Qualified Auditor

Hi, We’re Sayer Vincent and we’re not your typical audit firm!

We’ve been around for quite a while… established in 1983 by three accountants committed to social justice who saw the need for dedicated specialist audit and advice for charities and social purpose organisations. Our company is growing and adapting but we’re pleased to say our founding ethos is still a drive at the firm to this day.

We make charities become more effective at what they do - which in turn helps their beneficiaries. So, if you are passionate about causes, working for us would be right up your street!

We really value what every individual brings to our business and believe our people are the most important part. Providing a supportive culture where everyone can learn, develop and grow whilst really understanding what they bring to the business.

The firm has been growing steadily over the last few years and we are looking for fully qualified auditors. Assistant audit managers work as part of our audit team delivering client work and provide coaching to less experienced colleagues.

About the role

Qualified senior auditors work as part of our audit team delivering client work. As experienced auditors and professionally qualified members of staff, they provide coaching to less experienced colleagues, alongside the practical delivery of audit and other client work.

Responsibilities

• Undertake client work as directed, mainly this will involve statutory audits but will also encompass other client assignments such as due diligence, VAT, internal audit and training activities.
• Follow the firm’s policies and procedures on all work to achieve high standards and deliver an excellent service to clients.
• Adhere to firm’s standards on independence and professional ethics.
• Keep managers and partners regularly informed of activities, capacity and progress on assignments to ensure that time is fully utilised.
• Participate in meetings as appropriate, playing an active part in internal briefing and de-brief sessions.
• Provide effective supervision and training to trainee accountants who are undertaking audit work.
• Where required, work alone at client’s premises with minimal supervision, presenting completed audit file for manager review, which includes management letter.
• Any other tasks in line with the responsibilities of the role.

Skills and knowledge

• Thorough knowledge of the firm’s processes for delivering services to clients, as represented by manuals and guidance on our intranet.
• Commitment and interest in the charity / not for profit sector.
• Ability to work alone at client’s premises or lead an audit team as the most senior member of the on-site staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate well with non-finance personnel at clients.
• Ability to prioritise own work effectively, planning time and assignments effectively to meet client deadlines and internal deadlines.
• IT literate, particularly in relation to use of Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience of charity audits and accounts.
• Experience of dealing with senior staff at clients.

Person specification

Qualifications

• ACA with good exam record, or equivalent qualification.
• Degree level qualification, or AAT qualified.

Work experience

• Accounts preparation experience both using accounting packages and incomplete records.
• Experience of supervising audit staff.
• At least two years’ experience of working on audit assignments.

Key interfaces

Clients

Audit Managers

Trainees

Support and development

Qualified senior auditors will be supported by individual principals who will be senior audit managers or partners. The principal will provide support and assistance in professional development, encouraging the qualified auditor to actively explore and gain experience of non-audit work.

Whilst we cannot predict what non-audit work will be undertaken, it will build upon the audit skills acquired during the course of the ACA training contract. Recent non-audit work undertaken has included due diligence assignments, internal audit, external training, VAT and tax assignments and additional accounting support to clients.

Qualified senior auditors will be provided with a tailored development programme that will include further soft skills training as well as continuing professional development. Qualified auditors will be required to remain technically up to date and to develop new skills from the challenge of undertaking non-audit assignments.

Qualified senior auditors will be supported to achieve the Diploma in Charity Accounting through the experience route.

If this sounds like you, we’d be keen to hear from you and look forward to reviewing your application.