Director of Accounting Designate

ICAEW; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ICAEW in Reading is seeking a Director Designate to join its leadership team. You will work with owner-managed businesses and private clients, guiding strategic commercial decisions and overseeing client delivery beyond routine accounts work.

You will build lasting relationships with key stakeholders, mentor a talented team and help shape the firm's future direction. This is a genuine succession opportunity with significant autonomy from day one.

Qualifications

• ACA, ACCA or equivalent qualification.
• Significant post-qualified experience within practice.
• Strong accounting and financial reporting knowledge.
• Good understanding of personal taxation.
• Experience working with entrepreneurial and owner-managed businesses.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Commercial awareness and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
• Ambition to progress into a senior leadership position.

Responsibilities

• Acting as the lead adviser to owner-managed businesses and private clients.
• Providing commercially focused accounting and business advice.
• Building long-term relationships with key stakeholders.
• Supporting and mentoring a talented team.
• Identifying opportunities to enhance client service and add value.
• Contributing to business development and the continued growth of the practice.
• Working closely with senior leadership on strategic initiatives.

Skills

Communication

Relationship building

Commercial awareness

Problem-solving

Leadership potential

Education

ACA/ACCA or equivalent qualification

Job description

Your new company

An ambitious and growing professional services firm is looking to appoint a Director Designate to join its leadership team.Working closely with entrepreneurial businesses, owner-managed companies and private clients, the firm has built its reputation on long-term relationships, practical advice and a genuine commitment to helping clients succeed. With strong leadership already in place, this is a rare opportunity to join a business actively planning for its next generation of leaders.

Your new role

This is not a role focused solely on accounts production and compliance.You'll become a trusted adviser to a diverse portfolio of established business owners, supporting them through key commercial, financial and strategic decisions. Alongside overseeing client delivery, you'll play an important role in developing relationships, identifying opportunities and helping shape the future direction of the firm.Key responsibilities will include:

• Acting as the lead adviser to owner-managed businesses and private clients.
• Providing commercially focused accounting and business advice.
• Building long-term relationships with key stakeholders.
• Supporting and mentoring a talented team.
• Identifying opportunities to enhance client service and add value.
• Contributing to business development and the continued growth of the practice.
• Working closely with senior leadership on strategic initiatives.

This is an opportunity to step beyond pure technical delivery and become part of the wider conversation around how successful businesses grow and evolve.

What you’ll need to succeed

• ACA, ACCA or equivalent qualification.
• Significant post-qualified experience within practice.
• Strong accounting and financial reporting knowledge.
• Good understanding of personal taxation.
• Experience working with entrepreneurial and owner-managed businesses.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Commercial awareness and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
• Ambition to progress into a senior leadership position.

What you’ll get in return

• A genuine succession opportunity with a clear pathway to leadership.
• Significant autonomy and influence from day one.
• Exposure to a varied and interesting client portfolio.
• The opportunity to work alongside experienced and highly respected professionals.
• Ongoing development and mentoring.
• Long-term career prospects with realistic partnership potential.
• A collaborative and supportive culture that values relationships as highly as technical expertise.