Senior Accountant / Client Manager

Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions; Leeds; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

Flexible working options

Generous annual leave entitlement

Company pension scheme

Professional subscription fees paid

Ongoing CPD and professional dev

Structured career progression pathway

Modern Leeds office

Employee wellbeing initiatives

Regular team social events

Supportive and collaborative culture

Exposure to diverse client portfolio

Job summary

Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions is recruiting a Senior Accountant / Client Manager in Leeds. You will manage a diverse SME portfolio, provide advisory services and mentor junior staff. The role blends compliance with strategic finance, fostering long-term client relationships.

Ideal candidates are ACA/ACCA qualified with 4–7 years in UK practice, strong communication, and a proactive, commercially minded approach to add value for clients and the firm.

Qualifications

• ACA or ACCA qualified
• 4-7 years' UK accountancy practice experience
• Experience managing a portfolio of clients
• Knowledge of statutory accounts and corporation tax
• Strong client relationship and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities
• Commercial awareness with proactive problem-solving

Responsibilities

• Managing a portfolio of business clients and acting as their primary point of contact
• Preparing and reviewing statutory accounts
• Reviewing corporation tax returns and related compliance work
• Preparing and reviewing management accounts
• Providing business advisory and strategic financial guidance
• Supporting client meetings and presenting financial information clearly
• Ensuring compliance with UK accounting and taxation regulations
• Reviewing work completed by junior team members
• Coaching, mentoring and developing trainees and junior staff
• Identifying opportunities to add value and expand services within the client portfolio
• Supporting partners and directors with practice development initiatives

Skills

Client relationship management

Communication

Stakeholder management

Time management

Commercial awareness

Education

ACA or ACCA qualification

Tools

Xero

Sage

QuickBooks

IRIS

Excel

Cloud-based accounting

Job description

Senior Accountant / Client Manager

Salary: £45,000 - £60,000 + Benefits

Location: Leeds | Clear Progression to Senior Leadership

Are you an ambitious ACA or ACCA qualified accountant looking for a role that offers more than just compliance work?

Our client, a highly respected independent accountancy practice based in Leeds, is seeking an experienced Senior Accountant / Client Manager to manage a diverse portfolio of owner-managed businesses whilst playing a key role in the continued growth of the firm.

This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded practice professional who enjoys building long-term client relationships, delivering high-quality advisory services and mentoring junior team members. You'll join a collaborative and forward-thinking environment where your contribution will be recognised and where genuine career progression opportunities exist.

The Opportunity

As Senior Accountant / Client Manager, you will take ownership of a portfolio of SME and owner-managed business clients across a variety of sectors.

You will act as a trusted adviser, providing technical expertise and proactive guidance whilst ensuring exceptional levels of client service.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing a portfolio of business clients and acting as their primary point of contact
• Preparing and reviewing statutory accounts
• Reviewing corporation tax returns and related compliance work
• Preparing and reviewing management accounts
• Providing business advisory and strategic financial guidance
• Supporting client meetings and presenting financial information clearly
• Ensuring compliance with UK accounting and taxation regulations
• Reviewing work completed by junior team members
• Coaching, mentoring and developing trainees and junior staff
• Identifying opportunities to add value and expand services within the client portfolio
• Supporting partners and directors with practice development initiatives

About You

To be successful in this role, you will ideally possess:

Essential Requirements

• ACA or ACCA qualified
• Minimum 4-7 years' UK accountancy practice experience
• Strong experience managing a portfolio of clients within an accountancy practice environment
• Proven experience preparing and reviewing statutory accounts
• Good working knowledge of corporation tax and personal tax compliance
• Excellent client relationship management skills
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities effectively
• Commercial awareness with a proactive problem-solving approach

Technical Skills

Experience with one or more of the following would be advantageous:

• Xero
• Sage
• QuickBooks
• IRIS
• Microsoft Excel (intermediate to advanced level)
• Cloud-based accounting systems

Career Progression

This role offers genuine opportunities for further advancement, including:

• Progression towards Senior Manager level
• Increased responsibility for larger and more complex client portfolios
• Exposure to advisory and business development projects
• Ongoing professional development and technical training
• Leadership and people management opportunities

Salary & Benefits

What's on Offer?

• £45,000 - £60,000 basic salary (depending on experience and qualifications)
• Hybrid working arrangements
• Flexible working options
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Company pension scheme
• Professional subscription fees paid
• Ongoing CPD and professional development support
• Structured career progression pathway
• Modern office environment in Leeds
• Employee wellbeing initiatives
• Regular team social events
• Supportive and collaborative culture
• Exposure to a diverse and interesting client portfolio

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.