Audit & Accounts Manager
Job Title: Audit & Accounts Manager
Location: London, Central Square Mile (with hybrid working after probation period)
Report to: Directors & Partners
Direct reports: TBC
Days/Hours worked: Monday-Friday,9-5 (35-hour week with flexitime)
About Wilson Wright LLP:
Established 130 years ago, Wilson Wright is now part of BKL an accounting, tax and business advisory firm based in London.
As a longstanding member of DFK International, a worldwide association of accounting firms, we can support our clients globally when the need arises.
Traditionally, we were an audit-focused firm. However, over the past decade, our tax practice has grown, and we now offer our clients a range of highly specialist tax services including tax dispute resolution and tax transactions in addition to our audit, accounting, and wider business advisory solutions.
Our clients range in size from small sole traders to multinational groups. We believe they all have one thing in common; they want cutting edge technical excellence with a hands-on, professional and personal service that they can rely on to add value and deliver results.
Our holistic approach to service delivery means that our clients always have a central point of contact with a person who understands their issues.
We are proud of our people-centric culture. By providing the support, guidance and motivation needed to grow and develop, our culture fosters a close-knit team working together to deliver complex and exceptional work for our clients.
Our purpose is to Make it Count: we aim to inspire and support each other to be at our best, so we can make a lasting difference to our clients, the community and our firm. We also pay lot of attention to our culture and how everyone feels about working at Wilson Wright. Take a look at this video showing what some of our employees think about our working environment https://www.youtube.com/embed/Izh8sNb4AHM
If you are looking for a role where you will be challenged and supported to learn, develop, and grow, come and join us
What we value:
- We deliver exceptional client service.
We take great personal pride in helping our clients to achieve their goals.
- We are one team, together we make it count.
People are our greatest asset and together we all work as one team.
- We do the Wright thing.
Integrity is central to everything we do. Clients depend on us and trust us to do the right thing
- We all strive to be the best we can be.
We set high standards in everything that we do and hold ourselves accountable for achieving them.
Day to Day Responsibilities include but not limited to:
- Working directly with Directors and Partners to oversee a portfolio of audit and/or non-audit clients (non-audit services include but are not limited to review and delivery of accounts prep work, corporation tax support, advisory services and ad hoc technical advice). Portfolio splits can range and are tailored to meet the desired career pathway of our manager+ group. The mix can range from all audit to all accounts or a balance of the two work areas. The right candidate will ensure that compliance requirements are met by managing the liaison with our clients and directing work internally from planning through to completion including communication of insights and recommendations.
- There are several options on the proportional split between audit work and non-audit/accounts only work ranging from total involvement with one or the other or a blend of the two. Most staff in the department work in a blended way gaining the skills and building expertise across the services we offer.
- Maintaining comprehensive technical knowledge and awareness of emerging issues across the audit and accounting field (we work principally in ukGAAP with some IFRS and specialist e.g. charity clients in the portfolio), attending courses to support this and delivering training, insights and guidance to share knowledge with the departments
- Provide high level technical guidance on audit, accounts and tax matters internally and externally
- Proactively mentoring juniors in the department including post qualified staff. Supporting these staff in achieving the next level in their careers through coaching, mentoring and feedback.
- Client management and commercial awareness - Agreeing fees with partners and clients, understanding the basis of our time costs and the value the client perceives in the work undertaken, tracking and improving recoveries, raising bills and following up on outstanding debt
- Gain an understanding of our clients from a commercial perspective and understand where they are in their journey, where they want to be and how we can help them achieve the best outcome. Identifying opportunities for our clients and for the firm and articulating these.
- Consider and maximise opportunities for winning new work. This will flow from the maintenance of good relationships with clients, identification of key introducers and actively staying in contact with them all year round.
- Assessing tax treatments to ensure tax efficiency. Supervising the process of filing tax returns.
- Organising and actively participating in audit department meetings to discuss topical issues including forecasting staffing requirements and job allocations.
- Completing and updating client due diligence forms as and when required with a working understanding of independence requirements and other professional standards.
Qualifications, Experience & Skills required:
Qualifications:
- ACA/ACCA/CA qualified
Experience:
- People management/supervisory experience with evidence of developing others in both technical, professional and soft skills
- Experience of reviewing work and managing the process through to high quality completion.
- Ability to consistently produce work of a high standard and meeting/surpassing expectations.
- Strong working knowledge of FRS102 and IFRS and ability to apply this to both audit and accounts preparation.
- Strong working knowledge of current tax laws and regulations as well as strong awareness of upcoming changes.
- Evidence of ability to add significant value to a team and the clients that team serves
- Identifying emerging/relevant accounting issues for the audit department and communicating these
- Identifying areas of concern/areas for improvement for the audit department and proposing/devising/implementing appropriate solutions including leading departmental training.
- Liaising with other departments to understand requirements and opportunities to provide clients with a joined-up “one firm” approach.
- Engaging with tax teams to obtain technical expertise in complex areas and seamlessly integrating this with the audit and accounts work.
Skills:
- A strong business focus and awareness of current economic, financial and business affairs
- Strong communication skills – oral and written
- An ability to analyse and interpret data
- Attention to detail and strong organisational skills
- An ability to work as part of a team
- An ability to work to and meet deadlines
- Confidence with direct client communication
- Proficient in using Excel, Word and Microsoft Outlook
- Experience with Xero, MyWorkpapers and CCH an advantage
If you have achieved promotion to Manager at an accounting practice already in your career this would be advantageous to your application. Those with the skills and experience outlined above that have not yet been promoted to manager should still apply for this position.
In addition to the responsibilities listed above, you will be required to undertake GDPR training in order to fully understand the regulations and ensure all work is carried out in a compliant manner. As part of any recruitment process, the Firm collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. The Firm is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations. Wilson Wright is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified candidates eligible to work in the UK.