Finance Assistant (Credit Control) / Office Administrator

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Finance Assistant
(Credit Control) / Office Administrator

Location: Oxford (hybrid working)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday, 37.5 Hours per week

Reports to: Assistant Management Accountant

Gillespies is a leading landscape architecture, environmental planning, and urban design practice. We are a friendly and sociable team and believe that collective enthusiasm, diversity, and passion for design is the root to our long success.

We have an opening for a Finance Assistant / Office Administrator, ideally experienced in Credit Control, to join us on a permanent basis. They will join our well-established office in Oxford, located in a historic Coach House near Bagley Wood, only 10 minutes cycle ride from the heart of the city.

We are looking for an organised, proactive, and personable character to join our team, to support by covering the credit control function, along with a variety of other financial and administrative duties across the practice.

Main responsibilities

Credit Control / Finance Assistant

Ensure credit control across the practice is carried out effectively with debts collected in a timely manner and debtor days minimised.
Allocate income received into all bank accounts against outstanding sales invoices on sales ledger, investigating and taking action where there are differences.
Provide bi-weekly updates for circulation to the management team on outstanding debts.
Meet cash collection targets set by the Finance Director (FD) and provide foresight on cash receipts we are expecting to assist with cash flow forecasting.
Prepare a debtor’s report for presentation to Project Managers (PM) in a bi-weekly meeting to encourage increased PM involvement when debts are proving difficult to collect.
Assist with the monthly billing process.
Bank reconciliations in multiple currencies.
Freelancer timesheet processing.
Setting up billing rate tables and billing terms
Completing Partner credit card expense reports.
Assist in the preparation of the VAT return.
Assist with the Audit process.
Month end processing and reconciliation.
Support for Accounts Payable when required.
Become a Vantagepoint super user from both an admin and a PM position, and provide local training and assistance where needed.

Office Administration

Provide a professional first point of contact for visitors to the studio, answering phone calls, and providing general office and administrative duties, as required.
Supporting compliance processes across the South region Studios.
Conducting routine office checks and coordinating facility testing.
Organising internal meetings and preparing meeting rooms.
Minute taking during meetings and circulation in a timely manner when required.
Creating, updating and amending supplier, project, contact and client records.
PA support to Gillespie’s Partners.
Support to Gillespie's HR Advisor, assisting with HR policies and procedures such as reference requests, as well as support within the Bamboo system.
Support with the Bids process, engaging with new business opportunities and contribute to Gillespies long term goals.
Fulfil any other responsibilities, or complete any ad hoc projects that may be assigned from time to time by the Line Manager, Finance Director, or Gillespies Partners.

Essential Competencies & Experience required.

Accounting qualification and/or part qualified.
Credit control experience.
Ability to touch type
Strong IT understanding of financial systems
Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and good working knowledge of other Microsoft Office applications, such as Outlook & Word.
Be self-motivated, prepared to initiate work and operate under minimal supervision.
High level of personal effectiveness, particularly co-ordination, organisation, and the ability to focus on ensuring that timetables/deadlines can be met.
Have a flexible, organised and committed approach to work.
Have commercial awareness and possess excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Have enthusiasm, confidence, drive, presence, and self-motivation.
Be able to establish and develop good working relationships with staff working at all levels within Gillespies.
Ability to explain financial issues in a way that is easily understood by non-financial staff.
Ability to organise and plan tasks effectively to work under pressure to meet essential deadlines.

Essential requirements

Carry out duties consistent with all Gillespies Guidelines, including Health & Safety, Disciplinary Process, and Equal Opportunities Policy
Carry out duties consistent with the Gillespies Quality Assurance (QA) procedures.
Ensure confidentiality concerning projects, staff, and finance.

Working Conditions

Primarily based at Gillespies Oxford Office, The Coach House, Bagley Croft, Hinksey Hill, Oxford, OX1 5BS, with flexibility to travel to the London Studio, and from time to time, you may need to visit our other offices.
Flexible working from home is available (up to a maximum of twice per week)
Core office hours are 10 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday, and Flexible between 8 am and 6.30 pm.
The nature of finance work is often time pressured when there are important deadlines to meet, and it may be necessary to work extra hours when required.

Our Offer