Financial Accountant / Payroll Manager (Temp to Perm)

Location: Wirral
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 per annum
Contract: Temporary to Permanent (with the intention of becoming permanent)
Working Pattern: Full-time | Hybrid working available following training (3 days office / 2 days home)

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Financial Accountant / Payroll Manager to join a successful and well-established business that forms part of a larger international group. This is a varied, hands-on role that combines responsibility for payroll with key financial accounting duties, offering the opportunity to make a genuine impact within the finance function.

Initially, there will be a strong emphasis on reviewing and improving payroll and pension processes, making this an ideal opportunity for someone who enjoys driving efficiencies, improving controls and implementing best practice. Alongside this project work, you will take ownership of a broad range of accounting responsibilities, ensuring accurate reporting and supporting the smooth running of the finance department.

This role would suit a proactive finance professional who is comfortable balancing operational responsibilities with continuous improvement initiatives and enjoys working collaboratively across the wider business.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring accuracy, compliance and timely processing.
• Lead an initial project to review, streamline and improve payroll and pension processes, identifying efficiencies and implementing best practice.
• Manage invoice finance and monitor cash flow.
• Prepare quarterly management accounts.
• Produce monthly management information, including statistics, cash flow forecasts and Profit & Loss reports.
• Prepare year-end statutory accounts and liaise with external auditors.
• Complete month-end journals, including accruals and prepayments.
• Perform balance sheet reconciliations and investigate variances.
• Complete bank reconciliations.
• Prepare and submit VAT returns.
• Process supplier and other business payments.
• Manage daily cash receipts.
• Review supplier invoices before passing them to the Accounts team for processing.
• Resolve Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable queries, including statement reconciliations.
• Support budgeting and financial planning activities.
• Maintain accurate financial records and ensure compliance with internal controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve finance processes and support continuous improvement initiatives.

About You

We're looking for an experienced finance professional with strong payroll expertise and a hands-on approach to financial accounting.

You will have:

• Previous experience in a Financial Accountant, Payroll Manager, Finance Manager or similar senior finance role.
• Extensive payroll experience, including pension administration and compliance.
• Experience leading payroll or finance process improvement projects.
• Experience preparing management accounts and month-end reporting.
• Strong reconciliation skills and an excellent understanding of financial controls.
• The ability to prioritise workloads and meet reporting deadlines.
• Excellent analytical, organisational and communication skills.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Sage Payroll experience (essential).
• Sage 50 Accounts experience (essential).
• Intermediate Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and data analysis.
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation, pensions and finance processes.
• High level of accuracy with excellent attention to detail.

Desirable

• AAT qualified, part-qualified or qualified ACCA/CIMA, or qualified by experience.
• Experience working within a multi-site or international group environment.
• Previous involvement in finance systems or process improvement projects.

What's on Offer

• Salary of £40,000 - £45,000, depending on experience.
• Temporary to permanent opportunity with excellent long-term prospects.
• Hybrid working following the initial training period (3 days in the office / 2 days from home).
• The opportunity to lead meaningful payroll and finance process improvements.
• A broad, varied role with autonomy and responsibility.
• A supportive working environment within a stable business that is part of a larger international group, offering long-term career development and progression opportunities.

This is an excellent opportunity for a Financial Accountant / Payroll Manager who is looking for a role that combines technical accounting, payroll expertise and project-based process improvement, with the opportunity to make a lasting impact within a growing finance team.