Job Title: Accountant 

Status: Permanent

Salary: up to £47,500 per annum

Location: West London

Start date: ASAP

Working hours: 9:00 - 17:00 (Mon to Fri)

Who You'll Be Working for: an international chemical company

Previous accounting experience, experience using SAP FICO and Excel are essential for this role.

Responsibilities:

• Recording payments and receipts and posting them accurately to the accounting system (SAP ERP - FICO module).
• Maintaining updated and accurate accounting records by documenting daily transactions (e.g., AP invoices, both Purchases and opex).
• Maintaining bank ledgers up to date and performing monthly bank reconciliations
• Leading cash collection activities, including following up on outstanding invoices to ensure timely payments.
• Taking the lead on master data management activities, including maintaining and updating the accounting structure (e.g., products, vendors, and customers) to ensure seamless integration into the system.
• Assisting in month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closings.
• Preparing balance sheet and P&L variance analyses for the oversea branch.
• Ensuring completeness and accuracy in revenue recognition, in collaboration with the logistics team.
• Reconciliation of intercompany balances as part of the monthly processes.
• Supporting cash management, including monitoring weekly cash positions and attending group reporting requirements
• Preparing payment runs and reviewing AP accounts to ensure timely and accurate payments.
• Monitoring and managing credit control, including preparation of credit reports and analysis of outstanding balances.

Tax and Compliance

• Assisting with VAT returns and other tax compliance matters.
• Supporting internal and external audits by preparing required documentation and ensuring compliance with internal controls and company policies.
• Additional Responsibilities
• Contributing to budgeting and performance forecasting activities.
• Assisting with projects and initiatives led by GL accountant and Process Specialist.
• Participating in finance team meetings and cross-departmental collaborations.
• Responding promptly and professionally to accounting queries and issues.

Requirements:

• Part-qualified or newly qualified accountant (ACCA / CIMA).
• Previous experience in accounting and finance.
• Strong knowledge of SAP ERP (FICO module) and advanced proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word).
• Experience in reconciliation, variance analysis, and month-end processes.
• Detail-oriented, with strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work in a small, multicultural team.
• Proactive and adaptable, with a willingness to take on a variety of responsibilities.

Please follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/people-first-team-japan 

We would be grateful if you could send your CV as a Word document. If your application is successful, you will be contacted within 7 days. We regret that due to the high volume of applications we receive we cannot provide feedback on individual CVs. Please note that we can only consider candidates who are eligible to work in the UK and are able to provide relevant supporting documentation.

People First is committed to increasing diversity, and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability.

People First (Recruitment) Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent and fixed term contract recruitment and as an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. Please note that by applying for this job you accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy which can be found on our website.

Click for more Japanese speaking jobs from People First Team Japan in London, your Japanese recruitment specialists.