Finance Administrator — Chestnut Group

Chestnut is a hospitality group operating a portfolio of pubs and inns across East Anglia, alongside wine distribution and food subsidiaries. Behind every site is a high volume of invoices, payments, takings and supplier relationships — and this role keeps that engine running cleanly.

Reporting to the Financial Controller, you'll own the day-to-day transactional finance work that everything else depends on: purchase ledger, supplier payments, sales ledger, banking and reconciliations across the group's trading entities. Accuracy, reliability and a tidy ledger are the whole game.

It's also a role with room to grow. For someone with an appetite for finance, there's scope to take on more over time — with AAT study support available for the right candidate — progressing toward an assistant-accountant path.

What You'll Be Doing

Purchase Ledger & Payments

Process high volumes of purchase invoices across multiple trading entities and sites, coding accurately to the correct nominal and entity in Xero
Match invoices to orders and delivery notes, resolving discrepancies with suppliers and site managers
Prepare supplier payment runs to agreed terms, keeping the ledger reconciled to supplier statements
Set up and maintain supplier accounts

Sales Ledger & Credit Control

Raise sales and intercompany invoices (including the wine and events businesses) and allocate receipts accurately
Support credit control — chase overdue accounts, maintain aged debt, and escalate where needed

Banking & Reconciliations

Post and reconcile bank transactions across entity accounts, including site takings and card settlements
Reconcile petty cash, expenses and company credit cards

Finance Administration & Support

Maintain accurate, well-organised digital financial records and filing
Support month-end with reconciliations, basic accruals and prepayments prep, and ad hoc analysis
Respond to internal, site and supplier queries promptly and professionally
Help identify and adopt improvements — including automation and AI tools — that make routine processing faster and cleaner

What We're Looking For

Essential

Experience in a finance or accounts administration, purchase-ledger or transactional finance role — or strong administrative experience with a genuine appetite for finance
Accurate, methodical and well-organised, with strong attention to detail and reliable high-volume data entry
Confident with Excel and comfortable learning cloud accounting systems
A clear, professional communicator, comfortable dealing with suppliers, site managers and colleagues
Reliable, proactive and willing to take ownership of your area
Discreet and trustworthy with sensitive financial information

Desirable

AAT qualified or working towards (study support available)
Hands-on experience of Xero
Experience of a multi-entity, multi-site, hospitality or high-volume transactional environment
Familiarity with invoice-processing or automation tools, and an interest in using AI to work more efficiently

Why Join Us?

At Chestnut, we believe in rewarding our team, supporting personal growth, and creating a work environment that feels like home:

Team & Individual Incentives — rewards for your hard work, including staff days out and even trips abroad
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) — free, confidential support for wellbeing, finances, and more
Team Parties & Social Events — regular events to connect, relax, and celebrate together
Work Anniversary Rewards — your commitment celebrated every year
Refer a Friend Scheme — earn a cash bonus when a friend you recommend joins us
Peter Graham Wine Discounts — exclusive pricing on carefully selected wines
Family & Friends Discounts — share special perks with those you care about
Team Discounts — up to 50% off your food bill at our venues
Overnight Stays from £75 — take a break at any Chestnut property at a reduced rate
High Street Discounts — savings on retail, dining, and travel
Free Meal on Duty — a freshly prepared meal every shift
Tips + Wagestream Access — track your earnings in real time and access pay as you earn
Flexible Hours — support for a healthy work-life balance
Learning & Development — accredited training (including AAT study support) and continuous development opportunities

If this sounds like the right next step for you, we'd love to hear from you.