Accounts Assistant
Location: Southwark, London SE1
(mainly office based)
Competitive salary plus company performance-related bonus, study support, private healthcare and wellbeing benefits
About Us
Liv-ex is the global marketplace for the wine trade, with over 500 members worldwide. We offer B2B services that span trading, data, logistics and technology to a diverse group of wine businesses – from ambitious start-ups to established merchants.
Our goal is to make fine wine trading more transparent, efficient and safe for the benefit of our members and the market as a whole. We are hard-working, committed yet informal, energetic and action oriented.
Founded in 2000, Liv-ex has grown to serve a growing number of merchant members with a broadening range of services. We help clients and other stakeholders to better understand the fine wine market and identify opportunities to profit.
Summary Purpose
Liv-ex is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Accounts Assistant to join our Finance team and support the day-to-day financial operations of the business.
This role is ideal for someone with at least 1 year of experience in a finance or accounting role who is looking to broaden their experience across management accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations and financial controls within a fast-paced commercial environment.
The successful candidate will have a proactive attitude, strong attention to detail and a willingness to improve processes and systems as the business continues to grow. Study support may be available for the right candidate pursuing a professional accounting qualification (AAT, ACCA or ACA)
Responsibilities:
- Ownership of the weekly payment run, ensuring supplier payments are processed accurately and on time
- Respond to customer and supplier finance queries relating to invoices, payments, reconciliations and account balances, ensuring agreed SLAs are met
- Perform daily and monthly reconciliations across bank accounts, credit cards, expenses and customer accounts
- Support accounts receivable activities, including ownership of credit control and proactive chasing of overdue balances
- Identify and escalate financial or credit risks to the Finance team in a timely manner
- Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations and investigate any variances
- Assist with month-end close processes and preparation of monthly management accounts
- Assist with the preparation of annual statutory accounts, audits and tax-related filings
- Maintain accurate financial records and ensure strong financial controls and audit trails are in place
- Proactively identify opportunities to improve finance processes, reporting and systems, particularly within AP, AR and month-end workflows
- Support wider business projects and finance-related operational initiatives where required
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Minimum 1 year of experience in a Finance Assistant, Accounts Assistant or Assistant Accountant role
- Fluent in French language (written and spoken)
- Good understanding of accounting and bookkeeping principles
- Strong numerical and analytical skills with good attention to detail
- Advanced Excel skills, including formulas, reconciliations and data manipulation
- Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines
- Confident communicating directly with customers and resolving finance-related queries over phone, video calls and email professionally and efficiently
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and managing multiple priorities
- Proactive approach to problem solving with the confidence to take ownership of tasks
Nice to have
- Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or a related subject
- Experience using Sage 200
- Experience using HubSpot
- Experience working in a multi-currency or international business
Attributes
- Self-motivated, reliable and keen to develop
- Comfortable working at pace in a fast-moving environment
- Takes ownership and accountability for work
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Interest in improving processes and systems
- Proactive and solutions-oriented mindset
- Service-focused with strong attention to detail
- Builds effective working relationships internally and externally