GroupPurchasing Assistant & Regional EU Bookkeeper
Location: Bulgaria (Office) Note: Occasional travel within Bulgaria may be required. Mandatory initial training in the UK.
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Reporting To: Day to day - Regional Site Manager (EU)
Work Responsibility: Group Finance Director
1. THE OPPORTUNITY
AIE Group is a globally recognised leader in Engineering Solutions. As we enter 2026, the group is executing a major strategic transformation: We are restructuring into three specialized high-performance divisions:
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Alrose Motion Control: High Quality Gas Springs & Dampers and other Motion Control Products.
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Alrose Engineering: High-precision Subcontract CNC Machining.
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Falcon Special Products: Luxury Design and assemblies.
To support this growth, we have established ALR EU as our central hub for volume production and sourcing. We are seeking a disciplined, bilingual professional to be our "boots on the ground" in Bulgaria, acting as the operational bridge between our European Supply Chain and our UK Headquarters.
2. ROLE SUMMARY
This position encompasses two critical functions: the management of our financial operations and the day to day support of our supply chain. Beyond simple data entry, you will serve as the primary individual responsible for ensuring the accuracy of our European finances and the smooth, efficient operation of our supply chain.
Your core objective is to manage the flow of goods from our European suppliers to the UK, while rigorously ensuring adherence to financial regulations within our Zoho One system.
We require the successful candidate to achieve a comprehensive understanding of our systems, products, and our "Profit First" business methodology. Consequently, this role necessitates a mandatory paid training period at our Group Headquarters in the UK, commencing immediately upon employment.
3. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Regional EU Bookkeeping
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Ledger Management: Manage the Purchase Ledger and Sales Ledger for the ALR EU entity using Zoho Books.
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Invoicing: Process sales invoices for EU customers and verify supplier invoices before payment.
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Bank Reconciliation: Perform daily reconciliation of accounts.
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Inter-Company Accounts: Manage "Transfer Pricing" invoices between the UK manufacturing arm and the EU distribution hub to ensure group accounts align.
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Compliance: Prepare monthly data for our external Bulgarian accountants to ensure accurate VAT (DDS) returns, Intrastat, and VIES declarations.
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Credit Control: Proactively chase outstanding invoices to support the Group target of reducing debtor days by 15 days.
B. Group Purchasing (Supply Chain & Logistics)
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Sourcing Strategy: actively identify and vet new suppliers in UK and Europe to support the Group's goal of shifting "Basic" component sourcing to the EU.
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Procurement: Raise Purchase Orders (POs) in Zoho Books based on reorder levels and demand signals.
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Supplier Management: Act as the primary chaser for suppliers; ensuring Order Acknowledgements are received within 24 hours and confirming delivery dates.
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Logistics Coordination: Organise freight and haulage for goods moving between the EU Hub, the UK facility, and direct-to-customer shipments (managing CMRs and Export docs).
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Stock Integrity: Enforce the "No Negative Stock" policy by ensuring all Goods-In are received into the system immediately and accurately.
4. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)
Your success will be measured against the 2025 Strategic Scorecard:
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Data Accuracy: 100% Bank and Ledger reconciliation by month-end.
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Delivery Performance: Achieving 95% OTIF (On Time In Full) from EU suppliers through proactive management.
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Cost Efficiency: Contributing to the Group target of a -6% reduction in the Purchase-to-Sales ratio through smart sourcing.
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Compliance: Zero late filings for local statutory reporting.
5. CANDIDATE PROFILE
Essential Requirements:
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Language: Native/Bilingual Bulgarian and Fluent Professional English (C1/C2 Level). Daily video communication with the UK team is required.
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Experience: Finance Assistant, Bookkeeper, or Purchasing Administration role.
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Tech Stack: Proficiency in cloud accounting software is a distinct advantage.
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Financial Literacy: Understanding of double-entry bookkeeping, VAT principles, and multi-currency transactions.
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Logistics Knowledge: Familiarity with Purchase Orders, Commercial Invoices, and Incoterms.
Personal Attributes:
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The "Profit First" Mindset: You treat company money as your own. You question price increases and spot invoice errors immediately.
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Process Driven: You are comfortable following strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) but have the initiative to suggest improvements.
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Resilient: You are comfortable working autonomously and maintaining high levels of productivity.
6. THE OFFER
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Competitive Salary: Commensurate with experience and local market rates.
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Contract: Permanent, Full-Time (Bulgarian Labor Contract).
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Training: Fully expensed travel, accommodation, and subsistence for the induction period at the UK Headquarters.
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Career Growth: As the ALR EU division grows (targeting €100k+ new sales in 2026), this role has the potential to evolve with further official accounting training.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit your CV in English, along with a cover letter highlighting:
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Your experience with Accounting Software.
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Your experience with Supplier/Logistics coordination.
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Your availability to travel to the UK for the initial training period 1 to 3 months.
