Client Accountant Team Lead

Encore; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A residential property management company in Cambridge seeks a Client Accounting Leader to supervise a team, manage client financial portfolios, and ensure high-quality outputs. The successful candidate will have experience in service charge accounting, be part-qualified in CIMA, ACCA, or ACA, and possess strong leadership and communication skills. Offering a hybrid work model, the role emphasizes teamwork and personal development in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Professional growth opportunities

Hybrid work model

Collaborative work environment

Qualifications

• Experience in a Service Charge accounting role.
• Experience preparing year-end accounts.
• Legal right to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of client accountants to ensure financial management.
• Review service charge accounts according to guidelines.
• Support team development through training and mentoring.

Skills

Team leadership

Strong communication skills

Positive attitude

Education

Part-qualified CIMA, ACCA or ACA

Tools

Qube software

Job description

At Encore, we’re here to make residential property management feel personal, thoughtful, and seamless. Since we opened our doors in 2004, our mission has been simple: to deliver an outstanding experience for every customer, with genuine care at the heart of everything we do. We don’t just look after buildings, we look after the people who call them home, treating each property as if it were our own.

The Encore culture not only attracts the brightest talent, but also industry recognition as we've been awarded Employer of the Year on many of occasions. Our ambition is to be regarded as the most professional managing agent in the country - with a team of exceptional people who are energised by what they do. We're all about communication, collaboration, teamwork – and having fun while we work. By creating an inviting environment for our people to be inspired, learn and flourish can make all the difference.

The role

We’re looking for an engaged leader to supervise a team of client accountants and take responsibility for the financial management of a portfolio of estates. This role combines strong technical knowledge with visible, supportive leadership — someone who enjoys developing people, setting standards, and creating a team that works brilliantly together. You’ll play a key role in maintaining high-quality outputs while fostering a collaborative, team culture.

What you’ll do

You’ll be leading a team of three, ensuring company policies and procedures are consistently applied while supporting your team to perform at their best. Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing milestones across your team and your portfolio, ensuring work is completed accurately and on time, including:
  • Service charge accounts in line with ARMA and ICAEW guidelines
  • Quarterly and periodic financial reporting for clients
  • Service charge budgets, year-end accounts and balancing adjustments
  • Utilities and insurance recharges
  • RMC statutory accounts and trust tax administration
  • Service charge and ground rent demands, including timely remittance to freeholders
• Carrying out internal reviews of service charge accounts using review checklists and matrices
• Training, mentoring and supporting team members, holding regular one-to-one and group meetings and actively promoting the Encore Way
• Completing annual appraisals and probation reviews, providing clear, constructive feedback
• Acting as the first point of contact for team queries, resolving issues where possible and encouraging team members to bring proposed solutions
• Ensuring monthly bank reconciliations are completed, discrepancies investigated, and estate accounts remain in credit
• Reconciling opening balances for estates transferred from other agents or developers and ensuring accurate integration into Qube
• Working closely with the Client Accounting Manager to improve systems, processes and commercial awareness across the team
• Monitoring the overall health and accuracy of service charge accounts, supporting Estate Managers with relevant financial insight and identifying the need for S20B notices
• Handling escalated leaseholder service charge queries to resolution or referring them appropriately
• Preparing handover information for estates leaving management
• Managing corporation tax administration, void charges and allocation of completion cheques
• Supporting the wider accounts team and other departments with day-to-day and ad-hoc tasks as required

What you’ll bring

Experience and qualifications

• Experience in a Service Charge accounting role
• Part-qualified CIMA, ACCA or ACA, or qualified by experience
• Experience preparing year-end accounts
• Experience in an accounts practice or service charge accounting is desirable but not essential
• Experience with Qube software is advantageous but not required
• Legal right to work in the UK

Personal qualities

• A positive, approachable leadership style
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset
• Confidence in guiding and developing others while maintaining high standards

What we offer

Join us at Encore, where we offer a supportive, fun, and collaborative environment. With a hybrid work model and opportunities for professional growth, you’ll find the perfect balance between work and life. If you’re ready to take your career to the next level and help us create amazing communities, we want to hear from you!

Hybrid working - For this role, you could work remotely with monthly travel into the Cambridge office.