Senior Accounts Assistant
Employer Location Swindon, Wiltshire, England Salary - per annum + £34000-£37000 Closing date 12 Feb 2026 View more categoriesView less categories Sector Salary band Contract type Hours Where will they be working You need to or to save a job.
Job Details
Senior Accounts AssistantLocation: Swindon (Office‑based)
Hours: Full‑time, hours per week
Reports to: Finance Director
Are you a motivated, detail‑driven Accounts professional looking to take the next step in your career? We are seeking a Senior Accounts Assistant to join a busy and supportive Finance team, playing a key role in ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of core accounting operations.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys ownership, thrives on problem‑solving, and takes pride in maintaining high‑quality financial processes that support colleagues, customers, and partners.
About the Role
As Senior Accounts Assistant, you will be responsible for maintaining accurate accounting records, ensuring timely supplier payments, and managing the collection of outstanding balances. You will oversee key cashbook, ledger, and reconciliation duties, support month‑end processes, and supervise a junior member of the will also take the lead on preparing and submitting quarterly VAT returns and ensuring compliance with HMRC deadlines.Collaboration across departments is vital, and you will play a central role in keeping financial workflows running smoothly.
Key Responsibilities
Cashbook & Reconciliation
1. Process all cashbook transactions and complete weekly bank reconciliations (GBP & EUR).
2. Reconcile receipts from fleet and other customers.
3. Regularly reconcile vehicle debtor balances, including vehicle funding transactions.
Vehicle Funding
4. Manage and reconcile debtor balances and overdue debts.
5. Process all vehicle funding receipts and outgoing payments.
Sales Ledger & Receivables
6. Oversee all sales ledger receipts, including monthly Direct Debits from dealers.
7. Reconcile dealer accounts (parts, warranty, contra items).
8. Issue monthly balance letters to 80+ dealers.
9. Prepare monthly aged debtor reports for senior management.
Purchase Ledger & Payables
10. Supervise processing of purchase ledger invoices.
11. Support and guide the Payables Assistant.
12. Set up and process BACS, CHAPS, Faster Payments and international payments.
13. Process staff expenses and deductions.
VAT & Compliance
14. Prepare and submit quarterly VAT returns.
15. Post VAT journals and ensure payments are made on time.
Month‑End & Team Support
16. Assist in preparing monthly accounts.
17. Lead, coach and develop the Accounts Assistant.
18. Provide support across the finance team during busy periods.
Person Specification
Experience
19. Strong experience across cashbook, sales ledger and purchase ledger.
20. Proven ability to complete complex reconciliations.
21. VAT experience essential.
22. Desirable: Experience within the automotive industry and familiarity with Kerridge systems.
Education
23. Minimum 5 GCSEs grade C/4 or above (or equivalent).
24. AAT qualified or part‑qualified (or qualified by experience).
Skills & Competencies
25. Intermediate Excel (including V‑lookups).
26. Excellent time management and organisational skills.
27. Strong accuracy and attention to detail.
28. Confident communicator with experience managing customer/supplier relationships.
29. A proactive team player who takes ownership and uses initiative.
Personal Attributes
30. Reliable, dependable, honest and trustworthy.
31. Supportive and helpful across the wider business.
32. Willing to assist others and adapt during busy periods.
Training & Development
33. Full in‑house systems training provided.
34. External courses available where appropriate.
35. Opportunities for ongoing development.
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.
Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at
Company
At Hays we invest in lifelong partnerships that empower people and businesses to succeed. With over 50 years’ success under our belts and a workforce of 10,000+ people across 32 countries, we’ve evolved to put our customers at the heart of everything we do.
From CFO to Newly Qualified, we work with talented finance professionals and match them with organisations where they can achieve a lasting impact.
So much more than specialist recruiters in accounting and finance, what really sets us apart is our knowledge through scale, deep understanding and our ability to meaningfully innovate for our customers. All our consultants have strong relationships across the industry and the support of our extensive global network. That’s why organisations of all types and sizes – from international blue chips to SMEs – trust us to find the people who can help transform their business.
So, whether you want something local or international, permanent, or interim, we have the breadth of coverage and the depth of understanding to help you find it.
We have specialist recruitment teams in the following areas:
36. Corporate Governance
37. Credit Control
38. Part-Qualified Accountant
39. Payroll
40. Public Practice Accounting
41. Public Services Accounting
42. Senior Finance – Qualified
43. Support, Ledgers & Bookkeeping
44. Tax & Treasury
You can rely on us to deliver today and help you plan for tomorrow
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