Accounts Payable Assistant

Practice Group / Department:

Job Description

We're Norton Rose Fulbright - a global law firm with over 50 offices and 7,000 employees worldwide. We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. At Norton Rose Fulbright, our strategy and our culture are closely entwined. We know that our expansion will mean little unless it is underpinned by truly global collaboration and we understand that pioneering work only takes place when our people have room to move and think beyond boundaries. As well as the relevant skills and experience, we're looking for people who are innovative, commercial and value the work that they do. 

Our Newcastle office is currently recruiting for an Accounts Payable Assistant to join one of the largest finance teams in the North East. The team comprises over 60 finance professionals divided into several specialised teams that support financial operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia (EMEA).

The Role

The role sits within our Finance Department in Newcastle, reporting to the Chrome River and Payments Manager.  The role is in a team that provides support for the EMEA Chrome River function as well as generating payment runs for the UK and some EMEA offices.  The firm uses SAP as its ERP solution and Chrome River/Emburse software to handle the workflow of invoices and expenses.  The team also provides Accounts Payable support and best practice options to the wider EMEA region.  This role will be operated on a shift system basis (08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday)

Key responsibilities

In line with the agreed EMEA Chrome River support model:

• Actioning Service Now support tickets from the business, which will include:
• Reporting requests 
• Query support for the business on invoices and expenses
• Troubleshooting requests - How do I?
• Finance process and policy queries and their application in relation to Chrome River
• Other issues relating to system support
• Liaising with internal Chrome River second line support and the Chrome River Service Desk in the event of escalations, major issues or system fails
• Updating the EMEA Chrome River dashboard (links, top tips, FAQs)
• Regular liaison with the key stakeholders (EMEA Finance Teams,  IT Training team to communicate systems updates and assist with updating/maintaining user guides and reviewing any training material to ensure it is fit for purpose

Payments:

• Generating UK and where required, EMEA payment runs by arrangement with local offices in agreed timeframes following the payment calendar, ensuring transactions clear SAP and the banks in a timely fashion.  Investigating, resolving or escalating issues relating to uncleared items
• Entering UK manual payment requests onto HSBCnet/RBS Bankline platforms as required, ensuring payments are sent in a timely manner, escalating as required
• Providing support to and liaising with the payment team on payment requests and timings, outstanding bank reconciliation items
• Administering the firm’s agile payment solutions, including American Express, HSBC Virtual cards
• Other ad hoc tasks as may be required

Key Skills and experience

• Able to work as part of team, sharing knowledge and ideas with peers, proactive and working towards shared goals
• Keen sense of responsibility, ability to set a professional example and ensure the team commits to and delivers to defined scope and timeframes
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate in a professional, approachable manner at all levels, and to non-Finance professionals, both verbally and in writing.
• Able to follow standard operating procedures whilst being able to exercise good judgement and decision making when presented with anomalies and non-standard requests
• Comfortable working within a fast-paced, flexible, shift based environment supporting Finance and the business in the completion of objectives
• Knowledge of SAP, Chrome River or other invoice/expense workflow solution useful
• Able to use Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word and Outlook)
• Experience of a professional services environment useful but not essential

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

To attract the best people, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work, have a sense of belonging, and realize their full career potential. Our new enabled work model allows our people to have more flexibility in the way they choose to work from both the office and a remote location, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of service. We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive employment policies and provide access to programmes and services aimed at nurturing our people’s health and overall wellbeing. Find more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion here.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any tailored adjustments or accommodations, please let us know here.