Job Description

Location: Chelmsford Study Centre
Salary: 315,000 p/a (with pay review after 12 months)
Hours: Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm with 30 mins lunch
Role type: Onsite
Objective of the role:
The Finance Assistant (Apprentice) is responsible for providing general financial support to the organisation through the completion of a variety of financial tasks with the support and guidance of the Finance Associate, whilst undertaking learning and development to progress with the AAT qualification over the term of the apprenticeship.
This includes:

• Working with the wider Finance team supporting with the timely and accurate processing of financial transactions and processes.
• Undertaking a learning and development programme leading to an AAT Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting.

Major internal relationships
The Finance team works collaboratively across the organisation, maintaining these relationships to provide a high-quality service. Strong internal relationships are key in ensuring that all stakeholders are receiving the service they need. In particular:

• Head of Finance and Finance associate working on a co-ordinated approach to delivering departmental tasks promptly and accurately.
• Credit Control - advising on payment plan issues (financial issues, direct debits being cancelled, failed monthly payments from students and also helping to amend invoices where required).
• Student Operations Support team - helping with Finance queries from clients, invoicing and client booking queries.
• Apprenticeships Enrolment Team - processing apprenticeship invoices from the planners provided, ensuring this is accurate and timely.

Requirements
The key tasks and responsibilities for this role include:

• Creating sales invoices
• Dealing with intercompany transactions and creating associated sales invoices
• Debt chasing procedures and ensuring all associated systems are up to date
• Answering customer queries as they arise
• Ensuring purchase invoices are input in a timely manner
• Completing supplier statement reconciliations
• Dealing with suppliers requests for information
• Completing the bank reconciliation
• Working with Apprenticeship Data
• Maintaining the company debit cards and ensuring they are reconciled and used correctly
• Maintaining the fixed asset register
• Undertaking any ad-hoc project work as required.

To deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is needed, and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to here.
Person Specification Qualifications and Skills
Essential:

• Being able to work as part of a team
• IT proficient ability to use spreadsheets
• High level of numeracy
• Good attention to detail
• Ability to manage deadlines
• Good analytical skills
• Great communicator who can relate to all people
• High level of self-motivation and use of initiative

Desirable:

• GCSE Maths and English minimum grade C or 4
• 3 x A Levels or equivalent minimum (including predicted) grade C or above

Benefits

• 30 days annual leave (based on fulltime hours) PLUS bank holidays
• We normally shut down for Christmas period (not out of annual leave)

• Private Medical Insurance

• Pension - per auto enrolment rules so if school leaver will not be enrolled as no statutory requirement if under 22.

We are committed to safeguarding and protecting young people and vulnerable adults and follow Safer Recruitment processes. All successful candidates will need to complete a DBS check, with some roles requiring an Enhanced check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
As a disability confident employer, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and are dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. In line with our commitment, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. If you require any reasonable adjustment s during the interview process, please let us know, and we will be happy to support you.