Full job descriptionJob title: Purchase Ledger Controller
Location: Edmonton, London N18 3BH
Salary: Circa £35K depending on experience
Duration: Permanent, full-time
Working Hours; Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 5.00pm
Report to: Finance Manager
About the Role
Our client is looking for an organised, accurate and proactive Purchase Ledger Controller to join their 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.
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.
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.