Graduate Accounting Assistant

About Downing Downing is dedicated to delivering investments that matter - for our economy, our health, our society, our local communities and our environment. For over 35 years, our highly experienced team and our entrepreneurial spirit has driven us to seek out long-term and unique opportunities that solve challenges faced by investors, companies and society. As a certified B Corp, we take our responsibilities, to our investors, our stakeholders and society, seriously. We invest for return while always considering our impact on the world. About the team We're looking for a detail-oriented and ambitious Graduate Accounting Assistant to join our growing finance team in a fast-paced and entrepreneurial lending business. This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience across accounting, loan administration, fund reporting, management accounts, and financial reporting while being supported through an ACCA programme. Role and responsibilities: - Managing and maintaining loan records within Dynamics 365, ensuring data accuracy across our lending portfolios - Supporting investor and funder reporting, including compliance reporting, covenant monitoring, and onboarding new funding facilities - Assisting with portfolio MI and reporting in Power BI, with opportunities to leverage AI and automation to improve efficiency and data quality - Performing daily payment and cash reconciliations and supporting the preparation of monthly management accounts - Assisting with annual audited financial statements and working closely with external auditors - Processing payment runs and maintaining accurate financial records - Supporting the preparation and submission of VAT returns What we're looking for: - A strong desire to become an ACCA-qualified accountant through an apprenticeship programme - Excellent attention to detail and accuracy - Highly detail-oriented - Advanced Microsoft Excel and Word skills - Strong written and v