Dawn Henson
Crediton,United Kingdom
Summary
I have 25 years experience in both Customer Services and Finance and along with strong customer facing skills. I have extensive experience in accounts payable and receivable, general ledger accounting and financial reporting. Demonstrates proficiency in handling purchase orders, statement verification, and credit control. Invoice processing, payment allocation, and debtor and creditor reconciliations. Known for maintaining discretion and confidentiality while managing payroll processing, petty cash distribution, and expense reports. Committed to achieving tight deadlines.
I have excellent organisational, time management and communication skills both written and verbal. I am very able to work on my own initiative but also as part of a team. I consider myself to be a strong loyal employee who works well under pressure and enjoys a busy environment. With excellent attention to details and accuracy. Experienced Finance Assistant with knack for streamlining processes and enhancing financial accuracy. Boosted departmental efficiency by implementing new invoicing procedures and reducing discrepancies. Known for exceptional teamwork and delivering projects on time.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Finance Assistant / Credit Control
Devon Concrete Ltd
Crediton, Devon
2021.08 - 2026.06
- First point of contact via person, telephone and email.
- Managing the day to day running of the office.
- Maintaining and analysing sales and purchase ledgers.
- Customer receipt allocation.
- Invoicing.
- Checking bank statements and reconciling.
- Responsible for Credit Control - Communicating with Customers to achieve timely payments and reduce outstanding accounts receivable, both verbally and in letter form. Building excellent relationships with the Customers.
- Ensured timely payment to suppliers by processing invoices promptly.
- Maintained company purchase and sales ledgers.
- Identifying problem accounts, placing them on stop. Resolving the issues in a timely manner and or with a payment plan put in place.
- Keeping accurate records on each customer account with regards to paying, queries and issues.
- Keeping accurate records of customer receipts and posting monies to the correct account. Rectifying and notifying Customers of any short or overpaid Invoices.
- Taking customer orders and raising orders.
- Working to very tight schedules and deadlines.
- Monitor and deal with email queries.
- Taking card payments.
- Raising credit notes.
- Setting up new starters.
- Checking all timesheets for accuracy regarding hours / holiday.
- Looking after holiday requests and bookings
- Managing Nest Pension
- Maintaining the petty cash and transaction processing.
- Invoices emailed out on a weekly basis, along with statements emailed fortnightly to ensure all queries were dealt with on the accounts before Month End.
- Reconciled all petty cash and sales representative expenses.
- Maintained confidentiality of sensitive financial information as part of ethical work conduct.
- Handled ad-hoc finance related tasks efficiently whilst maintaining high accuracy levels.
- Managing records, filing systems and electronic documentation.
- Coordinated with other teams to resolve any discrepancies in invoicing or payments.
- Calculated client invoices with an efficient use of accounting software.
- Organised financial documents for easy access and retrieval during audits.
- Managed petty cash transactions for controlled spending on office supplies.
Finance Assistant / Credit Control
Hawkridge Dairy Produce
Eggesford, Devon
2018.06 - 2021.08
- Responsible for Credit Control - Communicating with Customers to achieve timely payments and reduce outstanding accounts receivable, both verbally and in letter form. Building excellent relationships with the Customers.
- Ensured timely payment to suppliers by processing invoices promptly.
- Resolved customer queries regarding billing issues leading to improved customer satisfaction.
- Identifying problem accounts, placing them on stop. Resolving the issues in a timely manner and or with a payment plan put in place.
- Keeping accurate records on each customer account with regards to paying, queries and issues.
- Keeping accurate records of customer receipts and posting monies to the correct accouts.
- Taking customer orders and raising orders.
- Working to very tight deadlines.
- Monitor and deal with emails.
- Reconciling and processing credit card statements.
- Reconciling the daily cash postings ready for banking.
- Maintaining the pest cash and transaction processing.
- Handled ad-hoc finance related tasks efficiently whilst maintaining high accuracy levels.
- Coordinated with other teams to resolve any discrepancies in invoicing or payments.
- Monitored accounts payable and receivable statuses, keeping financial records up-to-date.
- Reviewed customer invoices for accuracy and posted information to general ledger.
- Supported accurate recordkeeping by properly documenting financial transactions.
Finance Assistant / Credit Controller
Bio Products Laboratory Ltd
Radlett, England
2007.08 - 2017.08
- Supplying the Financial Controller with cash flow Information on a daily basis. Downloading bank statements and entering the cash flow and forecasts for the week and following 3 months.
- Working to very tight schedules and deadlines.
- Prioritising work load and post.
- Responsible for the maintenance of credit control. Dealing with over 1000 accounts, making sure the customers paid on time (30 days). Making regular daily telephone calls to UK and overseas customers regarding overdue accounts. Escalating as required to a Manager.
- Identifying any problem accounts and placing them on stop. Dealing with any queries and resolving on a timely basis. Sending out letters to Customers who were going over their due date. Maintaining up to date notes against each customer - actions to be taken or have taken.
