Finance and Payroll Administrator

Job Title: Finance and Payroll Administrator

Department: Finance, Data & Procurement

Location: Morecambe

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £28-30k per annum (DOE)

Reports To: Finance Manager

About Optimum RX Lens Specialists

Optimum RX Lens Specialists are an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) and one of the UK's leading manufacturers of complex prescription optical lenses. We specialise in advanced lens technologies, bespoke lens production, and speciality glazing services for customers with unique or complex visual needs.

As an employee-owned business, we take pride in our collaborative culture, our high standards, and the shared commitment of our team to deliver outstanding quality and service.

About the Role

We are looking for a proactive and highly organised Finance and Payroll Administrator to join our Finance, Data & Procurement team. This is a varied and hands-on role supporting sales ledger, credit control, banking, payroll preparation, bookkeeping, purchase ledger cover, and general office support.

You'll play a key role in ensuring the smooth running of the department, supporting accurate financial records, timely reporting, and excellent communication with both internal teams and external customers. This role is ideal for someone with strong attention to detail, confidence with numbers, and a positive, solution-focused mindset.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Ledger & Credit Control

• Raising and issuing customer invoices and credit notes.
• Setting up new customer accounts, ensuring all required information and credit checks are completed.
• Sending out monthly customer statements in line with agreed timeframes.
• Monitoring aged debt and carrying out polite but firm credit control.
• Logging and tracking customer credit requests.
• Liaising with the Commercial Director, Customer Care, and Returns/Quality teams to resolve disputes.
• Taking ownership of account and credit note queries and ensuring they are fully resolved to support prompt payments.

Banking & Reconciliation

• Posting & allocating daily payments and receipts.
• Performing daily bank reconciliations.
• Investigating and resolving discrepancies.

Payroll Preparation

• Preparing the initial monthly payroll file, including overtime, absence data, and other variable inputs.
• Liaising with managers to confirm payroll queries.
• Submitting the finalised payroll file for checking and processing by a senior team member.
• Ensuring confidentiality and GDPR compliance at all times.

Bookkeeping Support

• Assisting the Management Accountant with bookkeeping tasks as required.
• Supporting journal preparation, reconciliations, and ledger accuracy.

Purchase Ledger (Cover)

• Processing supplier invoices and credit notes during periods of cover.
• Ensuring supplier accounts remain up to date during periods of cover.
• Processing supplier orders during periods of cover.

Office Administration

• Maintaining stock levels of stationery, cleaning, and canteen supplies, placing orders as required.
• Answering the office phone and directing calls or taking messages professionally.
• Supporting general office housekeeping to maintain a tidy, organised working environment.

About You

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Experience in a finance or administrative role.
• Previous exposure to payroll preparation or payroll-related data entry is essential.
• Strong numerical accuracy and attention to detail.
• Good communication skills with confidence speaking on the telephone to customers and suppliers.
• Proficient in Excel and comfortable learning new systems.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Confident handling of confidential and sensitive information (GDPR aware).

Desirable:

• AAT Level 2/3 (or working towards).
• Experience supporting month-end or bookkeeping tasks.

What We Offer

• A varied role with exposure to many areas of finance.
• Stability and long-term career potential within a growing organisation.
• Free tea/coffee/filtered water/squash during working hours
• Fresh fruit deliveries twice a week
• Generous allowance towards prescription lenses manufactured on site
• Cycle to Work scheme

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £28,000.00-£30,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Canteen
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person