Financial Assistant

Salary: up to £32,000 + benefits

Hours: 08:00hrs - 17:00hrs (Monday to Friday, one-hour lunch)

Start: Immediate (willing to wait for notice period)

Contract: Permanent / Full-Time (onsite)

Location: East London - Barking

Culture Guru has been asked to find a Finance Assistant for a well-established, privately owned construction business in East London. They deliver building projects for housing providers and public-sector clients, they've been doing it for decades, and they've grown steadily on the back of repeat work and a reputation for looking after their people. The finance team is small, friendly and busy – and they need one more safe pair of hands.

This is a proper, hands-on ledger role. You'll look after the money going out – checking and processing supplier invoices and subcontractor applications, matching everything back to purchase orders, tidying up supplier statements and getting payment runs out the door on time. You'll also help with the money coming in, raising sales invoices and keeping an eye on what's overdue. Suppliers, subcontractors and site teams will all come to you with questions, and you'll be the one who gets them sorted.

The ideal person already knows how construction finance works – valuations, retentions, CIS - and enjoys the satisfaction of a ledger that balances and a supplier list with no grumbles on it. You're organised, calm when the month-end pressure is on, and you'd rather fix a discrepancy today than let it roll into next week.

• Checking and processing supplier invoices and matching them to purchase orders
• Checking and processing subcontractor applications and valuations, applying retentions and CIS correctly
• Reconciling supplier statements and chasing down any differences
• Preparing weekly and monthly payment runs and making sure suppliers are paid within terms
• Raising sales invoices and supporting the credit control process
• Keeping on top of outstanding balances and flagging anything that needs attention
• Being the first point of contact for suppliers, subcontractors and site managers on invoice and payment queries
• Keeping financial records and filing accurate and up to date
• Helping the team through month-end and year-end
• Supporting with reporting and general finance admin
• Covering for colleagues in the finance team during holidays
• Working within the company's financial controls and procedures

• Accounts payable / purchase ledger experience gained in a construction or contracting business (essential)
• A working knowledge of subcontractor payments – valuations, retentions and CIS deductions (essential)
• Strong numeracy and a sharp eye for detail – you notice the invoice that doesn't quite add up
• Comfortable with accounting software and confident using Excel
• Well organised, good with deadlines, and able to keep several things moving at once
• A clear, friendly communicator who can handle supplier and site queries with patience
• Equally happy working on your own or as part of a small team
• AAT qualified, part-qualified or studying (nice to have, not a deal-breaker)

This is a steady, secure role in a business that values loyalty, treats people properly and gives you real ownership of your ledger from day one. If you want somewhere you can settle in and build a career in construction finance, this is it.