Accounts Assistant

CMA Recruitment Group is seeking a Payroll and Finance Coordinator to join our client on a temporary basis to support a particularly busy period. The business has a service‑focused culture where accuracy and responsiveness are highly valued. Working primarily on‑site in Reading, you will help deliver a dependable monthly payroll process and maintain the sales ledger, supporting internal teams and resolving queries with confidence.

This role suits someone who can hit the ground running, work independently and bring strong double‑entry bookkeeping knowledge alongside advanced Excel skills.

• Preparing and processing the monthly payroll, ensuring accurate data input and timely payments
• Administering pension‑related processes and supporting regular internal and external reporting requirements
• Maintaining the sales ledger, including invoice processing, query resolution and low‑level debtor management
• Updating cashbooks and posting daily cash transactions to the ledgers, including performing bank reconciliations
• Supporting month‑end close activities and assisting with audit preparation and ad‑hoc finance tasks

• Proven payroll experience, ideally within an education setting or a similarly complex environment with varied pay elements
• Strong double‑entry bookkeeping experience and a confident approach to month‑end procedures and control checks
• Advanced Excel skills, including the ability to build, cleanse and manipulate spreadsheets effectively
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with a customer‑focused approach to stakeholder queries
• Comfortable working autonomously, prioritising workload and delivering consistently accurate outputs

• Salary dependent on experience
• Flexible option to work either full‑time or part‑time on‑site
• On‑site parking available
• Structured interim handover with support from the finance team
• Working environment focused on accuracy, confidentiality and teamwork

CMA complies with all relevant UK legislation and does not discriminate on any protected characteristics.