Accounts Receivable Team Lead

About the Role

Even the best scientific institutes cannot flourish without a well-managed cash flow. We are seeking an Account Receivable Team Lead to guide the team responsible for ensuring the management, maintenance and reconciliation of the sales ledger in line with management accounting practices. The team ensures credit control activities are performed to business guidelines, and that NPL operations function effectively by timely collection of outstanding monies.

This is the perfect time to join NPL and help shape the team for the future, using your knowledge and that of your peers to ensure strong and robust controls, good quality processes, credit control disciplines and insightful reporting.

• Ensure accurate financial data, meet team targets, and promote accountability by tracking and resolving all queries promptly to protect cash flow and minimise risk.
• Oversee daily operations to maintain compliance and timely delivery, identifying training needs and supporting team development so members feel empowered and valued.
• Set clear performance targets for receipt collection and allocation, regularly review outstanding accounts, and ensure the AR mailbox is consistently monitored and actioned.
• Use your expertise to guide the team through complex accounts, support diverse customer and contract challenges, and contribute to cash flow forecasting and reporting.
• Oversee the identification and correct recording of bad debts and high‑risk accounts.
• Act as the primary AR contact for internal and external audits, delegating sampling tasks where appropriate.

About You

What you can bring to the role

• An empowering and supportive leader with a “can do” attitude
• Track record of delivering accounts receivable and credit control activity, ideally with a mixture of commercial and government accounts.
• Experience of preparing cash flow and other forecasts for reporting for business management.
• Strong technical experience within transactional accounting and the ability to train team members on reconciliations.
• Good communication skills for managing and maintaining relationships with colleagues and customers to ensure queries and problems are dealt with efficiently.
• A passion for continuous improvement, encouraging and supporting staff to challenge inefficiencies.
• Strong IT skills, particularly Microsoft Office
• Experience in an AR role with proven success in a supervisory or leadership capacity.

Desirable Criteria :

• Experience of using Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O for Financial Management and Control.
• Demonstrated commitment to support staff develop knowledge and skills, encouraging professional development

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview
NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.