Finance Assistant / Bookkeeper (6-Month Contract - Maternity Cover)

Location: North Yorkshire (Office Based)Contract: Initial 6 months, with potential extensionHours: 4 or 5 days per weekSalary: Equivalent to £27,000 per annum (pro-rata)

Hays are supporting an established and growing SME business in North Yorkshire who are seeking an experienced Finance Assistant / Bookkeeper to join their team on an initial 6-month maternity cover contract. This role will be based fully on-site and offers the flexibility of working four or five days per week.

This is a hands-on position ideal for someone who is confident managing day-to-day finance operations and enjoys playing a key role within a small, friendly team.

Key Responsibilities

Finance & Bookkeeping

• Daily bookkeeping using Sage Accounting / Sage 50
• Raising customer invoices and managing the sales ledger
• Processing supplier invoices and maintaining the purchase ledger
• Aged debt management and conducting proactive credit control
• Preparing and submitting VAT returns
• Supporting the business with cashflow forecasting and monitoring
• Producing regular financial reports for management review
• Contributing to continuous improvement of finance processes

Additional Duties

• Supporting general office and administrative tasks when needed
• Assisting with incoming calls and general enquiries
• Providing ad hoc support to colleagues across the business

Key Requirements

• Previous experience in a similar finance or bookkeeping role
• Strong working knowledge of Sage / Sage 50
• Experience preparing VAT returns and managing cashflow
• Confident handling both sales and purchase ledger processes
• Excellent organisation skills and strong attention to detail

Personal Attributes

• Commercially aware with a proactive approach
• Process-driven with a mindset for continuous improvement
• Strong communication skills, especially when working with non-finance colleagues
• Able to work independently and take full ownership of assigned tasks
• Flexible, adaptable, and comfortable within a growing SME environment

Why Join?

This role offers the opportunity to contribute meaningfully within a supportive SME environment, where your input is valued and you can quickly make an impact. If you're a capable finance professional who enjoys variety and thrives in a close-knit team, please reach out.What you need to do nowIf you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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