Rachel Smith

After working in the team as an assistant accountant for less than a year my contribution to the group was recognised and I was promoted to Management Accountant. This gave me greater responsibility within the team whilst developing stronger relationships with higher management.

Main Responsibilities include:

• Producing Management accounts
• Business partnering with departmental directors
• Overseeing the teams finance reconciliations to ensure accuracy
• Prepare and analyse variance/KPI reports for monthly accounts reviews with the CFO
• Preparation of budgets and forecasts
• Maintaining the group asset register to ensure capital expenditure requirements are met and fixed asset verification is completed
• Complete quarterly/annual ONS Survey
• Quarterly VAT return submissions
• Producing director monthly bonuses schedules based on profit share
• Authorising online bank payments
• Raising rebate invoices and ensuring efficient payment

During my time in this role I worked closely with the heads of departments to ensure that they have a strong understanding of their accounts and the costs which are running through them each month.

Main Responsibilities included:

• Production of management accounts for the department heads/divisional finance directors to tight deadlines.
• Accruals and prepayments
• Producing forecasts
• Monthly accounts reviews with the heads of departments providing the monthly findings in detail to allow understanding of variances to forecast/budget.
• Balance sheet reconciliations
• Inputting of payments onto the banking system
• Preparation of budgets/forecasts
• Intercompany reconciliation
• Processing credit card expenses
• Cash and bank reconciliations
• Reconciliation of volume bonus receipts

During this role I worked closely with the IT department which helped me to gain invaluable knowledge of DMS system and how we can manipulate it to get relevant data out, allowing the system to be used to the maximum potential. Enabling us to put the correct controls into place to ensure that the appropriate procedures are followed and highlighting where we may have scope for opportunities within the business.

Main Responsibilities included:

• Supporting the finance division and the wider Sytner community in the use of Vehicle Stock Books, Sales, Purchase and Nominal ledger helping in resolving issues as they arise
• Providing training courses for new accounting and administration colleagues
• Responsible for the administration of system check reports to ensure appropriate security and audit controls are in place and followed
• Assisting in planning, delivering and reviewing systems training courses for both vehicle administration and the accounts modules producing training materials for users on the DMS system
• Providing data and reports for various personnel including the senior management team and external auditors. This will at times involve the creation of new reports within the DMS system as new controls are identified
• Tracking and implementing system enhancements and updates
• Working as part of a team on larger system developments both within the office and around the group
• Project work assisting in the acquisition and disposal of new dealerships and offering support and training to new colleagues
• Carrying out internal audits

During this period I gained a wider knowledge of the accounting function, completing monthend/yearend tasks, reconciling balance sheets, providing support to the finance function and providing weekly adhoc reports working closely with the sales department.

Main responsibilities included:

• Daily and weekly sales reporting
• Preparation of monthly management accounts
• Daily and monthly debtors reporting for banking purposes
• Bank Reconciliations
• Monthly reconciliations of balance sheet accounts
• Processing of expense claims
• Petty cash management
• Analysis of P&L expense accounts

Main responsibilities included:

• Chasing customer accounts for payment
• Releasing orders
• Dealing with telephone queries on invoices
• Processing card payments
• Allocating cash
• Entering manual invoices/credit notes
• Posting journals
• Liaising with the legal team regarding bad debtors

Main responsibilities included:

• Monthly debtors reviews with the sales managers
• Reconciling balance sheet control accounts
• Posting intercompany and accrual journals
• Monthly profit & loss
• Reconciling sales ledger accounts and controlling credit
• Cashiering including. Banking, Raising cheques & BACS payments