Senior AP Accounts Assistant

About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is the UK’s fastest growing data centre provider which owns, designs, builds and operates the country’s most efficient and flexible data centres.

In May 2023 we announced our plans to expand into continental Europe, with our first data centre due to open in Berlin in 2026, to be quickly followed by two full campuses and expansion into other countries in the pipeline.

Our purpose is to serve humanity by being an active, positive participant in the 4th industrial revolution. When we talk about our purpose, we refer to our customers’ customers; the child playing a computer game, the person watching their favourite movie, booking a medical appointment, a plane ticket, a hotel or doing their online banking; those things can’t be done if we don’t do our job.

Our mission is to consistently exceed the expectations of customers through innovative, high-quality solutions and services. We employ intelligent thinkers – people with positive attitudes, who add to the quality of our customer proposition and business.

We value individual endeavour and initiative and encourage teamwork and togetherness because collective experience and expertise is VIRTUS’ greatest strength.

Job Summary

AP is key to a well-functioning Finance Team and the Senior AP Accounts Assistant will be pivotal to ensuring all suppliers are paid within a timely manner within the agreed contract terms to maintain strong trusted relationships with all suppliers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsibility for the material and significant AP areas –
  • Primarily CAPEX, power, rent and rates.
  • Reconciling supplier statements and addressing discrepancies promptly.
  • Maintaining and reviewing the integrity of supplier master data.
  • Ability to delegate duties, tasks, reports and proposals as and when due.
  • Ability to adjust to diverse ideas, identify and implement improvements in the accounts payable team.
• Responsibility for setting up and organising the bi-monthly payment runs to ensure that correct and accurate payments are made to all creditors and preparation of required documentation and reports.
• Ensure all cash postings are completed before each payment run and confirmed
• Preparation of monthly review of aged creditors reports including commentary ensuring all follow up actions completed.
• Oversee the processing of all invoices received and ensure the weekly tracker is maintained and distributed to the entire team.
• Build solid relationships across all units
• Responsibility for ensuring the AP & Accounts email in-boxes [and ABBYY exception report] are monitored and organised and all queries are answered within target KPI required limits. Including responding to external and internal queries via phone and email and handling escalations.
• Overseeing and monitoring Purchase Order requests both current and outstanding including communication and training for the wider business in PO creation and payment issues.
• Monthly review of open purchase orders and purchase orders that have been goods received and not yet invoiced chasing requestors for follow up actions on outstanding purchase orders
• Responsibility for the operation of the Concur expenses system:
  • Review and finance approval of expense claims to ensure compliance with finance policies.
  • Ensuring correct expense claims from a finance perspective.
• Review of unallocated payments ensuring all payment postings completed prior to month end.
• Preparation of monthly expected operational expenditure and forecast to be included in monthly cashflow.
• Preparation and parking of month end journals relating to accounts payable.
• Preparation of monthly balance sheet reconciliations relating to accounts payable.
• Reviewing any open SAP service now tickets relating to accounts payable, ensuring system issues resolved in a timely manner
• Preparation of accounts payable KPI reports and monthly summary on accounts payable activities.
• Preparation of external payment reporting practices.
• Assisting in updating and maintaining procedural and controls documentation to ensure compliance with internal audit and in the future SOX requirements.
• Assist with tasks relating to year-end and internal audit.

Any other reasonable requests made by your line manager.

What success looks like in 12 months’ time:

Working closely alongside the AP Manager to fully develop a standalone and independent AP Function to ensure future SOX compliance readiness. This would involve meeting all KPI targets with respect to invoice processing times and ensuring the AP Function as a whole is able to ensure all suppliers are paid within a timely manner within the agreed contract terms to maintain strong trusted relationships with all suppliers.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Qualification or an Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) or part-qualified.

Experience

• SAP S/4 HANA system experience.

Skills

• Team player with the ability to collaborate effectively and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong data analysis, interpretation skills and excellent attention to detail.

In line with VIRTUS’ Vetting Policy, the successful applicant must be willing to undergo a BS7858 screening process.

Additional Information

This is a hybrid role, with weekly travel into central London required and some occasional travel to data centres based west of London.

Remuneration package and benefits:

• Private healthcare
• Pension contribution scheme

• Eye and dental care benefit

• Discretionary bonus
• Income Protection
• Life Assurance

• Cycle to work scheme
• Annual travel card loan
• Tech Scheme
• Electric car scheme
• Workplace extras - Byond card and Extras discount

VIRTUS is an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to fight for equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

If you are interested in this role, please email your CV to [email protected]

We reserve the right to close this post for applications should sufficient applications be received.