Bookkeeper/Finance Assistant

When the figures balance on the first attempt… do you get that warm, satisfied, "everything in the universe is aligned" feeling?

If that warm fuzzy feeling sounds familiar, you're probably the kind of person our client is looking for.

House Recruitment is supporting a small, professional, quietly impressive business based in Sutton, Surrey. Established back in 2012, the company was created to provide centralised support to a group of connected organisations — including a sports consultancy, a property business, and charities. They handle finance, operations, events support and day-to-day admin across the group, keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

And now, they need someone who loves tidy numbers, efficient systems, and the satisfaction of getting things right first time.

Why you'll love working here

You'll be joining a small, focused team of four based in Sutton, reporting into a supportive Business Operations Manager and working alongside two administrators.

Here's the important bit: you'll be the only dedicated finance person in the office, which means you'll be running the day-to-day finance function whilst working closely with external accountants, preparing information for them and liaising with them for support if needed.

You'll also benefit from training and continued study support, whether that's progressing your AAT, becoming Xero certified, or building your technical knowledge across multi-entity reporting.

This isn't a large corporate environment with layers of approval. It's a professional setting where people trust each other to get on with their work, where your contribution is visible, and where you'll have genuine autonomy in how you manage your workload and improve finance processes.

If you enjoy variety, take pride in accuracy, and like being the steady, reliable hand behind the scenes, you'll fit right in here.

What you'll be doing day-to-day

You'll be at the heart of the finance function, working in Xero across several organisations within the group. As the sole finance person on-site, your work will directly support decision-making, statutory compliance, and the smooth running of operations.

Keeping the books accurate and audit-ready

• Reconciling multiple bank accounts
• Managing the full transaction cycle (payments, receipts, invoices, journals)
• Maintaining immaculate digital filing systems
• Ensuring everything you do creates a clear, clean audit trail

Supporting external accountants and statutory compliance

• Collating and organising quarterly financial information
• Pulling together schedules and supporting documentation for the external accountants to prepare management accounts, VAT returns, and year-end statutory accounts
• Working collaboratively with external accountants and supporting audits
• Liaising regularly to ensure they have what they need, when they need it

Managing payroll coordination

• Gathering monthly payroll information
• Liaising with external accountants who process it
• Ensuring all related liabilities are paid accurately and on time

Maintaining asset registers and tracking obligations

• Updating inventory and fixed asset registers
• Tracking monthly rent payments across multiple properties

Improving systems and processes

• Using Xero reporting tools to analyse data and support forecasting
• Identifying where workflows could be tightened or automated
• Recommending and implementing Xero add-ons that improve efficiency
• Playing a key role in shaping how finance operates as the group grows

Occasional administrative support
This is a small team where everyone mucks in — while your primary focus is finance, you'll support wider office tasks when needed.

What you'll need to succeed

Essential:

• AAT Level 2 (minimum) or equivalent bookkeeping qualification
• Strong, current Xero experience is essential— you'll be the Xero expert in the office, working across multiple entities. You'll probably already confident in running reports, managing the full transaction cycle, and troubleshooting
• Recent bookkeeping experience, ideally in a small business or multi-entity environment
• Comfortable working as the sole finance person day-to-day
• Good Excel skills for schedules, analysis and registers
• Proactive, solutions-focused mindset
• Meticulous attention to detail

Highly advantageous:

• French language skills
  — two of the group's companies are French-speaking operations, if you're comfortable communicating in French (even conversationally), you'll add genuine value.

Development & training support
Training, development and continued study support are available to help you progress your skills and confidence, including Xero certification and future AAT progression if desired.

What makes you the right fit

You enjoy making systems smoother and processes better. You're naturally organised, dependable, and calm under pressure. You ask smart questions, take ownership, and you're comfortable being the finance specialist in a small team. You understand that accurate financial records aren't just compliance, they're the foundation for good decisions.

The practical details

• Office-based 5 days a week in Sutton, Monday–Friday
• 35 hour working week
• Free onsite parking + excellent bus routes (not near a train station)
• 2 stage interview process - discovery call with House Recruitment and in person interview with the business, plus online skills assessments before final stage interview
• Start date: January 2026
• No visa sponsorship available

How to apply

If you're the type of person who gets genuine satisfaction from clean reconciliations, tidy ledgers, and systems that work, we'd love to hear from you.

Send your CV across, ensuring you have highlighted relevant skills and expeirence.

Everyone who applies will receive a response.

House Recruitment Limited operate as a recruitment consultancy and are the sole agency supporting this piece of recruitment.