Purchase Ledger Clerk

Purchase ledger Clerk- Edmonton N18 - Full time - Office based

Purchase Ledger Controller /Supplier account assistant

Reports to: Finance Manager
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:30pm

About the Role

We are looking for an organised, accurate and proactive Purchase Ledger Controller to join our Finance team.

This is a varied, hands-on role with primary responsibility for day-to-day management and control of the purchase ledger, including supplier accounts, invoice processing, payment runs, reconciliations, and purchase ledger analysis.

Working closely with the Finance Manager and Finance Director, you will maintain accurate purchase ledger information and provide timely, reliable analysis to support financial reporting and business decision-making. You will be expected to work accurately within tight deadlines and ensure that information requested by senior Finance management is provided on time.

The role will also support customer recharges, bank and credit card reconciliations and general finance administration.

You will work closely with suppliers, customers, managers and internal departments to ensure transactions are processed accurately and on time, queries are resolved promptly and strong financial controls are maintained.

Key Responsibilities

Purchase Ledger & Supplier Management

• Monitor and manage the Finance inbox, dealing with supplier invoices, payment requests, statements and account queries.
• Receive, process, code and accurately enter supplier invoices into Sage.
• Allocate expenditure to the correct nominal codes, departments and cost centres.
• Manage invoice approval workflows and proactively follow up outstanding approvals to prevent payment delays.
• Verify invoices relating to haulage, tipping, aggregates and other services against agreed rates, operational records and supporting documentation.
• Maintain accurate supplier accounts and investigate and resolve discrepancies, credits, duplicate invoices and unusual balances.
• Reconcile supplier statements to the purchase ledger and investigate and resolve differences promptly.
• Monitor aged creditors and ensure suppliers are paid in accordance with agreed payment terms.
• Process supplier onboarding documentation and ensure new supplier accounts are set up accurately and in accordance with company procedures.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date purchase ledger records at all times.
• Work closely with the Finance Manager and Finance Director to provide accurate purchase ledger information and analysis as required.
• Prepare purchase ledger reports and analysis accurately, on time and within tight reporting deadlines.
• Identify and investigate unusual balances, significant movements, outstanding invoices and other purchase ledger issues, providing explanations where required.

Payments & Financial Controls

• Prepare weekly and ad hoc supplier payment runs, ensuring invoices have been appropriately authorised before payment.
• Verify supplier details and complete appropriate due diligence, including independent verification of new or amended bank details, to minimise the risk of payment fraud.
• Process and allocate Direct Debits, recurring payments and other bank transactions.
• Maintain appropriate supporting documentation and a clear audit trail for invoices and payments.
• Ensure company financial controls and approval procedures are followed at all times.
• Escalate unusual transactions, discrepancies or potential control issues to the Finance Manager where appropriate.

Bank, Credit Card & Account Reconciliations

• Complete regular bank reconciliations, ensuring transactions are accurately recorded and allocated.
• Reconcile monthly company credit card statements, ensuring expenditure is correctly coded and supported by appropriate receipts or documentation.
• Investigate and resolve unreconciled transactions and discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Assist with purchase ledger and other balance sheet reconciliations as part of the month-end process.

Customer Invoicing & Recharges

• Review supplier invoices to identify costs that need to be recharged to customers.
• Check the rates to be charged to customers and ensure the appropriate margin is being achieved.
• Investigate any differences between supplier costs, customer charge rates and expected margins.
• Raise customer recharge invoices where required, ensuring they are accurate and supported by the appropriate supplier invoices and other relevant documentation.
• Ensure customer recharges are raised promptly so that rechargeable costs are not missed or delayed.

Month-End, Reporting & Finance Administration

Assist with month-end procedures and reconciliations to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting.

Ensure purchase ledger information is complete, accurate and ready within agreed month-end deadlines.

Provide accurate purchase ledger analysis and supporting information to the Finance Manager and Finance Director within required reporting timescales.

Investigate purchase ledger variances and provide clear explanations and supporting information when requested.

Provide supporting information and documentation for Finance management, auditors and other stakeholders when required.

Support card payment processing and other ad hoc finance requests.

Respond promptly and professionally to queries received by telephone, email and other communication channels.

Maintain accurate, complete and well-organised financial records.

Provide general support to the wider Finance team and undertake other reasonable finance and administrative duties as required.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate will have:

Previous experience in a Purchase Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Assistant or similar finance role.

A good understanding of purchase ledger processes and supplier account management.

Experience processing supplier invoices and preparing supplier payments.

Experience performing supplier statement and bank reconciliations.

The ability to analyse purchase ledger information, identify discrepancies and provide accurate supporting information.

Strong attention to detail with a consistently high level of accuracy.

Good organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and work effectively to tight deadlines.

Experience using accounting software; Sage experience would be advantageous.

Good Microsoft Excel and general IT skills.

Confident written and verbal communication skills.

The ability to communicate professionally with suppliers, customers, managers and colleagues.

A proactive approach to investigating discrepancies and following up outstanding information.

A good understanding of confidentiality, financial controls and the importance of maintaining accurate financial records.

The ability to take ownership of tasks and work independently while contributing effectively as part of a team.

Key Attributes

We are looking for someone who is:

Accurate and detail focused.

Organised, dependable and able to manage their own workload.

Proactive and willing to take ownership of issues through to resolution.

Commercially aware, with an understanding of costs, customer recharge rates and margins.

Confident analysing financial information and questioning discrepancies.

Comfortable working closely with the Finance Manager and Finance Director.

Able to produce accurate information while working to tight deadlines.

Confident when dealing with suppliers, customers and colleagues.

Comfortable working in a busy and fast-paced environment.

Trustworthy and able to handle confidential financial information appropriately.

A strong team player with a practical and flexible approach

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