Purchase Ledger Coordinator

Schillings is a multidisciplinary advisory firm with expertise in reputation, privacy and security.

We work with UK and international clients to successfully manage high-stakes opportunities and threats, using a unique combination of capabilities: legal; intelligence; communications; security and diplomacy.

We believe everyone has a right to fair treatment of their reputation, to a reasonable expectation of privacy and to feel safe.

Our experts sit within their specialist team but day-to-day work in multidisciplinary teams solving client problems. They are supported by our business services teams: Clients and Markets, HR, Finance, Risk and Compliance, IT and Client Services. 

Because we are a growth business, opportunities appear in all areas and at all levels.   We have the largest team of specialist media lawyers in the world, an expanding Intelligence & Investigations team, a growing Critical Risks unit, an evolving Digital Resilience practice, and a new communications agency – Schillings Communications – that will grow significantly in the next three years. 

Schillings is a collaborative, fun and welcoming place to work, with a positive culture, strong values and a developed service ethic.  We require commitment, diligence, agility and professionalism, and in return provide competitive packages and incredibly stimulating and interesting work.  We are committed to sharing learning and creating development opportunities so you can progress your career with us. Our people’s career trajectory and longevity at Schillings is a good example of this: a third of our people have been at the business for over five years. Join us and become part of our story.

Job Title: Purchase Ledger Coordinator

Reporting to: Purchase Ledger Specialist

Salary: £28,000 - £30,000

Job Purpose:

The purchase ledger coordinator will provide a professional and timely accounting service in respect to all invoices received into the business, as well as receipts and payments in and out of our office and client accounts. There will at times be an overlap with the Revenue team, requiring you to support with billing and credit control. The purchase ledger coordinator will be able to work quickly and efficiently within a team environment, you will support the finance team in providing a high-quality service to our internal and external clients.  The job will require times of high pressure, and ability to work collaboratively with all areas across the firm.

Role Accountabilities:

As Purchase Ledger Coordinator, you are responsible for processing documentation, posting bank transactions, reconciling accounts and the creation of payment runs.

• Ensure invoices and credit cards are posted in accordance with our internal approval requirements, on time, and accurately that meet the needs of our business. This will include expenses and disbursements chargeable to our clients.
• The daily management of Chrome River, our expense management software.
• Ensure that the Purchase Ledger is accurately maintained, and processing deadlines (payment dates) are met.
• To ensure suppliers (trade suppliers, counsel, Partners) are paid in accordance with agreed terms and conditions, or in accordance with best practice.
• To ensure good internal control with respect to the Purchase Ledger function.
• VAT – ensuring we remain compliant with HMRC regulations.
• Investigating and resolving any ad hoc purchase ledger queries as required.
• Credit cards – Coding and posting monthly credit card statements.
• Petty cash - processing fee earner expense forms; checking all supporting documentation (e.g., invoices/till receipts etc.); coding all claims; and obtaining the necessary authorisation before payment.
• Disbursement ledger - coding and posting counsel fee notes; filing; reconciliation of Counsel Fee statements to nominal ledger on a quarterly basis.
• Funding – organising internal transfers and foreign currency when required
• Banking – Posting of daily receipts and banking transactions, reconciling back to the bank
• Payments – responsible for all outgoing payments for the company using electronic means. This includes doing monthly BACS run and raising client and office cheques when required
• Client to office transfers – collating information and processing client to office transfers once a week including payments in line with our internal SRA policy.
• To support our monthly billing cycle but providing support to the Revenue team when required
• Demonstrates strong teamwork and collaboration skills, effectively working with colleagues across departments to achieve common goals.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• You will have 2+ years of purchase ledger experience.
• Exceptional analytical and strategic thinking abilities.
• The ability to work to daily, monthly, and annual deadlines, and report progress upwards.
• A positive and driven attitude which focuses on getting the job done, rather than putting in the hours.
• A detailed knowledge of SRA Accounts rules and firm’s Anti Money Laundering and KYC processes is not essential, but a basic understanding is beneficial.
• Advanced in using Excel to reconcile, summarise and analyse data efficiently.

Life at Schillings

Given our audacious (and successful) business strategy, it is not surprising that Schillings has a very strong culture. The atmosphere is highly collaborative and focused on excellence. We have worked hard over the years to develop a coaching culture and are remarkably non-hierarchical, especially given our roots as a law firm. Schillings has adopted a set of values to put at the heart of this change and they reflect the intention and tenor of our ambitious plans. They are: ‘Innovative; Bold; United; and Excellent’. Our client list speaks for the outstanding results that have been delivered over many years and the task now is to grow without losing any of the commitment to delivering for clients or the service ethos. Finding people who share our values and can thrive in this environment is key to our success.

It takes a unique mix of people to create something truly great. We appreciate that diversity of thought, background and culture creates the best environment to truly innovate, solve problems and achieve our goals. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds – if you are driven and want to achieve your best then we will give you the platform and support to succeed.

Please let us know if there are any extenuating circumstances we should consider, or any adjustments we may need to make to our selection process, when making your application.

Find our candidate privacy notice here, Candidate Privacy Notice (schillingspartners.com)