Job Description:

Finance & Payroll Officer

Salary: £27,000 - £30,000 pro rata, depending on qualifications (ideally AAT part qualified) and experience.

Location: Hybrid/Remote with required weekly travel to work premises for meetings/work. Must maintain a quiet, private, and secure home office setup with reliable internet and phone connection for work purposes.

Hours: Flexible working arrangements considered (3 to 5 days per week). Full-time (5 days) or part-time options available initially, with a need for hours to increase to full time hours as the department evolves.

Reports to: Finance Manager and HR Manager (for HR/Payroll responsibilities that sit with the HR Manager)

The Role:

We are seeking a highly meticulous and proactive Finance & Payroll Officer to join our combined Finance department, supporting operations across the Group and Shackleford Properties Limited.

Reporting directly to the Finance Manager with some responsibilities being under HR management, this vital hybrid role is designed for a self-starter ready to take on significant responsibility from day one. You will independently manage core financial and administrative tasks and serve as the primary contact for the Accounts Department during the Finance Manager’s absence.

This position is key to ensuring continuity and resilience within the function, as you will progressively take sole ownership of additional finance responsibilities. You will also provide essential support for the smooth and accurate running of our Payroll function.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Core Finance Operations

• Cashbook & Banking: Daily monitoring and reconciliation of bank accounts for all Companies, processing BACS/TT/Credit card payments (including Supplier Payment runs and HMRC), and posting all transactions onto Sage 200/Xero. Includes weekly reconciliation of the PayPal account during peak trading.
• Purchase Ledger: Inputting overhead and foreign supplier stock invoices (requiring currency conversion from USD/THB to GBP) onto Sage 200/Xero, reconciling invoices against supplier statements, and liaising with other departments for approval.
• Sales Ledger: Reconciliation of digital payment income (Braintree, PayPal, Klarna, AMEX), posting daily sales, and raising/emailing monthly rent invoices.
• General Administration: Managing the Accounts email inbox, maintaining organised digital and physical financial records, and processing employee expense and credit card claims.

2. Payroll & HR Support

• Assisting with the accurate and timely calculation and administration of payroll on SagePay 50, adhering to strict deadlines and UK employment/payroll legislation, including statutory payments, deductions, and pension schemes.
• Assisting with the implementation of Payroll changes and improvements, reconciling Payroll for the monthly journal onto Sage, and preparing information for P11D submissions.
• Liaising with Human Resources on personnel matters (holidays, sickness, attendance, starters, and leavers) to ensure accurate payroll and financial records.

3. Financial Support & Compliance

• Assist the Finance Manager with complex month-end and year-end procedures, including preparing and posting journals for Prepayments & Accruals, Stock valuation, Fixed Asset Register depreciation, and Management Accounts.
• Support the creation of budgets and cashflow projections, the management and reconciliation of quarterly Group VAT Returns, and the processing of quarterly CT61 form submissions.
• Maintain maximum confidentiality and adhere strictly to GDPR, IT Security, and all Company policies.

What You'll Bring

Essential Skills & Experience:

Qualification: Minimum of AAT Level 3 or 4 qualification, or demonstrable strong relevant experience (1–3 years) within a finance or accounts department. AAT part qualified preferred.

Technical Proficiency:

• Strong IT skills, including proficiency in:
• Sage 200 accounting package
• Sage 50 Payroll
• Xero accounting package
• Advanced Excel
• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive)

Accounting Knowledge: Solid understanding of accounting principles, including double-entry bookkeeping, and proven experience with balance sheet reconciliation work.

Reconciliation & Payroll: Very strong and methodical reconciliation skills with the ability to analyse and resolve discrepancies, coupled with a sound understanding of UK payroll processes.

Personal Attributes:

• Crucially, the right attitude: conscientious, highly motivated, and possessing an excellent eye for detail.
• Meticulous attention to detail and high numerical accuracy with strong error-checking ability.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, able to establish logical and practical solutions.
• Ability to communicate confidently, professionally, and effectively with staff at all levels and key external contacts (HMRC, Bank, Accountants).
• A positive, proactive approach, high integrity, and trustworthiness, with the ability to take ownership and work independently with minimal supervision.

If you are ready for a challenging and rewarding role within a supportive team, we encourage you to apply.