Finance Assistant / Assistant Accountant

Join the Award-Winning Team at Man Bites Dog!

Do you take pride in keeping a finance function running like clockwork? Are you someone who values consistency, accuracy, and ownership in your work? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

Man Bites Dog is seeking a Finance Assistant or Assistant Accountant / Finance Manager (depending on experience) to play a key role in our small but highly effective finance function.

This is a broad and hands-on position suited to a finance professional who enjoys variety, takes ownership of their work, and is comfortable operating independently in a fast-paced SME environment. Whether you’re earlier in your career and confident with transactional finance, or more experienced and looking for a stable role where you can embed yourself and make a lasting impact, this position offers the opportunity to take full responsibility for a well-established finance function.

We’re looking for someone dependable, detail-oriented, and proactive - someone who will ask questions when needed, communicate confidently with stakeholders across the business, and ensure processes run smoothly and consistently. This is not a role focused on rapid progression, but rather one where you can build stability, autonomy, and mastery, helping to keep the finance function efficient and robust.

You’ll be exposed to a wide range of financial responsibilities, offering far more variety than a typical large-company role, and will become a trusted part of a small, collaborative team.

About Us:

Man Bites Dog is an award-winning global B2B thought leadership and strategic marketing consultancy working with some of the world’s most exciting companies, including global leaders in technology, professional and financial services and engineering sectors. From sustainability and energy transition to AI and the future of work, our campaigns focus on some of today’s biggest issues and apply fresh thinking to fascinating subjects in order to deliver brand and sales impact for our clients.

Role Overview:

Reporting to the Finance Director, this role is integral to the smooth day-to-day operation of the finance function within a fast-paced SME environment. Working closely with the Finance Director, client teams, and budget holders across the business, it blends hands-on financial processing with broader operational and project-based support.

This is a broad and varied position suited to a highly organised, detail-oriented individual who is comfortable managing transactional finance activities independently. The role requires a multi-skilled finance professional with experience in an SME, across accounts payable, accounts receivable, credit control, payroll support, VAT returns, expenses and suppliers.

In addition to core finance responsibilities, the role will support the COO with utilisation reporting, project resourcing, and project management activities, while also assisting with ongoing ISO accreditation requirements, particularly during audit periods. The successful candidate will help maintain supplier sustainability standards and ensure compliance with environmental, ethical, and social procurement processes, requiring strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams.

Responsibilities:

• Perform daily bank reconciliations and maintain accurate cash records

• Identify and resolve discrepancies, ensuring a high level of accuracy across all financial records and processes

• Process and code employee expense transactions using Pleo

• Manage weekly purchase ledger activities, including supplier invoice processing and payment preparation

• Carry out credit control activities, following up on outstanding debt and maintaining strong client relationships

• Provide monthly payroll support, ensuring accurate and timely submission of payroll information

• Assist with monthly finance processes, including VAT checks, accruals, prepayments, and balance sheet reconciliations

• Prepare and submit quarterly VAT returns in line with statutory requirements

• Support the preparation of annual statutory accounts and year-end audit processes

• Maintain accurate supplier records and support supplier onboarding, including sustainable procurement checks covering environmental, ethical, and social considerations

• Support the business in maintaining ISO accreditation standards, including preparing documentation and assisting during audit periods and providing data for our emission report

• Work collaboratively with client teams and budget holders to support invoicing, reporting, and financial processes

• Assist the COO with utilisation reporting, project resourcing, and project management administration

• Use finance and operational systems effectively, including Xero, Dext, Pleo, and Synergist, or comparable systems

Requirements

Essential:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a similar finance or accounts role

• Previous experience working within an SME environment, with the ability to manage a varied workload

• Very strong attention to detail and high levels of accuracy

• Proven ability to work effectively to deadlines and manage competing priorities

• Confidence to uphold financial controls and ensure processes are consistently followed

• Professional and approachable communication style, with the confidence to challenge where necessary to maintain compliance and process integrity

• Comfortable working across a broad range of finance and operational responsibilities

• Experience in credit control and managing outstanding debt

• Experience managing supplier relationships and purchase ledger activities

• Strong stakeholder management skills, including liaising with clients, suppliers, and internal teams

• Self-motivated, dependable, and consistent in approach. Strong work ethic with a proactive and solutions-focused mindset.

• Experience using Xero, Dext, Pleo, and Synergist, or comparable systems

Desirable:

• AAT qualification, or equivalent finance experience gained in practice and demonstrable through previous roles.

• Previous experience working within an agency environment

Benefits

Why Join Us?

• Collaborate with exciting clients and an award-winning team of industry leaders, on innovative campaigns that are dedicated to making a positive impact on the world.

• Be part of a collegiate culture, named ‘Specialist B2B Agency of the Year’ at the B2B Marketing Awards in recognition of our team engagement and commitment to creating the best working environment.

• Access unparalleled opportunities for professional growth, as we prioritise continuous learning and believe our people’s personal development is fundamental to our mission.

• Great company benefits including flexible working, healthcare, Wellness Wednesday, early finish on a Friday, an individual training budget and a lively social calendar that includes our annual European weekender.

• Man Bites Dog is an equal opportunities employer. We believe that employing a diverse workforce is central to our success and our DEI&B group is continually looking at ways we can encourage every employee to express and belief in themselves.

Join our collaborative team at Man Bites Dog and play a key role in keeping our finance function running smoothly and effectively. If you take pride in accuracy, consistency, and creating well-structured processes behind the scenes, and enjoy being part of a business where your work genuinely supports how things operate day to day - we’d love to hear from you.