Management Accountant / Experienced Senior Bookkeeper

Job Title: Internal Accountant / Experienced Senior Bookkeeper

Location: Noddy's Nursery School, Trinity Church Hall, Beaumont Road, London, SW19 6SP

Hybrid working: Potential once settled into the role, subject to agreement.

Salary: 55,000 - 65,000 per annum PAYE, or 38 - 42 per hour self-employed, depending on experience

Job Type: Full time, Permanent or Self Employed

Permanent hours: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm, 8.30am-5.30pm or 9am-6pm, as agreed, including a one-hour lunch break excluded from working hours.

Self-employed hours: Approximately 35-40 working hours per week, excluding a one-hour lunch break.

Reporting to: Managing Director (ACA-qualified) and Chairman (CIMA).

Travel: Weekly Teddington site meetings until our third nursery school is complete.

About Us:

We are an established, family-owned and family-run business group spanning nursery education, property and construction. Noddy's Nursery School has been caring for and educating children for over 41 years, with schools in Putney and Southfields. We are now developing our third school in Teddington alongside three houses.

We seek an experienced Internal Accountant / Senior Bookkeeper to take over from our existing bookkeeper and own our day-to-day finance function. Working closely with the owners, nursery office team, construction project managers and external accountants, you will deliver accurate reporting and improve our systems. We are particularly keen to embrace AI and automation to streamline processes.

Key responsibilities:

Bookkeeping and financial controls

• Maintain accurate records across multiple businesses using QuickBooks, Dext and associated applications.
• Process invoices, receipts, expenses and bank transactions, ensuring correct coding and documentation.
• Reconcile bank, credit card, supplier, general ledger and intercompany accounts.
• Manage purchase and sales ledgers, outstanding balances and payment runs for approval.

Management accounts and year-end - nursery businesses

• Prepare quarterly consolidated management accounts for the property company/operating company structure, including profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and supporting schedules.
• Monitor cash flow and report to directors.
• Prepare year-end trial balances and reconciliations; support consolidated annual accounts and respond to audit queries.

VAT, CIS and construction accounting

• Prepare and submit VAT returns following internal approval; review property and construction VAT coding.
• Manage CIS verification, deductions, monthly returns and subcontractor statements.
• Maintain project cost records, purchase trackers and reports, allocating labour, materials and expenditure accurately.
• Prepare construction invoices and intercompany recharges.
• Check timesheets and subcontractor payments; support weekly reporting during the Teddington build.

Nursery income and payroll

• Import and reconcile fees, funding receipts and direct debit payments.
• Review fee balances, deposits and refunds with the office team.
• Coordinate payroll information and payments; post journals and reconcile wages, PAYE and advances.

Systems and improvements

• Improve procedures, reporting templates and financial controls.
• Use accounting applications, AI and automation to reduce manual work, maintaining accuracy, confidentiality and approval controls.
• Resolve discrepancies and undertake additional financial tasks as required.

About you:

Essential experience and skills:

• Substantial experience in senior bookkeeping, internal accounting or a comparable hands-on role.
• Strong practical knowledge of QuickBooks, Dext and Excel.
• Experience preparing UK VAT and CIS returns.
• Ability to prepare management accounts and accurate balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience of consolidated management and annual accounts within a property company/operating company structure.
• Experience supporting year-end accounts and audit queries.
• Excellent organisation, attention to detail, communication and deadline management.
• Confidence working independently across multiple businesses, with a proactive approach to AI and process improvement.

Desirable:

• Construction/property accounting, project costing and construction VAT experience.
• Corporation tax and capital allowances knowledge.
• Early years funding and Synergy system knowledge.
• Sage payroll, SaasAnt and finance automation experience.
• AAT, ACCA, ACA, CIMA or equivalent practical experience.
• Full driving licence.

What we offer

• Competitive pay as detailed above.
• For PAYE employees, 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays and 3-5 additional paid Christmas closure days, depending on the year.
• Heavily discounted nursery childcare, discussed at interview.
• Direct support from an ACA-qualified Managing Director and the opportunity to shape our financial systems.

Apply:

Submit your CV and a short statement outlining relevant experience, preferred engagement arrangement, availability and notice period.

Safeguarding and inclusion

We are committed to safeguarding children. Appointments are subject to safer recruitment checks, including satisfactory references, enhanced DBS, identity, qualifications and UK right-to-work verification. Relevant disclosures must follow applicable legislation and guidance.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and will consider reasonable adjustments throughout recruitment and employment.

Please click the APPLY button to submit your CV for this role

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; ACCA, CIMA, AAT, Bookkeeper, Bookkeeping Clerk, Accountant, Time Served Accountant, Management Accountant, Chartered Accountant, Financial Accountancy, Senior Accountant, Management Accounts, may also be considered for this role.