Accounts Assistant
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Job Title: Accounts Assistant
Location: Manchester City Centre (Hybrid Working)
Salary: Up to £30,000 per annum
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Client Details
Michael Page are looking for an ambitious and progressive Accounts Assistant to join a fast growing finance team based in Manchester City Centre. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to develop their career within a supportive environment working closely with the Finance Director.
Description
The key responsibilities of an Accounts Assistant will include:
- Assist with the preparation of monthly management accounts and financial reports
- Process accounts payable and receivable, ensuring accuracy and timely completion
- Perform bank reconciliations and maintain accurate financial records
- Support the preparation of VAT returns and other statutory filings
- Assist with payroll processing and employee expense claims
- Help maintain the general ledger and chart of accounts
- Contribute to budgeting and forecasting activities
- Identify and suggest process improvements within the finance function
Profile
The successful Accounts Assistant will have:
- Previous experience in an accounts or finance-related role
- Strong attention to detail and organisational skills
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel
- Familiarity with accounting software ideally Xero
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to liaise with stakeholders
- Ideally studying AAT, ACCA or CIMA.
Job Offer
- A salary up to £30,000 per annum
- Study Support
- Hybrid working - 4 days in office, 1 day working from home
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Direct mentorship from an experienced Finance Director
- Free gym membership
- Monthly socials and company events
- Opportunity to work within a fast-growing, collaborative business
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your Xero experience prominently as this is their preferred accounting software
📊 Quantify your accounts processing: 'Processed 150+ invoices monthly with 99.8% accuracy'
🎓 Emphasise any AAT, ACCA or CIMA studies as they specifically value professional development
🏦 Showcase your bank reconciliation skills as this is a key daily responsibility
🤝 Mention experience working with Finance Directors or senior stakeholders given the mentorship opportunity
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 200+ monthly invoices through Xero accounting software, maintaining 99.5% accuracy rate and reducing processing time by 15%
- •Prepared monthly management accounts for 3 business units, delivering reports 2 days ahead of deadline to support Finance Director decision-making
- •Completed VAT return preparations quarterly, ensuring 100% compliance with HMRC deadlines and identifying £2,400 in recoverable VAT
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
Your cover letter is ready
We've drafted a cover letter for Michael Page Finance. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Michael Page Finance
Dear Hiring Manager,
Michael Page's Accounts Assistant role in Manchester City Centre represents exactly the career development opportunity I'm seeking, particularly the direct mentorship from your Finance Director and comprehensive study support for professional qualifications. My experience with management accounts preparation and Xero accounting software aligns perfectly with your requirements.
My background in accounts processing and VAT compliance has prepared me to contribute immediately to your growing finance team while developing my skills in budgeting and forecasting.
Free signup, no card needed. Export to PDF/Word requires a £1.99 trial (14 days).
Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How do you ensure accuracy when processing high volumes of accounts payable?
- ›Walk me through your process for preparing monthly management accounts
- ›What's your experience with VAT return preparation and deadlines?
- ›How would you handle a bank reconciliation discrepancy?
- ›Describe your proficiency with Xero accounting software
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you identified a process improvement in finance
- ›How do you prioritise tasks during month-end reporting periods?
- ›Describe a situation where you had to communicate complex financial information to non-finance colleagues
- ›Give an example of when your attention to detail prevented an error
- ›How do you handle working under pressure with tight deadlines?
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you identified a process improvement in finance
How do you prioritise tasks during month-end reporting periods?