Fixed‑term sick leave cover
~30 hours, flexible | hybrid | Basingstoke
About the role (and us)
We’re hiring a Finance & Office Manager to cover for a member of our team who’s on long-term sick leave. It’s a real role with real responsibility, and we’re being thoughtful about how we set it up – because that’s how we’d want to be treated, and because we want to attract the best person we can.
A bit about us. Zeal designs and delivers lighting and visual productions under one roof – for music tours, festivals, live events, fashion, and attractions. We’re a team of around 20, based in Basingstoke. We’re known for being meticulous, imaginative, and a genuinely good place to work.
The role is the backbone of how Zeal runs day-to-day. Bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, year‑end, management reporting, insurance, compliance, HR admin, and being the warm, organised person the team comes to with the everyday questions that keep a small company moving.
You’d work directly with our MD (Steve), our accountants at Lane Monnington Welton, and the wider team.
What you’d do
* Day‑to‑day bookkeeping in Xero, with Dext and ApprovalMax doing a lot of the heavy lifting
* Overseeing the automated accounts payable and receivable flow (eyes on it, hands in it when needed)
* Running monthly payroll
* Preparing and filing quarterly VAT returns
* Supporting our accountants on year‑end
* Preparing management reports and cashflow forecasts (Float does most of it – you bring the judgement)
Office & operations
* General company administration – insurance renewals, compliance filings, the bits that keep a business in good standing
* First port of call for the team’s HR queries – holiday, sickness, records, onboarding paperwork
* Keeping the company running smoothly behind the scenes
Who you might be
You’re confident with bookkeeping and payroll – these aren’t areas you’d need much hand‑holding on. VAT returns aren’t new to you, and the words “management report” don’t faze you.
You’re organised. You sweat the small stuff. You take pride in getting things right.
You’re warm with people. You enjoy being the person someone comes to with a question, and you make them feel listened to.
You’re curious about how AI tools can take repetitive work off your plate. We’re a Claude‑first team, and you’ll be encouraged (and supported) to use AI to free yourself up for the work that’s actually worth your time.
HR experience is a bonus, not essential – we’ll support you on the more involved stuff.
The shape of the role
Salary: £37,000‑£42,000 FTE (pro‑rata for the hours you do)
Hours: Around 30 a week, worked flexibly. You don’t need to do 9‑5 – we care that the work gets done well, not that you’re at a desk at a particular time.
Where: Hybrid. 1‑2 days a week in our Basingstoke office (days agreed at offer), rest from home.
Term: Fixed‑term cover for long‑term sick leave. Expected to last at least 6 months, likely up to 12, with the possibility of extension.
Start: As soon as you can.
Reports to: Steve, our MD.
Something we care about
We’re out to create more imaginative and emotive moments for everyone, and we celebrate diversity amongst our audiences and our team.
We are committed to inclusion and equality across race, gender, sexuality, age, religion, identity, and experience.
We also know we have a long way to go, so we’re particularly keen to hear from you if you’re from an underrepresented group within our industry.
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