[Hiring] Finance Assistant @Talent Shore

Role Description

The Finance Assistant is responsible for the smooth running of the company's finance operations — from bookkeeping and payroll through to credit control and management reporting. This is a hands-on role at the heart of a fast-paced recruitment business, requiring accuracy, discretion and the ability to manage competing weekly deadlines.

Key Responsibilities

• Bookkeeping & Transactions
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in Xero, including daily bank reconciliations.
  • Process sales invoices, purchase invoices and credit notes accurately and on time.
  • Manage accounts payable, ensuring suppliers are paid to agreed terms.
  • Liaise with suppliers to resolve queries, discrepancies and account issues.
  • Process staff expenses and company credit card reconciliations.
• Payroll
  • Run weekly payroll for temporary workers, working closely with umbrella companies and ensuring compliance with agreed terms.
  • Reconcile timesheets against client bookings and resolve pay queries from candidates, consultants and umbrella providers.
  • Calculate monthly staff commissions for consultants across all sales teams, in line with the company commission scheme, and provide sign-off schedules for payroll.
  • Support monthly payroll for internal staff, including pension submissions.
  • Maintain accurate payroll records for audit and compliance purposes.
• Credit Control
  • Own the credit control process across all client accounts: chase overdue invoices, allocate payments and maintain the aged debtors ledger.
  • Produce weekly aged debt reports for the sales teams and escalate problem accounts.
  • Run credit checks on new clients and recommend appropriate credit limits.
  • Resolve invoice disputes with clients (schools, academies, trusts and local authorities) promptly and professionally.
• Reporting & Compliance
  • Produce weekly, monthly and annual financial reports, including gross margin, cashflow and P&L summaries by team and location.
  • Prepare and submit quarterly VAT returns via Making Tax Digital.
  • Complete statutory and industry surveys (e.g. ONS returns) accurately and on time.
  • Liaise with the company accountant to prepare year-end accounts, providing all supporting schedules and documentation.
  • Assist with audit requests and compliance documentation (e.g. framework and accreditation audits).
• General
  • Act as the first point of contact for finance queries from sales teams across all offices.
  • Maintain organised digital filing of financial records within Microsoft 365.
  • Identify and suggest improvements to finance processes and controls.
  • Handle confidential information with discretion at all times.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a finance assistant, bookkeeper or similar role.
• Proficient in Xero (invoicing, reconciliations, reporting, VAT).
• Confident user of Microsoft 365, particularly Excel (lookups, pivot tables) and Outlook.
• Experience of credit control and managing an aged debtors ledger.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy under weekly deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills — comfortable liaising with clients, suppliers, umbrella companies and internal teams.
• Able to work independently and manage own workload across multiple priorities.

Requirements

• Experience in the recruitment or staffing sector, particularly weekly temp payroll and umbrella company arrangements.
• Recognised accounting qualification, or working towards one (e.g. SAIPA, SAICA trainee, CIMA, ACCA, or a relevant accounting degree/diploma).
• Experience preparing VAT returns and supporting year-end accounts.
• Familiarity with education-sector clients (schools, academies, MATs, local authorities) and their payment processes.