Financial Assistant

SUMMARY:
Financial Assistant (George / Mossel Bay)

The finance assistant owns the company's day to day transactional finance across accounts receivable, accounts payable and credit control. Getting invoices out, cash in and making sure suppliers are paid accurately and on time. It is a full-time role that takes over and builds on our exciting credit control function, with more capacity for tighter credit control, better reporting and continuous improvement of how the establishment works.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to work with a fast-growing UK Firm and some of the world's best-known organisations, and to help shape how our finance processes work, including how we use AI to run them.

Responsibilities:
Billing and accounts receivable - raise sales invoices in Xero from new business confirmation forms, quotes, statements of work and retainer schedules. Obtain a valid client purchase order before invoicing, request retainer POs ahead of each billing cycle, and query any POs that don't match what we expect. Submit invoices through client procurement portals, prepare the monthly invoice listing, and apply the correct VAT treatment for UK, Irish and other international clients, including non-GBP Invoicing.

Credit Control - run a weekly debtor cycle - statements and follow-up call on overdue accounts. Reconcile client receipts to invoices, query short or incorrect payments, track instalment plans and settlement agreements, and escalate disputes to account leads with a clear recommendation. Keep a live follow-up list so anyone can see where each client stands

Accounts Payable - process supplier bills in Xero - checking them against purchase orders and approvals, coding them correctly and preparing them for payment. Raise supplier purchase orders once signed off, monitor the invoices inbox, reconcile supplier statements, and resolve duplicate payments, credits and direct debit queries.

Corrections and recharges - raise credit notes and corrected invoices when billing is wrong and explain the correction clearly to the client. Identify and process recharges to clients, including reclassifying costs to and from WIP.

Client and supplier onboarding - complete client supplier-onboarding packs and vendor registrations, and keep organizations profiles on client procurement portals up to date

Reporting and month-end - produce weekly aged debtors and creditors reports with commentary, provide cash-flow inputs, support month-end, VAT and audit, and document our finance procedures so they don't rely on one person

AI and Automation - use AI tools in your day-to-day work, for example to draft chasers, reconcile and check data, and summarise queries and help identify where AI and automation can make our finance processes faster and more accurate. Adopt new tools and ways of working as we introduce them, and help others in the team to do the same.

POSITION INFO:
What our client is looking for:

• Three or more years' experience in accounts receivable, accounts payable and / or credit control - ideally in a consultancy, agency or other professional services environment
• Hands-on Xero experience - invoices, bills, credit notes, bank reconciliation and reporting.
• Comfortable with corporate procurement portals (such as Coupa or SAP Ariba) and strict purchase order rules
• Confident, polite and persistent - able to chase senior client contracts by email and phone without damaging the relationship
• Accurate and detail-focused - checks invoices against PO's, quotes and contracts before they go out.
• Confident, polite and persistent - able to chase senior client contracts by email and phone without damaging the relationship
• Strong in Excel and MS 365, with excellent written English
• AI Literate and adaptable - already confident using AI tools in your day-to-day work, and keen to keep learning as AI becomes a bigger part of how we work
• Working knowledge of UK VAT, or the ability to pick it up quickly. An accounting qualification (EG SAIPA, CIMA, ACCA or a BCom in Accounting) is an advantage.
• Proactive and self-directed - someone who spots problems early, such as under billing or duplicate payments, and raises them with a proposed fix
• Based within easy reach of Mossel Bay, with your own transport, reliable home internet and power backup
• Discreet - the role sees client, pricing and payment information across the whole firm.

• A full time, home-based role with a fast-growing UK advisory firm, working on accounts for some of the world's best-known companies and organisations.
• Real scope to shape and improve how our finance processes owrk, with direct weekly contact with the finance lead.
• Hands-on experience using A! and modern finance tools as we build them into how we work
• Competitive salary and benefits.