AES Experiential Learning and Living are a leading provider of educational support services and student accommodation in London. We are a family run business and our staff are a huge part of that culture. We are looking for the right person to join this growing business!

Role Summary

We are seeking a proactive, hands-on Financial Controls Accountant to strengthen day-to-day financial control, compliance, and balance sheet integrity during a period of continued growth and operational change. This role plays a key part in ensuring robust financial processes across the business, with responsibility for payroll oversight, VAT, statutory compliance, and balance sheet governance. The role will work closely with existing finance team members across Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and operations, providing control, review, and support while driving efficiency through strong Excel capability and process improvement.

The successful candidate will be a self-starter with a strong grasp of double-entry accounting, confident working in detail, and motivated to improve how things are done rather than simply maintaining the status quo.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Control & Balance Sheet Integrity

• Own the integrity of the balance sheet across all entities.
• Perform and review monthly balance sheet reconciliations, including resolution of historic or legacy balances.
• Review, prepare, and post journals, ensuring correct double-entry treatment and supporting documentation.
• Ensure month-end and year-end financial positions are accurate, complete, and auditable.

2. Payroll, VAT & Statutory Compliance

• Take responsibility for oversight and control of the in-house payroll process.
• Review payroll reconciliations and ensure accurate posting to the general ledger.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with HMRC requirements (PAYE, NIC, pensions, statutory submissions).
• Prepare and/or review VAT returns, ensuring accuracy, correct treatment, and timely
• submission.
• Maintain a compliance calendar covering all statutory and regulatory deadlines.

3. Day-to-Day Financial Controls

• Act as a key control point within the finance function, ensuring policies and procedures are followed.
• Maintain clear audit trails and supporting schedules for key balances.
• Identify control weaknesses or process gaps and implement practical improvements.
• Support audit preparation and respond to audit queries efficiently.

4. Accounts Payable & Receivable – Control & Support

• Support and review Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable activities to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Assist with clearing aged or complex debtor and creditor balances.
• Review allocations, postings, and reconciliations for correctness.
• Act as a point of escalation for complex queries or historic issues.

5. Reporting, Excel & Process Improvement

• Use advanced Excel skills to improve efficiency in reconciliations, reporting, and analysis.
• Build and maintain schedules, models, and templates that reduce manual effort and errors.
• Support cash flow forecasting and analysis through accurate underlying data.
• Continuously look for opportunities to automate, streamline, and improve finance processes.

6. Business & Growth Support

• Support the finance setup and control framework for new business divisions, including the
• Aparthotel operation.
• Work closely with the Head of Finance to prioritise risks, controls, and improvements.
• Provide reliable financial information to support operational and strategic decision-making.

Key Skills & Experience

• ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualified or part-qualified, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Strong understanding of double-entry accounting and balance sheet mechanics.
• Proven experience in financial control, reconciliations, and compliance.
• Solid knowledge of payroll processes, VAT, and HMRC requirements.
• Advanced Excel skills (e.g. pivot tables, lookups, reconciliations, data analysis).
• Experience using accounting systems such as Sage 200 (or similar).
• Comfortable working in detail while keeping sight of the bigger picture.
• Personal Attributes
• Self-starter who takes ownership and follows issues through to resolution.
• Naturally curious and hungry to make things better, not just maintain processes.
• Practical, hands-on approach suited to a growing, non-corporate environment.
• Strong attention to detail with a clear sense of accountability.
• Confident working collaboratively across finance and operational teams.
• Desirable Experience
• Experience in hospitality, student accommodation, serviced apartments, or multi-entity
• businesses.
• Exposure to system implementations or finance process transformation.
• Internal audit, controls, or risk-focused background.

Benefits

• Training & development
• Opportunity to progress within the company
• Work life balance
• Mental Health and Well-Being provider
• Staff discount schemes
• Opportunity to work for a great family owned business
• Generous Holiday allowance
• Cycle to work scheme
• Holiday Buy-back scheme
• Toastie Tuesday
• Employee assistance programme

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £38,000.00-£45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Company events
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee discount
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Work from home

Work Location: Hybrid remote in London WC1N 3LA