Accounts Assistant - 12 Months FTC (Maternity Cover)

WSET exists to empower people and support the drinks industry from producer to consumer. We offer a comprehensive suite of globally recognised qualifications covering wines, spirits, beer and sake.

We are the world’s leading provider of qualifications in wines, spirits, beer and sake, delivering over 140,000 exams each year to candidates in over 70 countries via our network of Approved Programme Providers (APPs).

WSET is a global organisation and we are proud to have people who work for us all over the world. We have people in Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA as well as the UK.

The successful applicant will contribute to a culture that values curiosity, striving for better and leading with empathy within WSET.

WSET fosters a welcoming, empathetic and inspiring culture that empowers our global talent to innovate and thrive.

We recognise that strong candidates may not meet every requirement listed. If you bring a growth mindset, a strong interest in learning and teaching, and transferable skills that would help you succeed in the role, we would encourage you to apply. We value curiosity, adaptability and commitment to excellent learner experience alongside direct experience of specific tools and systems.

Any offer of employment or your ongoing employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a thorough background check by an independent third party. NB - If you currently work for one of WSET's APPs (Approved Programme Provider), you may not be eligible to apply for this role subject to your future career plans and the nature of that role. If you work for an APP either in a self-employed or employed capacity and would like to discuss your eligibility, please contact the hiring manager.

The Accounts Assistant is responsible for the integrity of the WSET UK Purchase Ledger and, as a member of the Finance Team, works collaboratively to support the overall aims and objectives of the business.

Principle duties and responsibilities

• Ensure all purchase orders, invoices and expense claims are approved in line with the purchasing policy, are correctly coded and accurately recorded in finance system (NetSuite).

• Prepare and process payment runs, including electronic payments adhering to payment terms and company policies.

• Ensure claims on our expenses platform (currently Webexpenses) are exported and accounted for in NetSuite.

• Handle supplier queries and disputes in a timely and professional manner, resolving issues to maintain positive vendor relationships.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of supplier accounts, payments, and transactions.

• Assist in month-end and year-end closing procedures, including journal entries, accruals and prepayments related to purchases.

• Ensure compliance with relevant financial regulations and internal controls.

• Full ownership of the ‘Accounts Payable’ inbox.

Other Duties

• Balance sheet reconciliation for selected accounts

• Purchase Order and Expense platform training for non-finance colleagues

• Assisting with queries and reporting as required by management.

• Collaborate with other departments to streamline processes and improve efficiency in the purchase-to-pay cycle.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures related to purchase ledger activities.

• Assisting AR Team if required.

• Additional duties may be assigned based on the needs of the organisation.

Requirements for role

Essential:

• Sound knowledge of accounting principles and practices.

• 3 - 4 years’ experience with data input, accounts payable and administration.

• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to interact professionally with internal and external stakeholders.

• Impeccable accuracy.

• Proficiency in accounting software and Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel.

• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and integrity in handling financial information.

• Ability to prioritise a busy workload.

• Ability to build good working relationships.

Desirable:

• Experience in using NetSuite

• Experience of accounting in charity sector

• Experience of working with foreign subsidiaries and/or multi-site business.

Definitions:

Fully remote - Can be performed entirely remotely from any location.

Hybrid remote - Performed as a mixture of in-office and remote work.

Temporarily remote - Performed in a single location, such as an office or at a job site, but which is temporarily remote during special circumstances).

Salary

£28,000-£31,500

The advertised salary is based on a London location and will vary for candidates based elsewhere.

Please note that WSET is not currently able to sponsor employment visas for this role. Candidates will need to have an existing right to work in the UK at the time of application and for the duration of their employment.

UK Benefits

Annual Leave - 27 days pa + public holidays, increases with service; ability to buy/sell 5 days

Pension (Generous options available after three months)

Health insurance (after three months):

Vitality scheme - post probation - Access to virtual GP appointments, Rewards include Caffe Nero drinks, Cinema Tickets, Apple Watch, Cash Back on Waitrose shopping, 75% off at Champneys, 6 month subscription with HeadSpace, Discounted Weight Watchers membership and gyms, Smoking Cessation day worth £300 and half price health screens

Eye voucher scheme

Food and drink in the office

Nespresso coffee makers and a range of other drinks, fruit, cereals, soups

Season ticket loan scheme

EAP

24/7 confidential help and support from trained counsellors and advisors

Death in service

4x annual salary paid to nominees with associated bereavement support for family

Enhanced family friendly leave and pay

Cycle2Work scheme

Development - WSET's in-house training and qualifications in Wines, Spirits, Sake and Beer as well as other professional development opportunities