An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Accountant/Senior Accounts Assistant to join a small, close-knit accountancy practice. This is a varied, hands-on position suited to someone with some previous practice experience who enjoys working across different areas of accounting and being involved in the day-to-day running of a practice.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate may be involved in a wide range of duties, including:
Accounts & Year-End
Preparing annual accounts for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies
Assisting with statutory accounts preparation
Preparing accounts from trial balance through to final accounts
Assisting with year-end procedures
Preparing and posting year-end journals
Producing working papers and supporting schedules
Assisting with balance sheet reconciliations
Reviewing and investigating discrepancies
Assisting with company accounts and general accounting queries
Liaising with the qualified accountant on more complex accounts work
Bookkeeping
Maintaining accurate accounting records for a portfolio of clients
Processing purchase and sales invoices
Posting bank transactions
Bank reconciliations
Maintaining ledgers
Processing expenses and payments
Producing management information where required
Supporting clients with bookkeeping queries
Working with cloud accounting systems, particularly QuickBooks
VAT
Preparing and submitting VAT returns
Reviewing VAT records for accuracy
Reconciling VAT accounts
Assisting clients with VAT queries
Ensuring VAT deadlines are met
Supporting with VAT-related bookkeeping
Payroll
Processing weekly, fortnightly or monthly payroll
Calculating wages, deductions and statutory payments
Processing PAYE and National Insurance
Preparing payroll reports
Assisting with pension submissions
Dealing with payroll queries
Supporting with year-end payroll requirements
Practice & Client Support
Assisting with a varied portfolio of clients
Communicating with clients by phone and email
Responding to day-to-day accounting queries
Requesting information and records from clients
Maintaining accurate and up-to-date client files
Meeting deadlines across multiple clients
Assisting with general administrative duties within the practice
Supporting the wider team wherever required
Building strong and professional relationships with clients
General Accounting Duties
Processing journals and adjustments
Maintaining nominal ledgers
Preparing reconciliations
Assisting with aged debtor and creditor reviews
Assisting with tax-related information and computations
Supporting with self-assessment work where required
Assisting with corporation tax preparation where appropriate
Assisting with accounts queries and technical research
General data entry and financial administration
Taking on additional responsibilities as experience develops
About You
The ideal candidate will have:
Previous accountancy practice experience
Experience working across a variety of accounting duties
Practical experience with IRIS and QuickBooks
Good bookkeeping and accounts preparation skills
Experience with VAT returns
Some payroll experience
Strong attention to detail and accuracy
Good organisational and time-management skills
The ability to manage multiple deadlines
Good communication and client-facing skills
A proactive and willing attitude
The ability to work independently while also being a strong team player
