Job title: Accounts Assistant - Purchase Ledger

Hours:  30

Location:  Havant Leisure Centre

Salary:   £22,400

Looking for a workplace that ignites your passion, values respect, encourages innovation, and embraces being dynamic? Look no further! This role offers you the opportunity to join a team that believes in empowering its colleagues to unlock their full potential with Horizon.

The Trust:

Horizon Leisure Centres is a leisure trust operating since 1997, with centres in Waterlooville, Havant and Guildford. We are passionate about health and wellbeing and are committed to making an outstanding positive impact on our customers and within our local community. Our mission is to support and inspire our local communities to live healthier and happier lives by providing affordable access to sport and leisure facilities to all.

The Role:

We are seeking a detail-oriented and motivated Accounts Assistant to join our Finance team. The primary focus of this role will be to manage the purchase ledger using AccountsIQ. You will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth and accurate processing of invoices and financial transactions to enable month end accounts to be produced on time.

Interested? Want to know how you can join our team? Take a look at this great opportunity! 

We are looking for a Accounts Assistant - Purchase Ledger to join us in transforming our business from 'good' to 'great'! This is a thrilling time for our company, and we need a key team member like you to help us achieve unprecedented success.  

What does the role involve? 

A hands-on role that requires you to: 

• Accurately process supplier invoices and credit notes on AccountsIQ.
• Ensure all invoices are correctly authorised from Purchase Order to invoice to payment and coded to the appropriate cost centres/projects.
• Maintain and reconcile the purchase ledger, ensuring supplier accounts are up to date.
• Prepare weekly and monthly supplier payment runs in line with agreed terms.
• Reconcile supplier statements, investigate discrepancies, and resolve queries promptly.
• Liaise with suppliers and internal departments to resolve invoice and payment issues.
• Monitor aged creditors and escalate issues as required.
• Good awareness of VAT treatment of different invoices types within a partial exempt business.
• Assist with month-end procedures, including accruals and reporting.
• Support the finance team with ad hoc finance tasks and projects.
• Maintain accurate records in line with financial procedures and charity governance requirements.
• Support on Accruals and prepayments.
• To comply with individual responsibilities, in accordance with the role, for health and safety within the workplace.
• Ensure that all duties and services provided are in accordance with all Trust finance policies and procedures.
• To undertake training as necessary.
• To be willing and enthusiastic in engaging with continuous professional development.
• To undertake any other duty as specified by the Senior Team member may not listed above.
• To be a key part of the life of the Trust’s community, to support both the values, vision, and ethos of the Trust.

Skills and competencies: 

• Intermediate Excel
• Accounts IQ accounting software experience (or Sage 50 Accounts)
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• A flexible approach to work.
• Good commercial awareness.
• VAT application awareness
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work to strict deadlines and prioritise under pressure.
• Highly motivated and equally competent working alone and as part of the team.
• Build collaborative, effective relationships
• Strong IT, Excel, word, databases skills.

Your Experience:

• Previous experience in a purchase ledger/accounts payable or accounts assistant role.
• Experience using AccountsIQ (or similar accounting systems) highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of purchase ledger processes, reconciliations, and payment runs.
• Experience of VAT application.
• Excellent attention to detail with strong numerical accuracy.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills for dealing with suppliers and colleagues.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and general IT systems.
• Experience working within a charity, not-for-profit, or leisure sector is advantageous.

Your Qualifications:

• AAT/ Qualified by experience / GCSE Maths and English

What you can expect from us: 

• A comprehensive induction and training programme; you don’t need to have worked in the leisure industry before. We will teach you all you need to know! 
• Support from the wider team who have a great deal of combined knowledge and experience and who are eager to help you succeed! 
• Variety; no two days is the same! 
• An environment that encourages innovation and free thinking, surrounded by really dynamic, empowered individuals.  

Benefits: 

• Free access to our award-winning gym’s and exercise classes for you and a +1
• Employee discounts and wellbeing platform
• Healthcare Cash plan
• Free 24/7 access to GPs using our SmartHealth plan
• Employee Assistance Programme - support for when you need it most 
• 23 days annual leave + 8 days bank holiday
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Internal recognition schemes 
• Opportunities for training, development and progression 
• Free onsite parking - subject to availability 
• Hybrid and family friendly policies  
• Generous company sick pay scheme 
• Employee referral scheme 
• Company pension scheme 
• Death in service benefit 
• And much more.... 

This role will be based at Havant but will be expected to travel to other company site as the need requires. 

Interview Process: 

The recruiting manager will review your CV and if shortlisted, you will be invited to a formal interview/assessment process where we will evaluate your suitability for the role. 

There may be times when due to the volume of applicants to need to close a vacancy early to avoid disappointment, be sure to get your application in as soon as possible! 

If you are a recruitment agency, please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls.