Trust, Executry and Charity Accounting Roles

Turcan Connell; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A respected legal and tax planning firm based in Edinburgh seeks Trust Managers and Trust Accountants to join their team. Successful candidates will manage accounts for trusts, executries, and charities, ensuring accuracy and compliance. Strong organizational and communication skills are essential, along with a solid foundation in legal accountancy. The firm offers in-house training, a hybrid working approach, and a commitment to colleague development in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Outstanding training opportunities

Commitment to colleague development

Supportive working environment

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of legal accountancy, particularly in relation to trusts and executries.
• Ability to work directly and professionally with clients and colleagues of all levels.
• Experience with Microsoft Office packages, particularly Excel.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and co‑ordinate accounts for trusts, executries, and charities.
• Audit and edit all types of trust accounts and reconcile trust cash accounting.
• Liaise with Tax Agents to establish tax retentions and reconcile the trust tax position.

Skills

Legal accountancy knowledge

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Microsoft Excel proficiency

Education

Relevant accounting courses

Society of Law Accountants in Scotland courses

Job description

About Us

We are trusted and respected legal and tax planning experts and our approach to providing a personal, discreet and tailored service is key to our success since the firm was established in 1997.

The Firm acts on behalf of individuals, entrepreneurs, landowners and works with charities, philanthropists, and trustees to guide and manage complex legal and financial affairs on their behalf. Our values make our clients feel looked after.

With a close-knit team of around 230 colleagues including 26 Partners across offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, Turcan Connell’s comprehensive service covers everything required for efficient tax, estate and succession planning as well as advice on the many aspects of land and property management and transactional activity. We also handle the complexities of divorce and family law, employment law and dispute resolution advice and provide a range of business law services to our clients.

Opportunity

We have two new opportunities to join our in‑house Trust, Executry and Charity Accounting team, which sits within our Tax & Succession department.

We are looking to expand our current team with one Trust Manager/Senior Manager and one Trust Accountant/Trainee Trust Accountant with a view to developing our existing accounting offering for clients as well as sustaining this core part of the Tax & Succession department through the next phase of the growth of Turcan Connell.

Both positions are ideally on a full‑time permanent basis, core hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, 33.75 hours per week, although we are open to part‑time hours depending on the candidate.

Each role can be based in either our Edinburgh or Glasgow offices, and we support a hybrid working approach once sufficient experience of performing the role has been obtained.

Role and Responsibilities

The successful candidates will prepare and co‑ordinate accounts for trusts, executries and charities from inception to completion and assist the Tax & Succession legal teams in the administration of trusts, executries and charities.

You will audit, edit and undertake the comparison of all types of trust accounts (life interest, discretionary, multi‑fund, bare), including all related tasks involved in accounts preparation and finalisation.

The successful candidates will be able to reconcile the trust cash accounting and the asset register, and will liaise with the relevant Tax Agent (whether in‑house at Turcan Connell or externally appointed by the client) to establish tax retentions and reconcile the trust tax position, so far as relevant, to the periodic accounting work required. Executry accounting supports the delivery of our executry administration practice and varies from simple to complex.

Our in‑house Accounting team liaises closely with our Tax & Succession legal/tax compliance teams, external investment managers and external tax advisors regarding the procedures for dealing with periodic accounting requirements for trusts, executries and charities.

The successful candidates will ideally be able to work with minimal supervision in the preparation of periodic accounts, with high attention to detail and accuracy as well as care and diligence in the delivery of work to our clients within their expected timescales.

The role can be expanded to provide additional administration support for larger trust and charity clients, and work with Tax & Succession legal teams to streamline the ongoing administration of these clients.

Financial and business awareness is also vital to ensure that work is delivered for clients in a cost‑effective and efficient manner, and previous experience of time recording and delivering client work costed at hourly rates would be beneficial although training will of course be provided.

Person Specification

These are the ideal roles for an individual with strong knowledge of legal accountancy, particularly in relation to trusts and executries. However, we are open to candidates from other accounting backgrounds with transferable skills. We would encourage completion of relevant courses provided by the Society of Law Accountants in Scotland. In‑house training can be provided on accounting for charitable trusts and OSCR compliance.

The ability to work directly and professionally with clients and colleagues of all levels is required. Strong organisation and communication skills will be essential as is experience using Microsoft Office packages, particularly Excel. Full training will be given on other platforms which are used in the business. You will have a continuous improvement mindset and a keen interest in using business systems to improve the efficiency of accounting and reporting processes.

Experience working in a similar role within professional services is desirable. A very high level of discretion and confidentiality is a requirement of this role, as you will be exposed to sensitive client data, confidential documents and financial information.

Turcan Connell will provide you with the opportunity to build on your career and realise your ambitions in an environment with an unrivalled reputation, and a commitment to our colleagues as individuals. We invest in the development of our talent and provide outstanding training opportunities within a congenial working environment. We have a very strong team across the Firm, and many of our colleagues have chosen to invest their whole career at the Firm. Through living our Firm's values, we make you feel looked after throughout your career with us.