- Banking on a daily basis - Downloading statements, balancing accounts. Making Chaps and Bacs payments. Setting up new Customers, direct debits and guarantees.
- Responsible for all Bank Mandates and Authorised signatures.
- Using In House accounting software - Avante and I.F.S.
- Keeping accurate records of customer receipts and posting monies received to their correct account. Dealing with short and over paid Invoices, correcting with Debit and Credit Notes.
- Producing Customer Invoices when a query arose or when the Customer was near their 30 day term. Monthly Statements were sent out to all Customers, highlighting Invoices that were about to go overdue.
- Daily contact with people both internal and external.
- Ensuring customer satisfaction when dealing queries and overdue accounts.
- Working well within a team.
- Computer literate.
- Month End Duties - Balancing all nominal accounts to very tight deadlines. Making sure Customer statements were printed and sent out on the last of each month. Completing journal entries.
- Ordering in Foreign currency as and when required and balancing the sales teams floats.
- Paying in Customers cheques and managing the petty cash.
- Dealing with difficult customers on a daily basis.
Care Assistant
Carer Ainsworth Care
2007.01 - 2007.04
- Early Mornings & Late Evenings.
- Speaking to the client making sure they were happy and their moral was high and they felt valued.
- Excellent listening skills.
- Administered medication to the client.
- Building a trusting and reliable relationship.
- Helping them wash and dress.
- Making them breakfast and evening meals.
Customer Assistant
Asda Stores Ltd
2004.11 - 2005.04
- Dealing with customers on a one to one basis.
- Checking stock levels.
- Ordering stock.
- Maintaining the shelves making sure they were filled to maximum capacity.
- Always making sure the store was presentable.
Finance Assistant
Citicapital
1997.07 - 2002.09
- Advising and helping customers regarding products.
- Working to very tight deadlines.
- Prioritising work and post to deadlines.
- Setting up new contracts on a daily basis.
- Dealing with the day to day running of contracts and Invoices.
- Setting up new contracts on a daily basis.
- Setting up and cancelling direct debit mandates.
- Setting up loan agreements and Apr rates.
- Sales and Purchase Ledger.
Home Furnishings Assistant
Marks & Spencer Watford
, England
1996.05 - 1997.07
- Being on the frontline dealing with customers on a one to one basis.
- Inputting orders for customers.
- Assisted with customer enquiries, queries and complaints.
- Checking stock levels.
- Ordering stock.
- Cashiering.
Cashier & Customer Services Assistant
Allied Irish Bank GB
1995.02 - 1996.05
- Dealing with vast amounts of money on a daily basis.
- Confirming the customers identity.
- Balancing the tills at the end of every day.
- Placing stops on cheques.
- Assisted with customer complaints and queries on a daily basis.
- Advising customers on the best products for them.
Cashier & Customer Services Assistant
Lloyd's Bank
Piccadilly, England
1989.06 - 1995.03
- Dealing with high profile customers on a daily basis.
- Dealing with vasts amounts of money.
- Being on the frontline dealing with customers on a one to one basis.
- Making sure we reached deadlines for Chaps payments.
- Making sure we balanced the tills everyday.
- Working well within a team.
- Maintaining cashpoints and ordering money.
Education
6 GSCE'S - English, Mathematics
Erith School
1985.01 - 1989.07
Skills
- Purchase orders handling
- Statement verification
- Credit control
- Financial literacy
- Allocation of payments
- Debtor and Creditor reconciliations
- Discretion and confidentiality
- Invoice processing
- Payment Processing
- Data Entry
- Issue resolution
- Account reconciliation
- Timesheet preparation
- Invoicing procedures
- Finance reporting
- Telephone etiquette
- Accounts Payable and Receivable (AP/AR)
- Accounts Payable payment runs
- Historical data and archiving
- Petty cash distribution
- Deadline awareness
- Cash handling
- Expenses
References
REFERENCES Available on request
Timeline
Finance Assistant / Credit Control
Devon Concrete Ltd
2021.08 - 2026.06
Finance Assistant / Credit Control
Hawkridge Dairy Produce
2018.06 - 2021.08
Finance Assistant / Credit Controller
Bio Products Laboratory Ltd
2007.08 - 2017.08
Care Assistant
Carer Ainsworth Care
2007.01 - 2007.04
Customer Assistant
Asda Stores Ltd
2004.11 - 2005.04
Finance Assistant
Citicapital
1997.07 - 2002.09
Home Furnishings Assistant
Marks & Spencer Watford
1996.05 - 1997.07
Cashier & Customer Services Assistant
Allied Irish Bank GB
1995.02 - 1996.05
Cashier & Customer Services Assistant
Lloyd's Bank
1989.06 - 1995.03
6 GSCE'S - English, Mathematics
Erith School
1985.01 - 1989.07