Associate Accountant

M J Kane Accountants; Carrickfergus; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full ACCA study support

Hybrid work model

Job summary

M J Kane Accountants in Carrickfergus is offering a flexible accountancy role tailored to your current skills and progression goals. We encourage candidates at various stages of their journey, with ACCA study support and a structured path to grow within a friendly practice.

You will undertake tailored duties across bookkeeping, accounts preparation, VAT and reporting, with a balance of on-site and remote work. A supportive team and clear development plan await you.

Qualifications

• Open to candidates at different stages of their accountancy journey.
• Willingness to learn and pursue professional qualifications (ACCA/ACCA study support).
• Ability to work with integrity and meet deadlines in a practice environment.

Responsibilities

• Occasional bookkeeping and maintaining accounting records.
• Prepare bank, supplier and customer reconciliations.
• Assist with accounts preparation for various entities (sole traders, partnerships, companies).
• Assist with VAT returns and other tax/compliance work.
• Support month-end and year-end processes and reporting.
• Use accounting software and Excel to manage financial data and respond to client queries.

Skills

Bookkeeping

Accounts preparation

VAT compliance

Excel

Client communication

Education

AAT

ACCA (student or AAT/underway)

Tools

Accounting software

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Flexible Role Tailored to You

About the Opportunity

We are looking for an individual to join our accountancy practice in Carrickfergus, with the role offering a genuinely flexible approach to responsibilities, experience and professional development.

The role will be shaped around you, your existing skills, experience, knowledge and abilities. We recognise that everyone has a different starting point, so rather than expecting you to fit a fixed job specification, we want to build the position around what you can currently do, where your strengths lie and how you can develop from there.

Your day-to-day duties and level of responsibility will reflect your current capabilities, allowing you to contribute confidently from the outset while gradually taking on new tasks, more complex work and additional responsibility as your skills grow. Whether you're starting out with no formal accounting qualifications or already part-qualified with practical experience, we will look to build on your existing foundation and support your progression at a pace that is right for you.

Our aim is to create a role that evolves with you, providing the opportunity to develop your technical abilities, gain practical experience across accountancy practice and progress towards your longer-term career goals, with full ACCA study support available.

What Will You Be Doing?

Your day-to-day responsibilities will be tailored to your existing experience and abilities and will develop as you progress. Depending on your current level, duties may include:

• Assisting with bookkeeping, maintaining accounting records and processing financial transactions.
• Preparing bank, supplier and customer reconciliations.
• Supporting the preparation of accounts for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies.
• Assisting with VAT returns and other relevant tax and compliance work.
• Helping prepare management accounts and financial reports.
• Supporting month-end and year-end accounting processes.
• Using accounting software and Microsoft Excel to organise and analyse financial information.
• Communicating with clients and helping respond to their accounting and financial queries.
• Taking on more complex accounting assignments and greater responsibility as your skills develop.
• Working towards relevant professional qualifications and agreed development goals.

The duties listed above are examples rather than a fixed job specification. The actual responsibilities of the role will be agreed around the successful candidate's existing skills, experience and development needs, with opportunities to expand the role as their confidence and capabilities grow.

Who Are We Looking For?

We are open to candidates at different stages of their accountancy journey. You could be:

• Starting your career with no formal accounting qualifications and keen to learn.
• A school or college leaver looking for a route into accountancy.
• A graduate looking to gain practical experience and pursue a professional qualification.
• Working in bookkeeping, accounts administration or a similar finance role.
• Studying towards AAT or ACCA.
• An ACCA student who has already completed some examinations.
• Part-qualified and looking for an opportunity to broaden your experience and progress.

Previous accountancy practice experience would be beneficial for some levels of the role, but is not essential for every applicant.

More important than fitting a particular job specification is having a positive attitude, a willingness to learn and the motivation to develop your skills. We value attention to detail, good organisational skills, professionalism and a genuine interest in building a career in accountancy.

What We Offer

• Full ACCA study support, including tuition, examination fees, study materials and associated fees.
• A role tailored to your existing skills, experience and abilities.
• Practical training and experience within an accountancy practice.
• Support and guidance from experienced colleagues.
• Opportunities to develop technical skills and take on increasing responsibility.
• A full-time, five-day working week, with one day of remote working per week.
• The opportunity to build a long-term career and progress professionally.

Why Join Us?

We want to help the right person reach their potential by creating a role that works for them. Rather than asking you to fit into a predetermined position, we will look at what you can already bring to the team and build from there.

As your knowledge, skills and experience develop, so will your responsibilities, giving you the opportunity to grow in confidence, broaden your practical experience and progress towards your career ambitions with the support of a team invested in your development.

Whether you're taking your first steps into accountancy or already progressing towards qualification, we are keen to hear from you.