Client Manager

Cottons Group; Daventry; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual discretionary bonus

22 + 8 days annual leave

Option to buy additional holiday days

Birthday off

Contributory pension

Group Life cover

Subsidised gym membership

Fully funded professional training

Free parking at all sites

Job summary

Cottons Group is seeking a Client Manager in Daventry to oversee a portfolio of clients, ensuring high-quality compliance and advisory services. The role involves leading client meetings, managing client relationships, and supervising staff while maintaining high standards of service delivery.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience in an accountancy environment, with expertise in accounts preparation and tax compliance. This is a full-time, permanent position with comprehensive benefits including an annual bonus, generous leave, and professional training support.

Qualifications

• Strong experience within an accountancy practice environment.
• Proven experience managing a client portfolio.
• Strong knowledge of accounts preparation, tax compliance, and planning.
• Experience in business development and client acquisition.
• Exposure to advisory-led client work.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of small to medium-sized clients.
• Act as primary point of contact, building client relationships.
• Oversee preparation of accounts and financial statements.
• Plan and prioritise jobs to meet client expectations.
• Supervise and train junior staff.

Skills

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Commercial awareness

Leadership capability

Problem-solving

Job description

The Client Manager is responsible for managing a portfolio of small to medium-sized clients, delivering high-quality compliance and advisory services with minimal Partner supervision. The role combines technical expertise, client relationship management, and team leadership, with a strong focus on efficiency, commercial awareness, and proactive client support.

Key responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of small to medium-sized clients with minimal Partner oversight
• Act as the primary point of contact for clients, building strong and lasting relationships
• Manage both existing and new client relationships, ensuring high levels of service delivery
• Lead client meetings, including onboarding meetings and periodic review meetings
• Handle a wide range of client queries in a timely and professional manner

Accounts & tax compliance

• Oversee and review the preparation of statutory accounts and financial statements
• Deal with all standard matters of accounts disclosure in line with relevant standards
• Process and review corporate and personal tax returns
• Support and deliver routine tax planning work for clients
• Ensure all compliance work is completed accurately, efficiently, and within deadlines

Planning, workflow & delivery

• Manage own workflow and ensure work is delivered efficiently and within budget
• Oversee workflow across the team, ensuring effective allocation of work
• Plan and prioritise jobs to meet deadlines and client expectations
• Contribute to internal processes and continuous improvement initiatives
• Undertake special assignments and ad hoc project work as required

Team leadership & development

• Supervise and review work completed by training team members
• Delegate work effectively to support team development and efficiency
• Assist with training and development of junior staff, providing ongoing coaching and support
• Communicate effectively with all colleagues
• Contribute to performance management and development reviews where required
• Identify opportunities to generate new business from existing and prospective clients
• Contribute to business development activities and broader practice growth
• Develop and maintain a strong network of professional contacts

Commercial and financial management

• Ensure work is completed within agreed budgets and timescales
• Achieve chargeability and recoverability targets
• Demonstrate strong commercial awareness in managing jobs and making decisions
• Negotiate fees with clients where appropriate and manage scope changes
• Provide commercially focused advice to clients to support their business decisions

Advisory and client support

• Work proactively with clients to identify planning opportunities and areas for improvement
• Provide practical, commercially aware advice tailored to client needs
• Promote the firm’s ethos of adding value and supporting client success

Technical and professional standards

• Maintain a high level of technical knowledge appropriate to the role
• Apply technical expertise to ensure high-quality outputs across all client work
• Stay up to date with changes in accounting standards, tax legislation, and best practice

Values and culture

• Always adhere to the Company values and professional standards
• Act as a role model to others, demonstrating integrity, accountability, and a positive approach to teamwork and client service

Person specification

• Strong experience within an accountancy practice environment
• Proven experience managing a client portfolio
• Strong knowledge of accounts preparation, tax compliance, and planning
• Experience in business development and client acquisition
• Exposure to advisory-led client work
• Sector specialism (if applicable)

Key skills and competencies

• Strong organisational and workflow management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
• Commercial awareness and sound decision-making
• Leadership and team development capability
• Proactive, solutions-focused approach
• Take ownership of client relationships and deliverables with minimal supervision
• Operate at a higher level of responsibility, demonstrating strong technical knowledge and initiative
• Focus predominantly on supervising, reviewing, and managing work rather than preparing it
• Drive effective delegation and support the development team members
• Consistently demonstrate professionalism, reliability, and commercial awareness

Success measures

• High levels of client satisfaction and retention
• Delivery of work within budget and deadlines
• Achievement of chargeability and recoverability targets
• Quality and accuracy of compliance and advisory work
• Contribution to overall practice efficiency and growth

What we offer

We offer a range of benefits alongside a competitive salary and holiday package which will be discussed with you at your interview.

Job type: Full-time, permanent

Work location: Daventry

• Annual discretionary bonus
• 22 +8 days annual leave (Inc. bank hols & increasing with service)
• Option to buy additional holiday days
• Birthday off
• Contributory pension
• Group Life cover (death in service)
• Subsidised gym membership
• Fully funded professional training
• Free parking at all sites

This job summary is intended as a guide to the duties of the post and is not exhaustive. All roles are subject to review and change to meet evolving business needs