Senior Account Assistant (General Accounting)

Exciting new opportunity in travel retail, supporting a fast-paced retail and food service business, where every day brings new opportunities to grow and make an impact!

Job purpose:

The primary purpose of this role is to take ownership of the more complex accounting and clerical 
tasks related to the efficient maintenance and processing of accounting for the UK & Ireland 
business, acting as a first point of escalation for non-standard queries and providing guidance to 
junior team members.

Contract: 37.5 hours per week

Benefits: Simplyhealth cash plan, Retail Trust, life insurance, and up to 25% in-store discounts

Key Responsibilities:

Accounts Payable

• Process supplier invoices: coding, VAT treatment, and approvals routing.
• Maintain the AP inbox and respond to supplier queries professionally.
• Prepare fortnightly payment runs: collate approved invoices, check supplier details, and 
  support final reviews.
• Set up and maintain supplier records (bank details verification, documentation, compliance 
  checks).
• Check supplier statements.

Accounts Receivable

•  Raise customer invoices/credit notes based on approved data.
• Allocate customer receipts and chase overdue balances as needed.
• Support query resolution with internal teams and customers

Bank & Cash

• Perform daily/weekly bank postings and bank reconciliations; investigate and resolve unreconciled items promptly.
• Support expense reconciliations

General Finance Admin

• Keep finance files and registers up to date (suppliers, customers, fixed assets, AP/AR ledgers).
• Help with audit requests (samples, copies, explanations).
• Lead small process and documentation improvement initiatives across the finance team.

Team Support & Process Ownership

•  Act as a first point of escalation for complex supplier, customer, or reconciliation queries.
• Review the work of more junior Accounts Assistants for accuracy prior to posting or 
  payment.
• Support the onboarding and on-the-job training of new finance team members.
• Take ownership of month-end close tasks across AP and AR, including accruals and balance 
  sheet reconciliations, and deputise for the Accounting Manager as required.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience in an accounts/finance administration role, with 
  demonstrable progression of responsibility.
• Experience using SAP desirable.
• Experience of dealing with a large volume of complex invoices.
• Experience of dealing with multi-currency.
• Experience reviewing the work of, or providing guidance to, junior finance team members 
  desirable.

Key Skills:

• Good understanding of double-entry, invoicing, and reconciliations.
• Solid Excel skills (filters, lookups, pivots desirable).
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy under time pressure.
• Clear, professional communication with both internal teams and external 
  suppliers/customers.
• Able to work autonomously, prioritise a varied workload, and confidently review the work of 
  others.
• Fluent in English

Our values: Can you feel the HEAT?

Whatever role you deliver for Lagardère Travel Retail, part of your responsibility is to represent and uphold our company values everyday:

HONESTY – Working ethically | Fostering a culture of openness | Treating each other fairly | Being considerate
EXCELLENCE – Delivering first class customer service | Upholding high store standards | Showcasing prestigious brands
AGILITY – Working in a fast-paced environment | Adapting well to change | Always striving to improve
TEAM SPIRIT – Working together as one team | Supporting each other | Being active partners in our wider communities

Our company:

One of the two divisions of the Lagardère group, Lagardère Travel Retail is a pioneering global leader in the travel retail industry and the only operator to have established a comprehensive and world-recognised leadership across multiple business activities.

Cumulating more than 170 years of experience in travel retail since the opening of the first bookstore in 1852 at Paris Gare de Lyon, we deliver new experiences for travelers every day.

Operating over 5,000 stores across Travel Essentials, Duty Free & Fashion and Foodservice in airports, railway stations and other concessions in 42 countries worldwide, we generated €5.2bn sales in 2022.

At Lagardère Travel Retail we believe an inclusive and diverse culture can help businesses and people thrive. We are committed to create a work environment where our people can fulfil their potential and be themselves and to support each and every one of them in achieving their ambitions. We welcome and consider all applicants regardless of their background and can ensure all candidates will receive a fair and equal treatment.