Purchase Ledger Accounts Assistant (6 Month FTC)

At 1st Central everything starts with our people.

As one of the UKs leading motor and home insurers we use smart technology data and great service to make insurance fast fair and simple for over 1.4 million customers. Were proud to create an environment where people feel supported trusted and able to grow -whether thats developing new skills taking on fresh challenges or making a real impact every day. If youre looking for a role where you can make a difference wed love to hear from you.

If youre someone whos great with numbers detail-obsessed and enjoys making systems tick this could be right up your street.

Were looking for a Purchase Ledger Accounts Assistant to join our Finance Team on a 6-month fixed term contract based in our Haywards Heath West Sussex office. Youll be helping us stay on top of payments processing and all things bookkeeping for our groups payable ledgers and subsidiaries. Youll be making sure everything lines up across our finance systems - keeping records accurate up to date and in line with internal policies. From managing the daily purchase ledger to handling key reconciliations youll play an important part in keeping things running smoothly.

Core skills were looking for:

• Communication: youre confident chatting with managers colleagues and suppliers
• Ledger and reconciliation experience: youve handled complex data before and know how to present it clearly (desirable but not essential for early-career applicants)
• Analytical: you enjoy spotting patterns and using data to improve how things work
• Time management: you know how to prioritise stay focused under pressure and stay calm when things get busy

Working flexibly youll spend most of your time working from home with one day a week in the office. If you prefer to be in the office more thats good with us too.

Whats Involved:

• Youll maintain the accounts payable in a timely fashion. Ensuring accurate recording and processing of transactions
• Youll ensure the prompt processing and payment of supplier invoices across the business
• Youll maintain the credit card programme and ensure prompt submission of credit card expenses monthly
• Youll facilitate the processing of colleagues expense ensuring these align to the groups policies and procedures
• Youll support a monthly reporting process for key accounts on the payable ledgers
• Youll handle supplier queries and disputes with appropriate business engagement in a timely and professional manner
• Youll assist the business with purchase order queries and ensure these are raised timely and accurately
• Youll support the reconciliation team with processing supplier payments and resolve unreconciled items promptly
• Youll attend meetings across the organisation to ensure operational functions are aware of purchase ledger issues and promote timing resolution and safeguarding against future issues
• Youll ensure proportionate reporting and oversight is supported for accounts payable activities that are operated both within and outside of finance
• Youll provide analysis of outstanding items showing monthly ageing and supporting business ownership for resolution ensure SLAs are met
• Youll identify and recommend process and system changes for first line control failures leading to outstanding items being created
• Youll support in preparation of the Groups audit by providing backups as requested supporting the year-end audit process runs smoothly
• Youll adhere to the Group accounting policies and procedures
• Youll support activities in other finance teams as required
• Youll ensure compliance with company and other relevant standards / regulations at all department risk registers (as applicable) providing evidence and commentary for controls updates for Mitigation Actions and maintaining control matrices and attestations.

Experience Knowledge & Skills

• AAT qualified or equivalent or significant relevant experience
• Experience in purchase or sales ledger ideally within a shared services function and a high-growth fast-changing environment
• Strong communication skills able to work effectively with managers colleagues and external suppliers both verbally and in writing
• Skilled in reconciling complex data with the ability to analyse summarise and clearly present key findings to stakeholders
• Proficient in Microsoft applications and confident using data to drive process improvements
• Able to manage pressure and think clearly and logically in challenging situations
• Preferably knowledge of the UK financial services or regulated industry with an awareness of internal and external fraud risks in finance

Behaviours

• Results-driven with strong attention to detail while adapting communication to suit the audience
• Collaborative and engaging able to get the best out of a wide range of stakeholders
• Proactive and resilient - driven to deliver change and overcome obstacles quickly
• Agile and adaptable - able to pivot in response to shifting priorities and seize new opportunities

Ready to join us

Were looking for talented people who want to make a real impact for our customers colleagues and business. Apply today and discover where a career at 1st Central could take you.

To find out more about careers at 1st Central take a look here