Practice Accountant - Payroll & Bookkeeping

Practice Accountant – Payroll & Bookkeeping

Location: Southgate, N14 6HF
Salary: £24,000 – £32,000 (DOE)
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Working Hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday

Are you an experienced Practice Accountant with strong payroll and bookkeeping skills

Our client is a well-established and growing organisation within the Accounting and Taxation industry, looking to recruit a Practice Accountant to join their team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced accounting professional with strong technical skills, excellent attention to detail and hands-on experience across payroll, bookkeeping and accounts preparation.

The successful candidate will ideally have experience using BrightPay and Payroll Manager, together with strong bookkeeping knowledge across VT Transaction+, Xero and QuickBooks.

If you're confident managing payroll processes, maintaining accurate financial records and working across multiple accounting systems, we'd love to hear from you.

The Role

As Practice Accountant, you will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records and supporting a broad range of accounting, bookkeeping, payroll and taxation activities.

A key part of the role will be managing payroll processes and carrying out day-to-day bookkeeping, so strong practical experience with relevant accounting and payroll software is essential.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Management 

•  Manage payroll processes using BrightPay and Payroll Manager.
•  Process payroll accurately and efficiently, ensuring deadlines are consistently met.
•  Maintain accurate payroll records and documentation.
•  Reconcile payroll-related transactions and payroll taxes.
•  Ensure payroll processes comply with relevant legislation and requirements.
•  Respond to payroll queries and resolve issues promptly and professionally.

Bookkeeping & Financial Records

•  Record day-to-day financial transactions and complete the posting process.
•  Maintain accurate and up-to-date bookkeeping records.
•  Reconcile bank accounts, sales taxes and payroll taxes on a monthly basis.
•  Carry out bookkeeping using VT Transaction+, Xero and QuickBooks.
•  Maintain accurate ledgers and financial records across multiple client accounts where required.
•  Identify and resolve discrepancies in financial records.
•  Support monthly, quarterly and annual financial closing processes.

Accounts & Tax

•  Prepare small company accounts in line with FRS 102.
•  Complete VAT returns using Xero and similar accounting systems.
•  Assist with general accounting and taxation requirements.
•  Ensure financial records and submissions are accurate and completed within required deadlines.

General Duties

• Handle general administrative duties, including emails and telephone enquiries.
•  Communicate professionally with clients and colleagues.
•  Maintain confidentiality and high standards of accuracy when handling financial information.
•  Support the wider practice team as required.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a detail-oriented accounting professional who is confident working independently and has practical experience across payroll, bookkeeping and general practice accounting.

Essential

•  Minimum of 2 years' experience in accounting, bookkeeping, payroll or a related field.
•  Strong practical bookkeeping experience.
•  Hands-on experience using Payroll Manager and BrightPay.
•  Strong working knowledge of VT Transaction+ and experience with Xero and QuickBooks.
•  Experience processing payroll and maintaining accurate payroll records.
•  Good understanding of financial reconciliations and day-to-day accounting procedures.
•  Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•  High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
•  Ability to manage deadlines and prioritise a varied workload.
•  Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a wider team.

Desirable

•  Experience working within an accountancy practice.
•  Familiarity with preparing small company accounts under FRS 102.
•  Experience completing VAT returns.
•  Relevant accounting or higher education qualification.
•  Additional payroll or bookkeeping qualifications.
•  Software Experience – Key Requirements

The successful candidate should be comfortable working across a range of accounting and payroll systems, particularly:

•  Payroll Manager – essential
•  BrightPay – essential
•  VT Transaction+ – strong bookkeeping experience required
•  Xero – strong working knowledge required
•  QuickBooks – strong working knowledge required

Candidates with strong hands-on experience across these systems are particularly encouraged to apply.

What's In It For You

•  £24,000 – £32,000 salary, depending on experience.
•  20 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays.
•  NEST pension scheme.
•  Potential end-of-year bonus based on company performance.
•  Clear opportunities for progression within a growing organisation.
•  Opportunity to develop your experience across payroll, bookkeeping, accounts and taxation.
•  Supportive working environment with opportunities to expand your technical skills.

Why This Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for a Practice Accountant who enjoys hands-on accounting work and has strong payroll and bookkeeping experience.

You'll have the opportunity to work across a varied portfolio of accounting duties, with particular responsibility for payroll using BrightPay and Payroll Manager, alongside bookkeeping using VT Transaction+, Xero and QuickBooks.

If you're confident with these systems and are looking for a role where your existing experience can be put to immediate use while continuing to develop your career, we'd love to hear from you.

What’s next It’s easy!

Click “APPLY” now and take the next step in your accounting career. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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