The Firm

An established, dynamic, medium-sized firm with offices in Hertfordshire and Central London. They provide the full range of professional services typically provided by an established and progressive accountancy firm, including audit and accounts, management consultancy, payroll and taxation. Their aim is to be the ‘go to’ firm for small and medium sized enterprises providing a truly excellent professional service that is tailored to meet clients’ needs and requirements.  Clients range from all fields of business, industry, the professions and arts, including large corporates operating nationally and internationally, privately owned businesses of every size, partnerships, sole traders and self-employed individuals.

The Role

This firm have a job vacancy for an Accounts Semi Senior to work within their busy Accounting Services Department. They provide services to a wide and varied client base specialising in owner managed businesses. The client sectors are extensive and include manufacturing, distribution, retail, wholesale, property, FCA regulated entities, professional organisations, recruitment, charities, and academies.

The main duties for this position will involve working on the books and records for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies along with the preparation of VAT returns, statutory and management accounts. The ideal candidate will have relevant previous experience, have completed their AAT qualification and/or commenced ACCA studies and will be self-motivated, computer literate and have good written and verbal communication skills. Study support may be made available for candidates completing or looking to complete their ACCA qualification.

Key tasks and responsibilities

• Undertaking book keeping on behalf of clients (in house or at client premises), including processing transactions from documents provided by the client and reconciling control accounts, including Bank, Sales ledger, Purchase ledger and VAT
• The preparation and completion of client VAT returns, including liaising with the client to provide the required information, producing supporting schedules and completing the VAT return by the deadline
• The preparation of monthly or quarterly management accounts to provide clients with relevant information. These are prepared to the client’s required specification and may be produced using accounting software or spreadsheets.
• The preparation of statutory accounts, year-end accounts or rental accounts (as appropriate) for limited companies (including service charge companies), sole traders and partnerships. To include completion of the accounts file using our paperless system, in accordance with Rayner Essex procedures and production of accounts on CCH Central Software for review by Managers and supervisors.
• Ad-hoc arrangements, either in house or at a client’s premises covering any of the above areas or general book keeping and accounts work
• Record time spent on each client’s affairs using the relevant computer software to submit weekly timesheets, ensuring that work is completed within budget
• Attend and participate in team meetings and attend training such as seminars and CPD updates as necessary
• Other ad hoc duties as may be required from time to time in order to assist the smooth running of the Accounting Solutions Department or to provide additional assistance to clients

Key Skills, Abilities and Personal Attributes

Essential

• Previous experience in book keeping, completing VAT returns and accounts preparation, having completed the AAT qualification and/or commenced ACCA studies
• Ideally we are looking for a minimum of two to three years’ relevant experience, or an ability to demonstrate the required technical knowledge to undertake the duties outlined above with minimal supervision. This will include a strong understanding of double entry accounting.
• Highly motivated self-starter with the ability to complete assignments within time constraints and deadlines
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment both with one’s colleagues and with and for the firm’s Managers and Partners
• Good organisation skills with the ability to multi task and assist on ad hoc assignments
• Excellent communication skills, with a good command of written and spoken English
• Ability to communicate information clearly, concisely and accurately, both in person and when using the telephone and email
• Ability to check for accuracy and give good attention to detail
• Working to budgets, resolving client queries and liaising with managers and supervisors as required
• Good IT skills, including experience of accounting software programs, Word, Excel and other Windows based systems

Desirable

• Experience in completing bookkeeping for group companies
• Experience in service charge accounts
• Prior experience of using CCH software package and cloud based systems such as Quickbooks, Xero and/or SAGE together with apps such as Dext and Hubdoc