Bookkeeper / Fees Clerk

MaxAd Recruitment Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable barristers' chambers in London is seeking an detail-oriented accounts professional to join their Business Services team. This role offers a hybrid working model after an onboarding period and includes responsibilities in bookkeeping and fee collection. The ideal candidate will have some bookkeeping experience and strong communication skills, with opportunities for progression in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Performance-related bonus

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Comprehensive private medical cover

Pension contributions

Qualifications

• Experience with bookkeeping or accounts roles.
• Proficiency in handling numerical data and attention to detail.
• Willingness to learn new systems and processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage fee workflows and outstanding fees using Lex.
• Process payments and maintain records in Sage.
• Liaise with members regarding overdue fees and queries.

Skills

Attention to detail

Bookkeeping exposure

Communication skills

Education

Business/finance studies with bookkeeping modules

Tools

Sage

Excel

Xero

Job description

London / Hybrid (Predominantly Home-Based)

Competitive Salary + Up to 15% Bonus + Excellent Benefits

Are you a detail-driven accounts professional who enjoys combining bookkeeping with credit control and fee chasing, but not looking for a traditional accountant training route?

This is a great opportunity to join the Business Services team of a highly regarded barristers' chambers in central London. You'll become a key part of a small, friendly accounts team, working closely with experienced colleagues to support both day‑to‑day accounting and the collection of members' fees.

After an initial office‑based onboarding period (c.4-6 months, 4-5 days per week in chambers), the role will become predominantly home‑based, with only occasional visits to chambers (e.g. around once a week or even once a fortnight, depending on the individual and team needs).

Chambers offers excellent training, a genuinely supportive culture and a structured bonus scheme that can pay up to 15% of salary.

It's an ideal role for someone seeking long‑term stability with a strong focus on fee collection, supported by involvement in accounts work.

Reporting to the Accounts Manager, you'll provide all‑round support across both accounts administration and fee collection.

Typical responsibilities will include:

• Using Lex and related systems to work through fee workflows, chase outstanding fees and manage aged debt.
• Supporting the day‑to‑day accounts function, including processing payments, posting invoices and maintaining accurate records in Sage.
• Liaising with members (barristers) and internal colleagues regarding overdue fees, queries and payment plans.
• Uploading and posting data for members who use Xero, ensuring information is accurate and up to date.
• Running reports from Sage and related systems as required (e.g. for VAT returns, fee reports and management information).
• Ensuring bank payments are set up correctly with a strong focus on accuracy and risk awareness.
• Pitching in with the rest of the team to cover key tasks when colleagues are on leave or working reduced hours.

You'll be joining an experienced team with established processes and procedures already in place. There is a clear structure, but also plenty of support while you learn.

This role could suit a range of backgrounds, from a bright college leaver or recent graduate with some finance exposure, through to an experienced Bookkeeper or Accounts Administrator returning to the workplace. Chambers experience is helpful but absolutely not essential.

We're particularly interested in people who:

• Have some exposure to bookkeeping/accounts (e.g. accounts admin, finance assistant, bookkeeper, fees/credit control, or business/finance studies with bookkeeping modules).
• Are happy in a hands‑on accounts/admin role, rather than focused on becoming a fully qualified accountant (there is no formal ACCA/ACA study support attached to this role).
• Show excellent attention to detail and enjoy working with numbers and data.
• Are comfortable juggling dual responsibilities (both bookkeeping/accounts tasks and fee/credit control work).
• Communicate clearly and professionally, including when chasing outstanding payments.
• Are proactive, conscientious and willing to help the team.
• Can quickly pick up new systems and processes and are open to learning how chambers operates.
• Experience with Sage and Excel is highly desirable; exposure to Xero would be an added bonus. However, if you have the right foundations and mindset, full training will be provided.

What's On Offer

In addition to a competitive salary (depending on experience), the package includes:

• Hybrid working - after your initial training period in chambers, the role will be predominantly home‑based with only occasional time on site.
• 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays (with the option to buy up to an additional week after probation).
• Performance‑related bonus: Up to 15% of salary, based on both chambers' financial performance and your appraisal rating, paid in two instalments (August and December).
• Pension contributions: rising to 5% after successful completion of probation.
• Comprehensive private medical cover
• Death in service benefit: 4x salary.
• Friendly, supportive team with long‑serving colleagues and a strong reputation for training and developing staff.
• A collegiate, professional environment.

There is genuine scope for progression over time as the team evolves (for example, into more senior accounts roles), but this is also an excellent long‑term home for someone who simply wants to do a varied, important accounts role really well.

If you're an organised, detail‑focused accounts professional, or an aspiring bookkeeper with some finance exposure and you like the sound of combining accounts work with fee/credit control in a supportive chambers environment, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now!