Accounts Assistant
Job description
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Accounts Assistant (Temp-to-Perm)
Dunstable - Up to £32,000 Per Annum
An established and growing organisation within the lighting and electrical distribution sector is seeking a Finance Assistant to join its busy UK finance team on a temp to perm basis.
This is a varied and hands on role reporting into the Finance Manager, offering exposure across multiple areas of finance. The position plays a key role in supporting both internal operations and delivering excellent service to external customers and suppliers.
The Role
You’ll be involved in a broad range of finance activities, with a strong focus on both sales ledger and purchase ledger, alongside wider support duties.
Key Responsibilities
Sales Ledger
- Manage customer queries via phone and email, including taking payments
- Allocate BACS, cheque, and card payments daily
- Reconcile customer accounts, including complex trade accounts
- Raise credit notes following approval processes
- Carry out credit control duties, including chasing overdue debt and liaising with third parties (agencies, insurers, liquidators)
Purchase Ledger
- Process invoices daily, ensuring correct approvals
- Communicate with suppliers to resolve queries
- Reconcile supplier statements and accounts
- Prepare weekly and month-end payment runs for review
Stock & Invoice Processing
- Process goods received as part of invoice workflows
- Liaise with purchasing and technical teams on discrepancies and credit requests
Audit & Ad Hoc Duties
- Support annual audit preparation, including gathering documentation
- Maintain and reconcile petty cash
- Assist with additional finance tasks as required
About You
Essential:
- At least 12 months’ experience in a similar finance role
- Strong understanding of basic accounting principles
- Confident using Excel and Microsoft Office
- Highly organised with excellent attention to detail
- Strong communication skills and ability to manage queries effectively
- Able to work both independently and as part of a team
Desirable:
- AAT Foundation / NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent)
- Experience using finance systems or accounting software
Personal Attributes
- Positive, proactive attitude with a “can do” mindset
- Strong customer service focus
- Trustworthy and professional
- Methodical and detail-oriented
- Able to prioritise workload and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
What’s on Offer
- Temp-to-perm opportunity with long-term potential
- Exposure to a broad finance function
- Supportive and collaborative team environment
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your sales and purchase ledger experience prominently as this role requires strong focus on both areas
📊 Quantify your credit control results: "Reduced overdue debt by 25% through proactive customer contact"
💻 Emphasise your Excel proficiency and any finance systems experience as these are essential daily tools
🎯 Mention any AAT qualifications or equivalent as this is specifically desired by the employer
🤝 Showcase your customer service skills as you'll be managing queries via phone and email daily
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Processed 150+ daily invoices through purchase ledger system, maintaining 98% accuracy rate and resolving supplier queries within 24 hours
- •Managed sales ledger for 200+ customer accounts, allocating BACS payments daily and reducing overdue debt by 30% through systematic credit control
- •Supported month-end processes by reconciling supplier statements and preparing weekly payment runs worth £50,000+ for Finance Manager approval
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
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Letter preview — tailored to Accountancy Action
Dear Hiring Manager,
Accountancy Action's Accounts Assistant role combines exactly the sales ledger and purchase ledger experience I want to develop further, particularly within the lighting and electrical distribution sector where complex trade account reconciliations are essential.
My background in finance operations includes daily BACS processing, supplier statement reconciliation, and proactive credit control across diverse customer portfolios. I'm proficient in Excel for payment allocation and have experience supporting audit preparation activities.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you handle a complex customer account reconciliation with multiple outstanding invoices?
- ›What steps would you take to process a supplier invoice that doesn't match the purchase order?
- ›Explain how you would allocate a BACS payment that covers multiple invoices
- ›How do you prioritise credit control activities when managing multiple overdue accounts?
- ›What Excel functions do you use most frequently in finance work?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time when you had to chase overdue debt from a difficult customer
- ›Describe a situation where you identified an error in financial records and how you resolved it
- ›Give an example of how you've managed competing priorities in a busy finance environment
- ›Tell me about a time you provided excellent customer service while handling a financial query
- ›Describe how you've worked as part of a team to meet month-end deadlines
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time when you had to chase overdue debt from a difficult customer
Describe a situation where you identified an error in financial records and how you resolved it