Part-Time Bookkeeper / Financial Controller

SUMMARY:
The role focuses primarily on hands-on transactional accounting rather than financial strategy or management. The successful candidate will manage bookkeeping, invoicing, payment tracking, reconciliations, owner funds and general financial administration across both businesses.

POSITION INFO:

Part-Time Bookkeeper / Financial Controller

Take responsibility for accurate bookkeeping, complex payment schedules, multi-currency transactions and owner funds across two UK-based businesses in the yacht charter and brokerage industry.

Remote, South Africa | Part-Time | UK Hours: 4 hours per day, 5 days per week | R35,000 per month

ABOUT OUR CLIENT

Our client operates two UK-based businesses within the yacht charter and brokerage industry. One business manages boats on behalf of their owners, including the receipt, holding and tracking of owner funds.

The second business operates as a yacht brokerage, connecting clients with charter boats worldwide. Across both businesses, financial administration involves multiple currencies, complex payment schedules and the accurate management and reconciliation of client and owner funds.

THE ROLE: PART-TIME BOOKKEEPER / FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

The role focuses primarily on hands-on transactional accounting rather than financial strategy or management. The successful candidate will manage bookkeeping, invoicing, payment tracking, reconciliations, owner funds and general financial administration across both businesses.

A key focus is ensuring complex payment flows are managed accurately and consistently, including deposits, instalments, final charter payments and payments due to boat owners. The role requires an experienced bookkeeper who can work independently, manage competing deadlines and maintain accurate financial records.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain accurate financial records across both businesses, including income, expenditure, transactions and reconciliations.

• Prepare and manage client invoices relating to yacht charters, ensuring invoices are accurate, issued timeously and tracked through to payment.

• Monitor complex payment schedules and due dates, ensuring payments are received from clients and the correct amounts are paid to boat owners at the appropriate times.

• Maintain accurate records of funds received and held on behalf of boat owners, ensuring funds are correctly allocated, tracked and reconciled.

• Reconcile bank accounts, client receipts, owner payments and outstanding balances, investigating and resolving discrepancies promptly.

• Manage financial transactions across multiple currencies, ensuring exchange rates, amounts and payment records are accurately captured.

• Monitor outstanding invoices, follow up on overdue payments and ensure supplier and owner payments are processed according to agreed schedules.

• Support UK tax and VAT compliance, including VAT records, reconciliations, preparation of information for VAT returns and assistance with UK tax reporting and annual accounts.

• Assist with monthly financial reporting, cash flow visibility, outstanding payment reports and other management information as required.

• Work across the existing accounting systems and help improve the efficiency and accuracy of invoicing, payment tracking and financial administration.

• Provide ad hoc administrative support relating to financial operations across both businesses.

• Contribute across other areas where additional value can be provided, with the potential to increase working hours in the future.

ABOUT YOU

• Proven experience in a Bookkeeper, Senior Bookkeeper or similar financial role.

• Strong experience with invoicing, accounts receivable, reconciliations and payment processing.

• Experience managing complex payment flows and schedules, including the accurate tracking of deposits, instalments, final payments and third-party payouts.

• Experience tracking funds received from clients and payments due to third parties, ideally where funds are held or managed on behalf of other parties.

• Practical experience with UK accounting processes, including UK VAT and tax requirements.

• Experience personally working with UK VAT returns and UK tax-related bookkeeping.

• Exposure to multi-currency transactions and international payments.

• Experience using accounting software such as QuickBooks, Sage or Xero.

• Exceptional attention to detail, particularly when managing payment deadlines, multiple transactions and financial records.

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a high volume of financial administration independently.

• Excellent numerical accuracy and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve discrepancies.

• Comfortable working part-time and managing responsibilities across two businesses.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in the yacht charter, travel, hospitality, brokerage or maritime industry.

• Experience with client money, trust accounts, escrow arrangements or owner funds.

• Experience with Zoho Books.

• Experience supporting a UK-based business remotely.

• Experience transitioning between accounting systems or implementing Xero.