Accounts Payable Assistant
HYBRID / LOCATION (1 - 2 days/week in the office)
SALARY: £30,000 per annum
Times Higher Education is the data provider underpinning university excellence in every continent across the world. As the company behind the world’s most influential university ranking, and with almost five decades of experience as a source of analysis and insight on higher education, we have unparalleled expertise on the trends underpinning university performance globally. Our data and benchmarking tools are used by many of the world’s most prestigious universities to help them achieve their strategic goals and our events series act as the home of higher education thought leadership around the world.
Scope and Objectives
Reporting to the Accounts Payable Manager, the Accounts Payable Assistant will work to effectively manage the Accounts Payable function to deliver a service within, and on behalf of, the Finance Department. The role will provide an efficient and customer focused Accounts Payable service by managing and supporting processes in all areas.
The role will require some flexibility around hours given that it encompasses international businesses in the group and therefore different time zones.
Key Responsibilities
* Processing payment preparation cycles for supplier invoices, staff expense claims, corporate credit cards, and contributor invoices.
* Bank reconciliations.
* Preparing payment batches through NetSuite into Banking Portals.
* Preparing urgent and international manual payments on Banking Portals.
* Preparing supporting paperwork for remote bank account payment approvers.
* Reconciling supplier accounts in NetSuite, posting journals where appropriate.
* Receiving invoices and ensuring entry to the Docupeak logging system, ensuring they are entered correctly (including VAT/equivalent sales tax coding) and sent to the correct Department for approval.
* Keeping track of outstanding Purchase Orders and closing when necessary.
* Completing supplier statement/account reconciliations on a periodic basis.
* Checking all employee expenses submitted are coded correctly for VAT/equivalent sales tax, authorised, and are per the Group expense policy.
* Managing the Group Corporate Credit Cards and ensuring that holders are submitting the expense detail in a timely manner and keeping within the Group Corporate Card policy.
* Handling queries from suppliers and across the business.
* Checking all updates have been processed through NetSuite and any problems highlighted and reported to the Finance Manager.
* Reviewing and following up on any unauthorised invoices on a timely basis.
* Reviewing and actioning items in query on AP, Expense & Contributions ledgers.
* Reviewing and actioning credit balances on AP, Expense & Contributions ledgers.
* Ensuring prompt turnaround of unauthorised invoices to cost centre heads once logged on the system.
* Following controls around new supplier creation and bank account changes.
* Ensuring all items are coded and logged into the system correctly.
* Ensuring VAT/equivalent sales tax is reclaimed where appropriate.
* Ensuring filing is carried out regularly.
* Ensuring timely journal completion and that support is attached to back up the posting.
* Ensuring month end close and balance sheet reconciliations are completed monthly per the month end timetable.
* Checking input of journals and manual/cancelled cheques.
* Tracking manual cheques, returned and stopped cheques.
* Keeping manual and cheque payments to a minimum.
* Assisting with system testing where appropriate.
* Documenting AP processes and key controls and maintaining as required, making recommendations for improvement where necessary.
* Ensuring strong financial controls are in place surrounding AP, making improvements where necessary.
* Ensuring that key AP financial controls are working effectively.
* Ensuring that the AP functionality of the accounting system is being fully utilised in an efficient manner.
* Maintaining good relations with other departments within THE.
Essential Skills/Qualifications/Attributes
* Systems knowledge including Microsoft applications and ideally NetSuite or similar cloud-based enterprise solutions. Familiarity with online banking platforms.
* Ability to manage high volume without compromising quality. Excellent organisational and time management skills with impeccable attention to detail.
* Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
* Excellent administration skills.
* Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills.
* Strong intellect, ability to work with verbal & numerical issues.
* Calm, self-motivated, and customer orientated.
* Proactive, conscientious, and has a can-do attitude.
* Able to work on own initiative and with a team in a fast-paced environment.
* Desire to provide an excellent service to the business.
* Has a common sense approach and is realistic and practical in their advice and ways of working.
* Takes care and pride in their work.
Experience
* Previous Accounts Payable experience within a similar role.
* Previous bank reconciliation experience.
* Strong communications skills.
* Intermediate Microsoft skills.
You do You
You do You. With colleagues located around the world, we know that our individuality and diversity of experiences are our greatest strengths. That’s why we want THE to be a place where you are welcome to be who you want to be at work; where you can share whatever part of your life or self-identity you want, without obligation or facing discrimination; and where all abilities and perspectives are recognised and accommodated.
#J-18808-Ljbffr