Hotel Chocolat invites applications from suitably qualified and motivated candidates to fill the role of Finance Associate. As an integral member of the Finance Department, you will collaborate with the Finance Manager to support strategic financial initiatives, uphold high standards of financial reporting, and implement effective accounting practices aimed at improving overall operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Treasury & Cash:

Lead daily cash/bank reconciliations and weekly banking.

Manage petty cash, declarations of funds, and assist with chargebacks/variance resolution.

Invoices, Payments & Filing:

Oversee accurate/timely invoice entry & coding & step in hands-on during peak/period-end.

Drive compliance for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) as the default payment method; work with D365/banking system owners to streamline vendor onboarding, payment file generation, and approval workflows.

Prepare weekly payment runs (bank/wire, bulk upload & cheques) with the Finance Manager

Maintain invoice filing (digital & physical), cheque drop-off log, and send supplier statements; and resolve supplier queries.

Accounts Receivable / Credit Control:

Own AR aging reviews and collections; improve DSO improvement and resolve disputes with operations teams, ensuring timely accurate invoicing and collection.

Statutory & Government:

Support VAT (monthly), Tourism Levy (weekly), Tourism Enhancement Fund (monthly), and Government reports (quarterly) with full audit trails and on-time submissions.

Reporting & Close:

Produce the Weekly Finance Report (Mon/Tues) covering cash, AP/AR, risks, and actions.

Execute period/month-end reconciliations and close checklists, clear review points promptly.

Oversee service-charge tracking and reconciliation.

Assist with monthly reporting packs and weekly cash flow updates.

People & CI / Deputising:

Deputise for the Finance Manager to coordinate priorities, approvals, and provide cover during absences.

Coach and support the finance administrator team

Lead practical CI initiatives (standardisation, automation, data hygiene) to reduce manual effort and shorten cycle times.

Skills & Experience:

3–5+ years in finance operations (hospitality/retail/multi-site advantageous).

Proficient with Finance systems and Excel (lookups, pivots; Power Query a plus).

Strong grasp of cash controls, AP/AR cycles, reconciliations, and VAT/statutory filings.

Clear, confident communicator with suppliers, banks, UK/Group stakeholders, and internal teams; organized and detail driven.

Proven continuous-improvement track record (process simplification, standardization, or automation).

Comfortable leading in the Finance Manager’s absence and working to strict Group deadlines.

Qualifications: Associate Degree in Finance and or Related Field

Applications should be sent to vacancies@thehotelchocolat.com