Practice Accountant/Manager

SAVANNAH SEARCH LIMITED; Ilkley; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

SAVANNAH SEARCH LIMITED is seeking an Experienced Accountant to lead a growing Ilkley practice. You’ll manage a substantial client portfolio, delivering year-end accounts, tax and strategic business advice while mentoring a team and collaborating across the office.

The role is client-facing, with flexible working patterns to fit the right candidate. The ideal candidate has 8+ years in practice, strong year-end and tax knowledge, and demonstrable leadership and client-relations skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8+ years' experience gained within an accountancy practice.
• Strong knowledge of year-end accounts and tax processes.
• ACA/ACCA qualification or proven by experience; open to non-traditional routes.
• Excellent client relationship management and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Own a significant portfolio of clients and act as primary point of contact.
• Review accounting work, tax returns and technical outputs prepared by the team.
• Provide proactive, commercially-minded tax, accounts and business-advice guidance.
• Lead, mentor and develop accounting staff; oversee day-to-day office operations.
• Support business development and contribute to growth for the Ilkley office.

Skills

Client facing

Leadership

Tax knowledge

Year-end accounts

Education

ACA/ACCA qualified

Qualified by experience

Job description

Experienced Accountant – Ilkley, West Yorkshire | Join a Fast-Growing, Newly Backed Accountancy Practice

Our client is a UK-wide accountancy practice entering an exciting new chapter. Newly rebranded and backed by significant investment, they're building a nationwide presence with a difference — one that combines the resources and ambition of a national firm with the warmth of a genuinely personal service, for both companies and individuals. Their Ilkley office serves an important and well-established catchment area, and we're looking for an experienced Accountant, with a minimum of 8 years' experience gained within an accountancy practice, to help lead it.

This is a genuinely client-facing role. You'll take ownership of a significant portfolio of clients, becoming their trusted go‑to for everything from year-end accounts and tax to commercial advice that helps their businesses grow. You'll also play a key leadership role — mentoring the team, working alongside shared services colleagues, and helping shape how the office runs day to day.

What you'll be doing:

• Acting as the primary contact for your own portfolio of clients, building long-term relationships
• Reviewing accounts, tax returns and technical work prepared by the team
• Providing proactive, commercially-minded advice on tax, accounts and business performance
• Leading, mentoring and developing accounting staff
• Supporting business development, including meeting prospective clients

Great accountants come from all sorts of backgrounds, so if you've built your expertise through experience rather than exams and can demonstrate the technical knowledge and client skills required, you'd still be a great fit.

What they're looking for:

• Minimum 8+ years' experience gained within an accountancy practice
• Strong knowledge of year-end accounts and tax
• ACA/ACCA qualified, or qualified by experience — they're genuinely open on this
• Confidence building and managing client relationships
• Previous team leadership or supervisory experience
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to juggle multiple priorities

Our client is genuinely flexible on how this role works — hours, working pattern, whatever helps secure the right person — because they care far more about finding the right fit than filling a seat. In return, you'll get real autonomy, a clear path to progress within a growing, well-backed practice, and the chance to help shape an office as it scales.