership of their work.
Key Responsibilities
The role will include:
- Managing purchase ledger processes, including supplier invoices, coding and account queries.
- Supporting sales ledger activity and maintaining accurate customer and tenant account records.
- Carrying out bank reconciliations across multiple accounts and group companies.
- Preparing and processing supplier and other payments accurately and from the correct entity and bank account.
- Supporting credit control and resolving account discrepancies.
- Preparing journals and supporting the accurate transfer of financial information between systems.
- Supporting VAT returns, including reconciliations and information required for partial exemption calculations.
- Maintaining accurate intercompany and loan account records.
- Supporting property and client accounting, including landlord statements and associated reconciliations.
- Using Excel regularly for reconciliations, journals, data and reporting.
- Reviewing financial information for accuracy and investigating anything that does not look right.
- Supporting month-end processes and the preparation of financial information for management reporting.
- Assisting the wider finance team with additional tasks and projects where required.
What We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone with solid hands-on finance experience who is comfortable taking responsibility for their work.
You should have:
- Previous experience working within an internal finance or accounting team.
- Practical experience across areas such as purchase ledger, sales ledger, bank reconciliations, payments, journals and VAT.
- Strong attention to detail and a naturally accurate approach to financial information.
- The confidence to question and investigate information where something does not appear correct.
- Good organisational skills and the ability to manage changing priorities.
- Confidence working with Excel and financial systems.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- A proactive and dependable working style.
- The ability to work independently while also knowing when to ask questions.
Experience working across multiple companies, entities, ledgers, sites or cost centres would be highly beneficial.
Experience
Experience within industry or an internal finance team is preferred.
Property, property-management or client-accounting experience would be advantageous, but it is not essential.
We would also be interested in candidates from other sectors who have worked within:
- SME or owner-managed businesses.
- Group or multi-entity structures.
- Businesses with multiple bank accounts, sites or cost centres.
- Broad finance roles involving a mixture of responsibilities rather than one narrow ledger function.
Systems
Previous experience of Qube or Re-Leased would be useful but is not essential.
More important is the ability to learn systems quickly, work confidently across different sources of information and recognise when something does not reconcile correctly.
A good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel is required.
The Opportunity
This is a good opportunity for someone who wants a broad finance role rather than being restricted to one narrow area.
You will gain exposure across a varied group structure and a wide range of finance activities, with scope to take on greater responsibility as your knowledge of the business develops.
What We Offer
- £32,000–£35,000 salary, depending on experience.
- Full-time permanent position.
- Office-based role in Southampton.
- Some flexibility around start and finish times may be available by agreement.
- Broad exposure across a substantial property group.
- Varied responsibilities across the finance function.
- Opportunity to develop and take on greater responsibility.
- Support from an experienced finance team.
- 6-month probationary period.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £32,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Have you worked across multiple companies, entities or ledgers?
- How many years of finance/accounting experience do you have?
- Do you have hands-on experience with purchase ledger, sales ledger, bank reconciliations and payment runs?
- Have you prepared or supported VAT returns?
- How would you rate your Microsoft Excel skills: basic, intermediate or advanced?
- Are you comfortable working predominantly from our Southampton office?
Work Location: In person
