Assistant Accountant

Colas USA; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction company is looking for an Assistant Accountant to join their Head Office Finance team in Birmingham. The role involves managing subledger costs, supporting budgeting, and ensuring timely financial reporting. The ideal candidate should be a part-qualified accountant with strong analytical skills, a good command of Excel, and some knowledge of ERP systems, especially JD Edwards. Offering a compensation package with a salary between £30,000 and £35,000, hybrid work options, and opportunities for professional development, this position promises excellent career prospects.

Benefits

Pension scheme with up to 10% contributions

Life Assurance scheme (x4 salary)

25 days annual leave plus public holidays

Holiday purchase and selling scheme

Opportunities for fully funded qualifications

Qualifications

• Experience in management accounting is desirable.
• Good working knowledge of ERP systems is essential.
• Effective communication with stakeholders is important.

Responsibilities

• Review Head Office subledger costs monthly.
• Prepare monthly cost control reviews and postings.
• Collaborate with finance managers on financial processes.

Skills

Advanced Excel skills

Analytical capabilities

Organisational capabilities

Effective communication

Critical thinking

Education

Part-qualified accountant

Tools

JD Edwards

Job description

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Colas Ltd are a UK subsidiary of the global Colas Group, which operates in over 50 countries worldwide and employs over 55,000 people including over 1500 in the UK across multiple sites. We are specialists in highways construction and have been involved in large-scale UK and international construction projects within the highways, airfields, and marine sectors as well as offering highways maintenance services and manufacturing our own innovative surfacing products. We hold a 'Gold Investor in People' award for continuously developing and rewarding our employees, offering excellent career potential.

Colas Ltd. have a great opportunity for an Assistant Accountant to join the Head Office Finance team based in Solihull. You will manage the accurate management, allocation and analysis of Head Office subledger costs. The role supports effective cost control, budgeting and month-end reporting, working closely with subledger owners and finance colleagues to ensure timely, accurate and compliant financial information.

Main Responsibilities

The Assistant Accountant is responsible for reviewing Head Office subledger costs on a monthly basis and ensuring all month-end closing entries are accurately posted within deadlines. This includes preparing monthly cost control reviews, posting accruals, prepayments and work-in-progress journals, and performing detailed reconciliations and cost analysis to reflect the most accurate accounting position.The Assistant Accountant will calculate and process monthly internal recharges, raise invoices for external recharges, and review aged GRNI balances, proposing corrections where required. The role supports subledger owners with budget preparation and ongoing cost control, ensures the correct use of accounts and subledgers to support reporting and audit requirements, and checks payroll cost allocations on a monthly basis.Additional responsibilities include inputting payments on banking platforms, producing Office for National Statistics (ONS) returns, posting ad hoc journals when required, and working collaboratively with business unit finance managers to ensure financial processes are consistently followed. All activities must be carried out with due regard for health and safety, environmental responsibility, and corporate and legal requirements, along with any other duties assigned by the Finance & Treasury Manager.

Ideal Candidate

It is highly desirable that the ideal candidate will be a part-qualified accountant with experience in management accounting and a good working knowledge of ERP systems, with JD Edwards experience being advantageous. They will possess advanced Excel skills and demonstrate strong analytical and organisational capabilities, coupled with excellent attention to detail.

They will be comfortable working autonomously, display a proactive and critical-thinking approach, and communicate effectively with stakeholders across the business. A collaborative mindset and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment are essential.

Package Description

Here at Colas, we offer a great total compensation package, including:

• A salary between £30,000 and £35,000 (dependent on experience and qualification)
• Our Colas Pension Scheme has combined contributions of up to 10%
• Life Assurance Scheme which is x4 basic salary
• 25 days annual leave per year + Public Holidays
• Holiday Purchase & Selling Scheme
• Hybrid Working Scheme (dependent on the role)
• Opportunities to study towards a fully funded Professional Qualification
• Discounts on car leasing, holidays, cinema tickets, restaurants and much more through our online employee benefits portal

At Colas, our culture is guided by four core values: Respect, Commitment, Pioneering, and Sharing. These values shape how we work, collaborate, and grow together. We believe that respect is the foundation of every relationship. By treating others as we wish to be treated, we foster fairness, transparency, and inclusion within our teams and with our clients, communities, and partners. Commitment means dedicating ourselves fully to everything we do. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to make a meaningful impact. With a pioneering spirit, we prioritise bold innovation over blind ambition. We welcome new ideas, invest in our people, and work to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions that shape the future. Through sharing, we build trust and solidarity, encouraging collaboration and growth at all levels of the business.

Colas Ltd is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that mirrors the communities we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you want a workplace where your voice is valued and your potential is developed, Colas is the right choice.

Note to Recruitment Agencies: In line with our Company Policy, Colas Ltd has a preference for direct hiring and we will reach out to our PSL (Preferred Suppliers List) agencies if the role is eligible for release. We do not accept speculative CVs from agencies. If a speculative CV is sent, no fee will be applicable.