Assistant Purchase Ledger Accountant (Apprentice L2)

ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS

Sadler’s Wells is a world-leading arts organisation, dedicated to presenting, producing and touring dance made today in all its forms. Sadler’s Wells commissions, presents and produces more dance than any other theatre in the world – from tango to hip hop, ballet to flamenco, Bollywood to cutting-edge contemporary dance.

With an innovative, year-round programme of performances and learning activities, this is the place where artists come together to create dance, and where we welcome everyone to experience dance and be inspired. Dance has the ability to connect with people both intellectually and emotionally and Sadler’s Wells’ vision is that dance is part of everyone’s life.

We want to make sure that dance continues to have something new to say but also that it continues to stimulate the way we think about the world around us. Over half a million people come to our theatres in London each year, with many more enjoying our touring productions at partner venues across the UK and in cities around the world.

Sadler’s Wells Theatre has been located in Islington since the 17th century. Our modern day theatre comprises a main auditorium (1,500 seats); the Lilian Baylis Studio (180 seats); three rehearsals studios; bars, a café, facilities for private and corporate entertaining and offices for Sadler’s Wells’ staff.

Our second theatre building and West End home, the Peacock (1,000 seats), is subject to a unique agreement whereby Sadler’s Wells and the London School of Economics jointly manage it, with the LSE presenting its lectures to students during the day and Sadler’s Wells presenting theatre at night.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Assistant Purchase Ledger Accountant (Apprentice) is responsible for accurately coding and posting invoices, ensuring proper approval and timely entry into the ledger. This role involves setting up and processing payment runs, handling manual payments, and posting transactions to the ledger.

The role-holder will play a key role in month-end procedures by reviewing trade creditors and performing supplier reconciliations, while also supporting the new supplier onboarding process. Acting as the main point of contact for purchase ledger queries, they also manage the setup of supplier and customer accounts within the finance system.

The Finance Department that this role sits in supports managers and those charged with governance in effectively delivering their financial management responsibilities and optimising the organisation’s financial performance.

It establishes and ensures compliance with financial policies and procedures, provides accurate and reliable record-keeping and financial reporting, and is responsible for statutory compliance (audit, payroll, tax). Furthermore, it ensures that internal controls are operating efficiently and effectively.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

What will you be doing on the apprenticeship?

• Responsible for checking and processing invoices with accurate coding across multiple dimensions and resolving issues with stakeholders where appropriate
• Ensuring that all invoices follow the appropriate approval route and flagging any issues with Financial Controller
• Providing cover for Catering & Events Bookkeeper in their absence
• Responsible for the set-up of payment (BACS) runs, identification of items for manual payments and posting of manual bank transactions to the ledger
• Monthly review of trade creditors as part of month-end procedures, including performance of regular supplier reconciliations for key suppliers and following up on queries arising from this exercise
• In conjunction with the Financial Controller, support the development of the new supplier onboarding process
• Liaising with and providing reports to Finance Business Partners on supplier activity and open and historic purchase orders
• Assist in the design and delivery of purchase ledger and expenses training to all colleagues
• Main point of contact for internal and external queries relating to the purchase ledger, both within the finance inbox and directly received
• Set-up of new suppliers/customers on our finance system, monitoring of duplicate accounts, processing account changes, processing remittances for manual payments.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• GCSE Maths and English (grade 4-9) or equivalent

Skills

• Communication skills
• I.T. skills
• Number skills

Other requirements

• The vacancy is based indoors but the work may involve long periods on the computer at Financial Year End and at payments and invoice deadlines for the Team. There is a standard lunch break of one hour per day and other rest breaks built into each working day accordingly.
• Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have, they can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

• This role provides a solid foundation from which you can progress into other finance roles – this could be as a Financial Accountant, Bookkeeper or Finance Manager with appropriate time and training. Equally, this could give an insight into roles in practice, such as financial audit.
• Accounts or finance assistant (level 2).

Duration: 1 year 3 months

Location: Sadler’s Wells Ltd EC1R 4TN

Hours: 30 hours a week Monday to Friday (Wed at college/Shift pattern to be confirmed).