Accountant

Accountant - 6 month contract - not accessible by public transport, so driver required

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations and Finance Manager, you will be supporting a prestigious school. Our client is seeking an experienced VAT Accountant to improve what we do and how we do it in all areas of finance, not just tax. You will Ideally ACA, ACCA or CIMA full or part qualified or qualified by experience with a specialism in VAT and Tax. The right candidate will have strong technical financial and management accounting skills. We are also seeking a candidate with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Experience in the education or charity sector will be beneficial.

Your role:

• Accurate production, and submission to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), of monthly and annual VAT Returns, reconciled to the General Ledger, within HMRC timeframe rules.
• Ensuring that all VAT reclaimable from HMRC is received and reconciled.
• Ensuring that any VAT due to be paid to HMRC is paid on a timely basis in accordance with HMRC rules, and correctly reconciled.
• Submission of Voluntary Disclosures to HMRC, for errors above the threshold for adjustment within the VAT Return.
• Ensuring Voluntary Disclosure reclaims are received or amounts payable to HMRC are paid on a timely basis.
• Administering pro-forma invoices, ensuring valid VAT invoices are received, and duly included in the VAT Return.
• Assisting with VAT advice to the Director of Finance and Operations, where necessary through liaison with the school's appointed VAT Consultants.
• Ensuring VAT/Tax knowledge within the school's finance team is current and up to date.
• As a member of a small finance team, you will be involved in the full range of financial activities, including budgeting, management accounts, statutory accounts, purchase and sales leger work and financial regulation, along with a thorough understanding of the rules and regulations around VAT accounting and reporting.
• Liaising with accountancy team members to facilitate timely and accurate processing of VAT element of all financial transactions
• Assisting other colleagues in the school with obtaining VAT advice for projects
• Providing advice on correct way of dealing with VAT on invoices received or raised by the school
• Obtaining advice from external VAT advisors/auditors
• Responding to any HMRC queries which may arise in respect of VAT
• Wider School Community and Commitments:
• Take part in school events, Open Days, outings and activities which may take place at weekends or in the evening.
• Play as full a part as possible in the corporate life of the school, such as undertaking a contribution to the extra-curricular life of the school (as reasonably required by the Director of Finance and Operations.

Person Specification

Essential skills:

• Tax and VAT specialism
• Excellent IT Literacy
• Strong, proven finance skills with an emphasis on tax and VAT
• Accounting Software knowledge

Desirable Skills/experience:

• Qualified/Part Qualified Accounting Qualification
• Experience of working in an educational environment
• Ability to establish good working relationships and effective teamwork
• Ability to multitask and prioritise workload
• Excellent communication skills verbal and written
• Excellent role model for staff and pupils
• Innovatory approaches and positive outlook to change
• Ability to generate ideas and drive initiatives
• Willingness to work outside normal hours if necessary

Hours of work

Hours of work are Monday to Friday, 8.00am - 5.00pm, with an hour for lunch.

Holiday

You will receive 20 days' annual leave (pro-rated in your first year, depending on when you join us) plus Bank Holidays (5.6 weeks in total). You will be required to work three days before the start of a new term to attend INSET days and fulfil any duties at the end of term as agreed with the Director of Finance and Operations