Accounts Executive

Churchgates Ltd; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension contributions 6%

Salary sacrifice for pension

Income protection

Death in service 4x salary

Professional subscriptions paid

CPD training encouraged

Employee Assistance programme

Electric Car Salary Sacrifice

Social events

Job summary

Churchgates Ltd seeks an experienced Accounts professional to join the growing Accounts team in Bury St Edmunds. This client-facing role handles owner-managed businesses, limited companies, partnerships and sole traders, delivering accounts and tax compliance with business advisory support.

You will mentor juniors and contribute to department development. The role is based in Langton Place, Bury St Edmunds, with a focus on high-quality client service and adherence to firm standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years’ experience in an accounts department in practice.
• ACA qualification or qualified through experience.
• Strong technical knowledge with ability to interpret complex legislation.
• Excellent client service and communication skills.
• Ability to manage WIP and recoverability and contribute to billing.

Responsibilities

• Act as trusted adviser to clients and identify advisory opportunities.
• Review statutory accounts for sole traders, partnerships, Ltds and LLPs.
• Prepare complex accounts and draft tax computations for review.
• Ensure firm procedures and risk management are followed.
• Train junior staff and provide feedback.
• Monitor WIP and recoverability; manage client expectations.

Skills

Five years experience

Strong technical knowledge

Commercial awareness

Excellent communication

Problem solving

Client facing

Time management

Collaborative

Education

ACA qualified

Job description

Churchgates brings together a unique and powerful combination of Accountants, Tax Advisers, Solicitors, Financial Planners, Investment Managers, and a dedicated team of operational support staff all under one roof. We believe in treating everyone with respect, and our culture reflects this through a friendly yet professional environment where traditional values still matter.

We are seeking an experienced and qualified Accounts professional to join our growing Accounts team. This is a client-facing role dealing with a portfolio of owner-managed businesses; limited companies, partnerships and sole traders across a wide range of sectors.

You will prepare and review accounts and tax compliance work, provide practical business advice to clients, support and mentor junior team members, and contribute to the continued development of the department.

The successful candidate will be technically strong, commercially aware and committed to delivering an exceptional client experience.

This position is based in the accounts department of our office based at Langton Place in Bury St Edmunds.

The Role

The main duties of the role will include the following:

• Acting as a trusted adviser to clients, providing day to day advice, identifying advisory opportunities and ensuring clients are supported in understanding and meeting their business objectives.
• Review of simple sole trader, partnership, Limited company and LLP statutory accounts.
• Preparation of complex accounts and draft tax computations for sole traders, partnerships, Limited companies and LLPs, where applicable, for review by a senior member of staff.
• Ensuring internal and risk management procedures of the firm are adhered to including adherence to the accounts department procedures.
• Demonstrating application of knowledge of accounting treatment to apply to any issues arising, suggesting a course of action.
• Providing support in ad hoc pieces of client work, including technical research where applicable.
• Controlling client work in relation to timescales and client perceptions and ensuring all relevant members of staff are informed of client issues.
• Training of junior staff and liaising with their line manager including the completion of relevant feedback forms.
• Understanding the commercial implications of actions relating to productivity, recoverability, fee income and client service and assisting with billing as appropriate. Monitoring WIP and recoverability of own work.
• Ensuring appropriate CPD training is met.
• Ensuring all files produced meet with the firm’s standards prior to review by a senior member of staff.
• Corresponding with clients and third parties as required.
• Working with other departments and accounts team members to ensure joined up service and “one team” approach. Regard to be given to other team members’ workloads and deadlines.
• Carrying out any other duties to meet with the needs of the business.

Desired skills

• A minimum of five years’ relevant experience working in an accounts department in practice.
• ACA qualified, or qualified through experience.
• Strong technical knowledge, with the ability to interpret and apply complex legislation accurately.
• Sound commercial awareness, with an understanding of recoverability, WIP management and client service standards.
• Ability to problem solve and seek solutions to issues.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex accounts and tax matters clearly to clients and professional intermediaries.
• A professional and confident client facing manner, capable of building long term trusted adviser relationships.
• Highly organised and methodical, with strong time management skills and a calm, pragmatic approach under pressure.
• A collaborative team player, able to work effectively with tax, accounts, legal and financial planning colleagues to deliver a joined up service.

What you will receive

• Matching employer pension contributions up to 6% of salary
• Salary sacrifice available for pension contributions
• Income Protection if you are off work due to long term illness or injury equal to 50% of salary until State pension age
• Death in service benefit (4x basic salary)
• Up to two professional subscriptions paid for
• Encouragement to develop and learn by attending training courses and CPD events
• Employee Assistance programme
• Electric Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Length of service recognition
• Social ev ents paid for or subsidised by the firm