Expenses Assistant

Role Purpose

The Expenses Assistant is responsible for the efficient administration of employee expenses through the Continia Expenses platform. The role supports colleagues across the business, ensuring expense claims are processed accurately, in line with company policy and agreed service levels.

Working closely with employees, managers, payroll, finance and system administrators, the Expenses Assistant will help maintain a compliant, customer-focused and efficient expense management service.

Key Responsibilities

Expense Processing

·         Review and process employee expense claims submitted through Continia Expenses.

·         Ensure claims are supported by appropriate receipts and documentation.

·         Verify coding, project allocations, VAT treatment and policy compliance.

·         Monitor expense workflows and ensure claims progress through approval stages.

·         Prepare approved claims for reimbursement in accordance with payment schedules.

Compliance and Controls

·         Ensure all expense claims comply with company Travel and Expenses Policies.

·         Identify policy breaches and escalate exceptions where appropriate.

·         Validate receipts, mileage claims and supporting documentation.

·         Support audit requirements through accurate record keeping and document retention.

·         Assist with month-end reconciliations relating to employee expenses and corporate card transactions.

User Support

·         Act as the first point of contact for employee and manager queries relating to expenses.

·         Provide guidance on the use of Continia Expenses and company policies.

·         Support users with claim submissions, corrections and approval issues.

·         Assist in delivering user guidance, training materials and FAQs.

System Administration

·         Support the maintenance of user access and approval hierarchies within Continia Expenses.

·         Assist with testing and implementation of system enhancements and process improvements.

·         Monitor system issues and liaise with IT and system providers where required.

·         Support data cleansing and the accuracy of expense-related master data.

Reporting and Process Improvement

·         Produce regular reports on claim volumes, processing times and outstanding approvals.

·         Identify trends and recurring issues and recommend process improvements.

·         Support continuous improvement initiatives within the Finance Shared Service Centre.

·         Help maintain process documentation and work instructions.

Skills and Experience

Essential

·         Previous experience in a finance administration, accounts payable or expenses processing role.

·         Good understanding of financial controls and data accuracy.

·         Strong attention to detail and ability to work with large volumes of transactions.

·         Excellent customer service and communication skills.

·         Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook and other Microsoft Office applications.

·         Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.

Desirable

·         Experience using Continia Expenses.

·         Experience working within Business Central, Dynamics 365 or a similar ERP system.

·         Understanding of VAT requirements relating to expense claims.

·         Experience within a Shared Service Centre environment.

Personal Attributes

·         Organised and methodical.

·         Customer-focused with a proactive approach.

·         Strong problem-solving skills.

·         Able to work independently and as part of a team.

·         Positive attitude towards change and continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators

·         Expense claims processed within agreed service levels.

·         Accuracy rate of processed claims.

·         Number of claims requiring rework.

·         User satisfaction levels.

·         Outstanding approval backlog.

·         Compliance with expense policy requirements.

·         Achievement of month-end deadlines.

Qualifications

·         GCSEs, or equivalent, including Maths and English.

AAT qualification, or studying towards AAT, is desirable but not essential

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