Job Description

Role Title: Accounts Payable Assistant

Grade and Salary: Grade 5, £26,707 - £31,236 per annum

FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35hrs per week) Fixed-term (6 months – with possibility of extension/conversion to open ended)

Reward and Benefits28 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday). Use our total rewards calculator:  https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

Purpose of Role

We are looking for a detail driven Accounts Payable Assistant to join our busy Accounts Payable Team.  

The successful candidate will have experience of working in a busy financial environment using financial systems, will be enthusiastic, willing to learn and be part of the bigger Financial Control Team. Good knowledge of Excel would be advantageous.  

The Accounts Payable team is responsible for maintaining the effective control for the payment of all suppliers as well as other University expenses from various sources. The post holder will be a member of the team engaged in these activities ensuring they are made in accordance with the University’s financial regulations, procedures and controls.  

The ideal candidate will have a minimum 2 year’s experience in a similar role and an ambition to always improve. A good people person, with strong communication skills & attention to detail would thrive in this atmosphere.   

Key Duties and Responsibilities

As our new Accounts Payable Assistant, you will join our office on the University campus working on a hybrid basis. Your main responsibilities will include but are not limited to:  

• Maintain the AP Mailbox on a daily basis including responding to relevant queries in a timely manner, redirection queries where appropriate and escalating any necessary issues to management.  
• Process Invoices onto Oracle in line with the relevant procedures and financial control framework  
• Update Supplier details including supplier bank details as and when appropriate and in adherence with control framework  
• Process Scholarship payment in line with the University’s policy.  
• Process Student & Visitor Expenses ensuring they adhere to the HWU Travel and Expenses policy  
• Perform necessary checks/audit of staff expense claims  
• Build payment runs within the system to ensure timely payment of suppliers  
• Send payment remittances to suppliers to advise when payment has taken place  
• Review and correct/escalate bounced payments & refunds  
• Prepare supplier statement reconciliations & resolve any anomalies or issues.  
• Take ownership for the resolution of supplier and departmental queries, escalating to management where appropriate.  
• Opening mail and actioning or redirecting as appropriate.  
• Ensure the purchase order process is adhered to including returning and invoices received with the necessary purchase order and liaising with staff throughout the university to ensure awareness and adherence to the purchase order process.  
• Assisting with both internal and external audit queries as required.  
• Attendance at relevant departmental and university meetings.  
• Any other ad hoc duties in relation to the accounts payable process or for the benefit of the wider finance department.   

The post holder will, from time to time, be required to undertake other duties of a similar nature as may reasonably be required by his/her line manager.

Person Specification

These are the criteria on which the short-listing and recruitment selection will be made.

Essential

1. Experience of working in a busy financial environment using financial systems.
2. Experience of processing payments and maintaining effective financial controls in line with regulations and procedures.
3. Strong attention to detail with the ability to ensure accuracy and compliance.
4. Good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
5. Ability to manage workload effectively in a fast-paced environment.
6. Positive attitude, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn.
7. Commitment to continuous improvement.

How to Apply

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV

Applications can be submitted until 23:55 on Wednesday 24th June 2026.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.