Who we are and what we do
About Hachette UK
Hachette UK is a creative powerhouse and the UK's second largest book publishing group. Our mission is to make it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity.
We're made up of 11 autonomous publishing divisions and over 60 imprints with a rich and diverse history and an incredible range of authors. We're also the market leader in e-books and publish a range of bestsellers in audio format, the fastest growing part of our business.
Our award-winning adult publishing divisions are Orion, which won Publisher of the Year at the 2021 British Book Awards; Little, Brown; John Murray Press; Hodder & Stoughton; Headline; Quercus; Octopus, and Bookouture. They publish fiction and non-fiction in digital, audio and print format, from the world's best and most diverse authors, including Brit Bennett, Candice Carty-Williams, Martina Cole, Michael Connelly, John Grisham, Stephen King, Stieg Larsson, Nelson Mandela, Stephenie Meyer, Maggie O'Farrell, Delia Owens, Ian Rankin, J.K. Rowling, Colson Whitehead, and Malala Yousafzai. Hachette Children's Group publishes a wide and vibrant range of books for children across all age ranges, while Hachette Learning is a market leader in resources for both primary and secondary schools.
Hachette UK is part of Hachette Livre, the world's third largest trade and educational publisher. As well as our headquarters in Carmelite House, London, and our state-of-the-art book distribution centre in Didcot, Oxfordshire, we have recently opened five new offices in Manchester, Bristol, Sheffield, Newcastle, and Edinburgh. The UK region also includes offices in Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, the Caribbean, and Ireland.
It's an exciting time to join our business because the publishing market continues to grow and thrive. The UK remains the largest exporter of physical books in the world and book adaptations for film and TV are the foundation of the UK's creative industries.
What you'll be doing
* Line management of AP team – effectively lead, train and mentor, assign tasks, monitor workloads, ensure adherence to deadlines, conduct performance reviews and provide feedback for continuous improvement.
* Supplier data - maintain master data and manage communications with suppliers regarding invoices, payments, bank details and issues.
* Invoice capture – ensure automated OCR system operates effectively, with invoices captured in an accurate and timely manner.
* Workflow processing – oversee automated workflow solution, resolving invoice issues with various stakeholders across the business.
* Supplier payments – ensure successful processing of weekly and monthly payment runs, ensuring compliance with UK/EU VAT requirements and global tax regulations.
* Reporting – preparation of reports related to accounts payable activities, including both internal (e.g. monthly ledger reporting, payment forecasting) and external reporting (e.g. payment days reporting).
* Stakeholder and supplier relations – act as key point of contact for suppliers and internal departments to resolve queries and build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
* Controls - maintain and improve internal controls, policies, compliance and risk management related to AP function.
* Process improvements – identify and implement process improvements to drive efficiency and accuracy across the AP team.
* Ad hoc projects - assist with ad hoc projects, e.g. new AP system integrations and take-on of new acquisitions.
Who we are looking for
* Prior experience of leading an AP team or function essential. Ideally in a faced paced environment.
* Strong knowledge of accounting principles and AP processes essential.
* Experience with process automation tools and workflow systems desirable.
* Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, etc.) and MS Office, especially Excel.
* A natural communicator with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust at all levels of the business.
* Collaborative leadership style, with a focus on developing people and nurturing talent.
* Excellent problem-solving skills and a proactive, supportive approach to resolving queries.
* Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
What we offer
Our staff are our greatest asset, and our benefits reflect this:
* 28 annual leave days per year, increases to 29 days after 2 years' service and goes up to 30 days after 5 years' (+ bank holidays)
* Private medical insurance
* Dental insurance
* Generous pension schemes
* Rent deposit loans
* 2 community days per year
* Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months)
* Retail discounts through Hachette rewards
* Cycle to Work scheme
* Eye care vouchers
* Wide-ranging training library
* Development programmes (including mentoring)
* Up to 70% off book purchases
* A charity bookshelf
* 12 Staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including
Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing
and religious networks
* Season ticket loans
* And much more
The role will be based at our Didcot office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week.
Our commitment
Hachette employs people on the basis of their abilities. We aim to attract and develop talent from a base as broad as the world of readers we want to reach, with a wide and representative range of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds.
If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend for interview, please let us know.
The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews and undertaking junior roles. For more information visit