Location: Hampton Hill
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £29,000
Office Based Role
Position Overview
This Finance Assistant role is central to ensuring our client's candidates receive accurate and timely payments each week. You'll manage the complete payroll cycle, from setting up new candidates and clients through to reconciling payments and maintaining comprehensive audit records. Your work directly supports the smooth operation of the business and ensures compliance with HMRC requirements, making this a key position within the finance team.
Responsibilities
- Monitor and liaise with the payroll bureau to ensure all candidate payments process correctly each week
- Set up and maintain new candidates on payroll systems, managing PAYE, Ltd Co., and Self-Employed arrangements
- Configure new client accounts with correct payment terms, invoicing details and agreed rates
- Receive and check candidate timesheets weekly, raising queries with consultants or candidates as needed
- Enter timesheet data onto the payroll system and produce tabulated reports for consultant review
- Upload timesheet and expense data for inclusion in weekly invoices
- Maintain organised filing of timesheets to provide clear audit trails for clients and statutory bodies
- Reconcile payroll payments with the Finance Team Manager and investigate discrepancies
- Manage candidate holiday payment records and CPD payment documentation
- Create and input payroll journals onto the accounting system
- Support query resolution between the payroll bureau, internal finance staff and recruitment consultants
- Maintain the payroll database to ensure system performance and data accuracy
- Provide statistical payroll and payment data to clients and external bodies as required
- Prioritise workload and support team colleagues to meet weekly deadlines and cover during absences
- Suggest and contribute to improvements in finance processes
- Solid understanding of payroll procedures including PAYE, Tax, National Insurance, Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory Maternity Pay
- Strong numeracy skills and excellent attention to detail
- Working knowledge of accounting packages, particularly nominal ledger and payroll interfaces
- Intermediate Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel
- Experience with payroll bureau systems (Eden experience is advantageous)
- Good interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
- Active listening and questioning skills to clarify information and resolve issues
- Strong analytical and administrative abilities
- Ability to prioritise work and adapt to changing demands
- Comfortable working independently and as part of a team in a weekly deadline environmen
If you're looking to advance your finance career and have the skills and experience to succeed in this role, please send your application to sarah@magpierecruitment.com Please include your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant payroll and accounting experience. Let us know about any specific payroll systems or accounting software you've worked with, and provide examples of how you've contributed to process improvements in previous roles.