Trainee Accounts Assistant

JOB PURPOSE

An excellent opportunity for an individual looking to study an accountancy qualification and join the Management Accounts team of a large automotive business in the South East of England. This role offers scope to develop in all areas of accounting, including Management Accounts and Accounts Payable, alongside paid study support.

The successful candidate will undertake a three-year training programme, rotating between all areas of the department to gain exposure and knowledge across the finance function, alongside studying toward an AAT qualification. There is further scope within the trainee finance programme to undertake the ACCA qualification and achieve fully qualified status whilst training as a Management Accountant.

You will be assist in the management of our purchase ledger accounts, maintaining a high degree of accuracy and ensuring that suppliers are paid within the agreed terms. You will also assist with the posting of the bank statement and reconciling the cash book, as well as working closely with the operational team to ensure the accurate posting of dealership banking.  You will assist with the monitoring of the sales ledger accounts, ensuring that sums owed are paid within terms.

Department/Business/Location: 

Accounts / Group

Reports to:Management Accountant

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

To carry out general purchase ledger duties, to include processing of supplier and manufacturer invoices, reconcile supplier and manufacturer statements and ensure a high level of accuracy is maintained.

Manage aged credit reports; reconcile balances to statements on both vehicle and general ledgers.

Prepare monthly supplier payment runs & customer direct debit payments for BACS submission.

Process new supplier requests – ensuring the correct checks are carried out, obtaining approval, and setting up the accounts.

Reconcile OEM accounts. 

Agree and reconcile daily bank postings (bank statements, vehicle, service & parts banking).

Upload daily BACS payments to the bank.

To carry out general sales ledger duties, to include credit applications, set up of customer accounts.

Manage aged debt reports; chase outstanding balances and maintain unallocated funds across the vehicle and general ledgers.

Reconcile and post intercompany journals to clear internal debtor and creditor accounts daily.

Preparation of reports for month end balance sheet reconciliations.

Manage the accounts payable email inbox for any queries relating to your responsibilities.

Answering the phone and directing calls.

Other duties as required to support the preparation of timely and accurate of management accounts.

Skills & Requirements

You will be an enthusiastic, reliable, and motivated individual that is keen to learn and adapt within our finance department. You should be able to demonstrate a commitment to your development in terms of both work and studies, showing a positive attitude and excellent communication skills. The ability to prioritise your workload whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy is essential. A driving licence is preferred for this role.

Experience

You will be a school leaver or AAT studier that is enthusiastic and committed to a career within finance.

NOTE: Due to site location, car owner/driver preferred.

Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5.30pm. Home based Thurs - Fri

The Harwoods Way

Harwoods Group is a values led, family owned automotive retail group that was founded in 1931. Our values are lived and breathed by all of our colleagues to enable industry leading customer experience and colleague engagement, as detailed below:

We Treasure our people and our customers

We challenge ourselves to grow & improve

We grab responsibility

We run in the same direction as one team

We inject energy and fun into our work

We are a top 30 automotive dealer group, as ranked by annual turnover on AM100, representing the following brand partners:

Bentley, McLaren, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Volvo, INEOS, BMW & Mini (Service), MAN

We operate across 6 counties in the South East of England, namely:

Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Wiltshire, Hampshire

With a high colleague engagement score of 72%, Harwoods Group has a real differentiator with our industry leading people development programme, including:

recruitment and selection; onboarding; induction; probation; lets talk one to ones; Harwoods Academy; succession and development; colleague recognition

After continued growth, we now operate with circa 1,100 colleagues across circa 28 state of the art facilities.

We demand the best for our colleagues and our customers and look forward to your application.