Accountant

Location: WirralSalary: £40,000 - £45,000 per annumContract: 12 month contract and may go permanent

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Accountant to join a successful and well-established business that forms part of a larger international group. This is a varied, hands-on role that combines responsibility for payroll with key financial accounting duties, offering the opportunity to make a genuine impact within the finance function.

You will take ownership of a broad range of accounting responsibilities, ensuring accurate reporting and supporting the smooth running of the finance department.

This role would suit a proactive finance professional who is comfortable balancing operational responsibilities with continuous improvement initiatives and enjoys working collaboratively across the wider business.

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• Manage the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring accuracy, compliance and timely processing.
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• Manage invoice finance and monitor cash flow.
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• Prepare quarterly management accounts.
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• Produce monthly management information, including statistics, cash flow forecasts and Profit & Loss reports.
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• Prepare year-end statutory accounts and liaise with external auditors.
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• Complete month-end journals, including accruals and prepayments.
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• Perform balance sheet reconciliations and investigate variances.
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• Complete bank reconciliations.
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• Prepare and submit VAT returns.
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• Process supplier and other business payments.
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• Manage daily cash receipts.
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• Review supplier invoices before passing them to the Accounts team for processing.
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• Resolve Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable queries, including statement reconciliations.
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• Support budgeting and financial planning activities.
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• Maintain accurate financial records and ensure compliance with internal controls.
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• Identify opportunities to improve finance processes and support continuous improvement initiatives.
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We're looking for an experienced finance professional with strong payroll expertise and a hands-on approach to financial accounting.

You will have:

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• Previous experience in a Financial Accountant, Payroll Manager, Finance Manager or similar senior finance role.
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• Extensive payroll experience, including pension administration and compliance.
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• Experience preparing management accounts and month-end reporting.
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• Strong reconciliation skills and an excellent understanding of financial controls.
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• The ability to prioritise workloads and meet reporting deadlines.
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• Excellent analytical, organisational and communication skills.
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• Sage Payroll experience (desirable).
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• Sage 50 Accounts experience (essential).
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• Intermediate Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and data analysis.
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• Strong understanding of payroll legislation, pensions and finance processes.
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• High level of accuracy with excellent attention to detail.
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• AAT qualified, part-qualified or qualified ACCA/CIMA, or qualified by experience.
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• Experience working within a multi-site or international group environment.
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• Previous involvement in finance systems or process improvement projects.
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