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Bookkeeper / Trainee Accountant
About us
With 140+ years of heritage, Empee is a leading UK B2B fabric wholesaler, trusted by fabric retailers and manufacturers across fashion, hobby, and craft industries.
We’re currently undergoing a bold rebrand and digital transformation to reshape the future of textile wholesale and elevate the customer experience.
As part of this next phase of growth, we’re looking for a detail-oriented and ambitious Bookkeeper / Trainee Accountant to take ownership of day-to-day finance operations and grow into a key finance role within the business. If you’re looking for a role where you can build real ownership, learn fast, and grow into a senior finance position, we’d love to hear from you.
Why Join Us?
- Join a growing B2B business with a loyal customer base
- Work closely with senior leadership
- Mentorship from an experienced CFO consultant
- Opportunity to grow with the business and become a key member of the team driving its financial growth and direction
- Be part of a business modernising a 140-year legacy
Job Description
Location: On-site (Edmonton, North London)
Job Type: Full Time
Salary: £38,000 – £45,000 depending on experience
Job Summary
This is a hands-on finance role combining core bookkeeping responsibilities with exposure to broader financial management.
We are open to:
- An experienced Bookkeeper looking to step up into a broader finance role
or
- A Trainee Accountant looking to qualify while gaining practical, end-to-end experience
Key Responsibilities
Day-to-Day Finance Operations
- Maintain accurate financial records, ledgers, and documentation
- Process purchase and sales invoices, ensuring correct coding and approvals
- Manage accounts payable and receivable, including supplier payments and debtor tracking and creditor risk
- Month end tasks including journals, accruals, prepayments & ledger analysis
- Perform bank, credit card, and balance sheet reconciliations
- Manage and coordinate foreign currency payments, including supplier payments and FX purchases
Reporting & Financial Management
- Prepare monthly management accounts (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow)
- Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and cashflow management
- Support financial analysis to inform business decisions Monitor costs, and operational performance
Compliance & Processes
- Prepare and submit VAT returns
- Support payroll processing and expense management
- Ensure compliance with UK accounting standards and internal policies
- Liaise with external accountants on year-end and statutory filings
Business Support & Growth
- Help implement and improve financial systems, controls, and processes
- Work cross-functionally with sales, operations, and warehouse teams
- Support the business through its digital and operational transformation
What you’ll bring
- 2–5 years’ experience in bookkeeping or a similar finance role (or strong trainee profile)
- Proficiency in Xero beneficial but not compulsory
- Solid understanding of UK accounting principles, VAT, and financial processes
- Strong Excel skills Book
- Organised, reliable, and able to manage multiple priorities
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
- Detail-oriented but commercially aware
- Proactive, driven and solutions-focused
- Comfortable taking ownership, responsibility & using initiative
- Interested in growing with a business long-term
- Collaborative and team-oriented, with a willingness to support where needed
For Trainee Accountants
We welcome candidates actively studying or planning to study a UK professional accounting qualification, such as:
- AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians)
- ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
- CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)
We will support your development alongside hands-on experience across all areas of finance.
Nice to Have
- Experience in wholesale, retail, or product-based businesses
- Exposure to inventory or stock-based accounting