Hutcheon Mearns is delighted to be supporting a well-established growing Accountancy firm to recruit for a Senior Accounts Assistant to join their finance team in Arbroath, Angus. The role would be supporting managers and directors in delivering accurate client accounts, company secretarial tasks, tax returns, and compliance projects.
This firm provides a personalised, face-to-face service for their customers, engaging directly with businesses across Scotland. Working with trusted advisors, the company go above acting as strategic partners in their client's businesses. An organisation with ambitious growth plans, as chartered accountants, supports progression and development in the long term.
The Opportunity
As the Senior Accounts Assistant, you will prepare and review client accounts, tax returns and compliance. Assist with client audits, meanwhile managing relationships providing excellent customer communication and liaison. Assisting management with the development of Accounts Assistant and Trainee members of the team. Your responsibilities will include:
Preparation and Review of Client Accounts, Tax Returns and Compliance:
- To plan accounts, ensuring that accurate resources are used, on a timely manner to ensure internal and external deadlines are met
- To prepare and review client accounts accurately to review stage, preparing clearly laid out explanatory notes to accompany accounts
- To support the delivery of clients accounts and tax returns as required, ensuring the support is provided to Managers and that work completed is carried out according to best practice
- To ensure that the correct accountancy principles relating to sole traders, partnerships and limited companies are applied to generate accurate and robust accounts for clients
- To prepare and provide accurate corporate and personal tax returns as directed, ensuring that returns are legislatively compliant and correct, and completed within deadlines
- To review the work carried out by trainees and to provide constructive feedback where necessary
Provision of Excellent Customer Service and Liaison
- To deal with customer queries politely and efficiently, seeking advice from a relevant manager in the event of any difficulty in responding
- To ensure that budgets in respect of allocated time on particular accounts is adhered to and that extension of time is approved appropriately
- To ensure that deadlines are met for non accounts work e.g, annual returns
- To ensure that reminders for tax payments are sent with sufficient notice
Provision of Assistance with Client Audits
- To support the delivery of client audits as required, ensuring that support is provided to Managers ad that work completed is carried out according to best practice
- To raise any audit queries with relevant manager, ensuring the identification of risk and stating mitigation for identified risk
- To ensure rigorous adherence to HMRC and other legislative requirements at all points during client delivery
Managing Relationships
- Attend, participate and contribute to meetings ensuring appropriate up to date information is communicated and acted upon
- Develop and maintain relationships in all departments and offices to develop a full understanding of customer expectations to ensure service meets expectations
Development of Accounts Assistants
- Support Accounts Assistants to assist their development, understanding role of Accounts Assistants
- Assists the managers and directors to identify the appropriate opportunities for the development and enhancement of potential of Accounts Assistants
- Provide structured feedback to staff at appropriate times
The Successful Candidate
You will have 2+ years of experience in a similar role with experience in group reporting, financial analysis and accounting. You will have a strong understanding of accounting principles and practices including generally accepted accounting principles. Strong communication skills, an excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with problem solving skills with attention to detail. You will have strong organisational skills to manage multiple tasks and prioritise, being able to meet tight deadlines and respond quickly to requests from senior management team. Proficiency in accounting software and Microsoft Office Suite.
Benefits and Flexibility
This organisation offers a significant degree of flexibility to their team including flexible start and finish times, opportunity to work 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday which gives you the full Friday off. However, flexibility around the hours/days are available. They offer a competitive salary based on experience.
- Bonus Scheme
- Four day working week with Friday off
- Flexible working
- Enhanced annual leave
- Paid professional subscriptions
- Sick pay policy
- Annual staff social days
- Duvet days
- Dress down Thursdays
Next steps
This is a fantastic opportunity for a Senior Accounts Assistant with a strong grounding in accounting principles who would like to develop these in a small but growing team, to join an exciitng business. If you feel like this sounds like an opportunity for you, get in touch and apply with your full CV.