Accounts Assistant

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Accounts Assistant to join a vibrant and expanding fashion and lifestyle retail brand based in Manchester.

This role offers you the chance to immerse yourself in a supportive and collaborative finance team, where your contributions will be valued from day one. You will enjoy exposure to a wide variety of accounting tasks, gaining real responsibility and professional development as you help drive the financial operations of a dynamic business. The organisation is committed to nurturing talent, providing ongoing learning opportunities, and fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. If you are looking for a role that combines hands-on experience with genuine career progression in the heart of the retail sector, this could be the perfect next step for you.

Join a growing retail business in Manchester, working within a friendly and knowledgeable finance team that values collaboration and support.

Benefit from immediate exposure to diverse accounting responsibilities, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, reconciliations, payroll assistance, and VAT returns.

Enjoy a workplace that prioritises professional growth, offering training opportunities and real responsibility from your first day while supporting your long-term career ambitions.

What you'll do:

As an Accounts Assistant, you will play a pivotal role in supporting both day-to-day finance functions and key month-end activities within a thriving retail environment. Your responsibilities will span across managing accounts receivable and payable processes, reconciling critical financial records such as factory invoices and bank statements, maintaining asset registers, assisting with budgeting exercises, preparing VAT returns, and helping process payroll. You will work closely with other teams including operations, sales, and payroll to ensure seamless communication across departments.

Manage accounts receivable processes by raising invoices, monitoring customer payments, and maintaining effective credit control procedures to ensure timely cash collection.

Handle accounts payable duties including processing supplier invoices, organising payment runs, and building positive relationships with suppliers to maintain smooth operations.

Reconcile factory invoices meticulously to guarantee cost accuracy and support transparent financial reporting across the business.

Perform regular bank and credit card reconciliations to keep cash positions up-to-date and provide reliable information for decision-making.

Post month-end journals such as accruals, prepayments, and intercompany entries with precision to facilitate accurate monthly closing activities.

Maintain the fixed assets register by recording acquisitions, disposals, and depreciation schedules in line with company policy.

Oversee prepayments by ensuring they are correctly recognised and amortised over appropriate periods for compliance with accounting standards.

Assist with budget updates and cash flow forecasts by providing accurate data and insights to support senior finance colleagues in planning activities.

Prepare and submit quarterly VAT returns on time while ensuring full compliance with relevant regulations and attention to detail.

Support weekly and monthly payroll processing by verifying correct payments and deductions for all staff members.

What you bring:

To excel as an Accounts Assistant in this fast-evolving retail business, you will bring proven experience from a similar finance environment where you have managed transactional processes efficiently. Your technical expertise will include handling payables and receivables workflows alongside performing detailed reconciliations. You will be comfortable navigating VAT requirements as well as contributing towards month-end close activities through accurate journal postings. A background supporting budgeting or forecasting initiatives will further enhance your impact.

Previous experience in an accounting or finance role where you have demonstrated reliability in handling core transactional processes.

Strong understanding of accounts payable and receivable functions as well as reconciliations involving bank statements, credit cards, or factory invoices.

Excellent numeracy skills combined with meticulous attention to detail; able to deliver high-quality work even when facing tight deadlines.

Advanced Excel capabilities including use of formulas, pivot tables or data analysis tools to support financial reporting needs.

Effective communication skills enabling you to collaborate constructively with colleagues from different teams such as operations or sales.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates