Assistant Manager - Accounts & Finance

Position:
Assistant Manager – Accounts & Finance

Location:

ON-SITE, London E14

Employment Type:

Full-Time, Permanent Salary: £40,000 - £50,000 per annum, depending on experience

Experience:

3-5 years' relevant accounting/finance experience preferred Reporting to:
Director of Accounts & Finance About PEN Group

PEN Group operates across higher education, education services and student recruitment, bringing together education-focused businesses that work with universities, colleges, partners and students. As the Group continues to develop, the finance function plays an important role in supporting effective financial control, timely reporting and sound decision-making across a multi-entity environment.

PEN Group is seeking a motivated and capable Assistant Manager - Accounts & Finance to report directly to the Director of Accounts & Finance. The role will take meaningful ownership of day-to-day finance processes, monthly reporting and control activities, while supporting group reporting, consolidation, statutory accounts and audit work under the oversight of the Director of Accounts & Finance.

The successful candidate should have a strong grounding in accounting principles, be comfortable managing competing deadlines and be able to take ownership of assigned finance processes. Experience in higher education, education services, student recruitment or a group-company environment would be advantageous.

• Prepare monthly management accounts for assigned group entities, including supporting schedules, accruals, prepayments and variance analysis, for review by the Director of Accounts & Finance.
• Take ownership of assigned month-end close activities, ensuring journals, reconciliations and supporting schedules are completed accurately and within agreed reporting deadlines.
• Own routine balance sheet reconciliations, including bank, control, debtor, creditor and selected intercompany accounts, and investigate discrepancies promptly.
• Manage day-to-day accounts payable and accounts receivable activities, including invoice processing, payment preparation, credit control and supplier/customer queries.
• Prepare and maintain accurate intercompany schedules and support the reconciliation of balances between group entities.
• Support the preparation of group management reporting and consolidated financial information, including consolidation schedules, intercompany eliminations and adjustment entries under the review of the Director of Accounts & Finance.
• Maintain a good working understanding of consolidated financial statements and group accounting principles, and apply this knowledge when preparing supporting schedules and reconciliations.
• Prepare VAT returns and supporting reconciliations for assigned entities for review and approval by the Director of Accounts & Finance.
• Support cash-flow monitoring and short-term cash forecasting by maintaining accurate bank and payment information.
• Assist with payroll-related accounting, journals and reconciliations where required.
• Prepare year-end schedules and supporting documentation for statutory accounts and external audit, and respond to routine auditor queries in coordination with the Director of Accounts & Finance.
• Support reconciliations and reporting relating to student income, partner income, commissions and other education-related revenue streams where applicable.
• Work with colleagues across the Group to resolve finance queries and ensure complete and timely financial information.
• Maintain appropriate financial controls, documentation and accounting records in line with company policies.
• Identify practical opportunities to improve finance processes, reconciliations and reporting efficiency.
• Review selected work completed by junior finance colleagues…