Temporary Assistant Accountant / Bookkeeper job in Lowestoft until March 2026 Your new company Hays Accountancy & Finance are supporting an expanding engineering business who are looking for an experienced Assistant Accountant to join them in a contract role until March 2026 to cover a period of maternity leave. Your new role In this temporary Assistant Accountant / Bookkeeper job, you will be responsible for assisting the Finance Manager with transactional finance and assisting at month-end. You’ll take ownership of inventory control for items allocated to the engineering project build and installation, ensuring these stock transfers and ledgers are reconciled. You will also manage all purchase orders plus any non-direct expense payments are approved and ready for payment. The role also encompasses checking timesheets for hours worked, overtime and inputting of payroll data and departmental expenses, alongside managing credit cards, petty cash, and meter readings. You will also play a vital role supporting the Finance Manager at month-end with accruals, prepayments, WIP analysis, fixed asset management, VAT and balance sheet reconciliations, as well as producing profit and loss reporting. You will also update the HR system with employee onboarding/offboarding data, holiday pay, and general HRIS management are also key. You will need to be confident with complex accountancy systems as they use an ERP system (IFS system) which is preferred but not essential however you must have solid experience of bookkeeping and at least an understanding of monthly reporting regarding prepayments, journals, reconciliations and general finance problem-solving. What you'll need to succeed As explained, this is a fixed-term contract until March 2026, so you need to be available immediately or within a week or so and able to give commitment to this maternity contract. Technically, you will have experience of accounts to trial balance as the role will involve complex ledger posting, journals and checking inventory levels in a fast-paced engineering business who manage multiple projects. Any formal qualification, Part / Qualified AAT or early stages of CIMA should demonstrate a core skill-base. We are particularly keen to talk to candidates who have experience of ERP systems, and ideally IFS (Industrial and Financial Systems), which is a software system that connects and streamlines nearly every aspect of operations, from product planning, inventory control, procurement including finance, payroll, and HR functions, so everything from cost tracking to employee scheduling is handled in one place and finance reporting. What you'll get in return The current working week is 4-days, Monday to Thursday (Friday off) and office-based in Lowestoft with a salary range of £32,000 - £35,000 pro rata for the 4-days. What you need to do now If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career. 4699704