Finance Assistant

Hours
35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9.30am - 5.30pm

Contract
A full-time, permanent post and subject to the Library’s general employment policies

Location
St James’s Square, London SW1 (with flexibility in line with hybrid working policy)

Reports to
Head of Finance

Closing date
9 November 2026 @ 12 noon

Interviews
13 November 2026: First Round - Online via Teams
            18 November 2026: Second Round - In person at The London Library

Job reference
LL/26/09

About The London Library

For 185 years, The London Library has stood as one of the UK's greatest literary institutions, inspiring creativity, and ideas. Our esteemed members, past and present, include literary giants like Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Virginia Woolf, and contemporary authors such as Kazuo Ishiguro and Sarah Waters. Our collection boasts around one million volumes, a vast eLibrary, and an invaluable postal loans service, making it a sanctuary for those who cherish the written word.

We are championed by our President, Helena Bonham Carter CBE, and operate as a registered charity. We have over 7,500 members and charitable turnover of circa £5m per year.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Finance Assistant to join our not-for-profit Finance Team. The role is responsible for the day-to-day processing and recording of Library transactions including receipts and payments, effectively, efficiently and accurately. 

In this pivotal role, you will:

• Create, manage, and maintain accurate and complete purchase ledger and sales ledger data, and ensure supplier payments are made on time 
• Manage entries in the Continia document-capture accounts payable system and Microsoft Business Central finance system
• Maintain a logical audit trail for all transactions
• Assist with preparation and processing of payroll
• Support the Library’s staff and budget holders

About You

We are looking for someone who has: 

• Has demonstrable practical experience of effective purchase/general/sales ledger operations and management of financial processes in a not for profit and/or membership organisation
• Is fluent in the use and understanding of accounting software for medium sized entities/charities (Microsoft Business Central preferable)
• Has experience of supporting payroll processing (preferably in Sage)
• Has experience with Microsoft Dynamics or other CRM software for membership and/or charitable donations data 
• Has demonstrable ability to work both effectively as part of a team, and to work independently 
• Is able to plan, prioritise and carry out routine work to a consistent standard, with attention to detail and meticulous concern for accuracy
• Has good interpersonal and communication skills; able to convey information clearly and courteously, in person, by phone and in writing
• Will bring excellent IT skills (MS Office especially Excel, email, internet) 

Personal attributes include:

• Pleasant, approachable, helpful, and responsive even under pressure
• Flexible, adaptable and with a good-humoured approach 

Why Join Us?

The London Library offers a friendly, hardworking, and inclusive workplace where we strive to support the diverse needs of our team. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to equality and diversity. Specific adjustments and access needs can be discussed to make this role suitable for you.

If you’re passionate about delivering an exceptional Finance experience and want to use your skills to help drive the success of The London Library, we would love to hear from you!

Please note:

• All applicants will be considered on the basis of their merits and abilities for the post.
• We can only consider candidates with the current right to work in the UK.
• We reserve the right to shorten or extend the closing date of any position where a high or low volume of suitable applications are received. Therefore, if you are interested in this role, an early application would be encouraged.
• Support for studies towards a professional qualification may be available for the right candidate
   

To Apply

Please complete an application form including the Library's equal opportunities monitoring form - available below - and email to vacancies@londonlibrary.co.uk

Candidate Information Pack

Application form