Salary: £27,000–£30,000 per year, depending on experience
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Location: Leamington Spa
Working pattern: Monday to Friday
Job type: Permanent
About Us
Modern Self Assessments is a growing accountancy business specialising in Self Assessment, Making Tax Digital (MTD) and payroll services.
We look after a large and growing portfolio of self-employed clients across the UK, helping to make their tax and accounting obligations as straightforward and stress-free as possible.
We're closely connected with our sister business, Modern Accountancy, which specialises in limited companies and small businesses. Together, the two businesses provide accounting and tax services to a broad range of clients.
We're now looking for a Client Manager & Bookkeeper to join Modern Self Assessments and play an important role in managing our growing client base.
This is a varied position combining client management, bookkeeping, Self Assessment and quarterly MTD work.
The Role
You'll be involved in looking after clients throughout the year, from initial enquiries and onboarding through to bookkeeping, quarterly MTD submissions and annual Self Assessment tax returns.
A large part of the role is about keeping clients and their work moving.
You'll be communicating with clients regularly, answering questions, chasing records and information, reviewing what they send us and making sure everything required for their submissions is in place.
You'll also undertake the bookkeeping and preparation work necessary to get client records ready for their quarterly MTD submissions and annual Self Assessment returns.
Your responsibilities will include:
- managing and communicating with a portfolio of self-employed clients;
- responding to client enquiries by telephone and email;
- onboarding new clients;
- chasing clients for bookkeeping records and other information;
- reviewing information received from clients and identifying anything missing or inconsistent;
- carrying out bookkeeping and preparing client records;
- preparing and submitting quarterly MTD returns;
- assisting with and preparing Self Assessment tax returns;
- maintaining accurate client records and practice-management systems;
- monitoring client deadlines and following up outstanding work;
- answering routine client questions regarding their accounts and tax affairs;
- liaising with HMRC where required;
- assisting with general administration and the day-to-day running of the business; and
- working with colleagues across Modern Self Assessments and Modern Accountancy where appropriate.
Payroll experience would also be useful, but payroll will not be a principal responsibility of this position.
MTD and Our Quarterly Deadlines
Making Tax Digital is becoming an increasingly important part of our business.
We currently expect to complete more than 100 quarterly MTD submissions each quarter, increasing significantly as further clients become subject to MTD.
During each quarterly filing period, the whole team needs to work together to make sure client records are received, checked, prepared and submitted within the available filing window.
This means there will be periods during the year when the role becomes particularly busy and deadline-focused.
You'll need to be comfortable managing a substantial workload, prioritising effectively and following up clients who haven't provided the information we need.
If you're someone who enjoys getting organised, working through a list and seeing everything successfully completed before a deadline, you'll probably enjoy this part of the role.
About You
We're looking for someone who is organised, personable, accurate and comfortable dealing with clients.
You'll need good bookkeeping knowledge, but you don't necessarily need previous experience preparing Self Assessment or MTD returns.
We can teach the right person our processes.
What's more difficult to teach is the attitude we're looking for.
We want somebody who:
- genuinely cares about getting things right;
- naturally checks their work;
- follows tasks through rather than assuming somebody else will deal with them;
- is comfortable taking ownership of their workload;
- knows when to ask a question rather than making an assumption;
- can stay organised when there are lots of clients and competing deadlines;
- communicates with clients in a friendly, helpful and professional manner; and
- isn't afraid to pick up the phone and speak to a client when that's the quickest way to resolve something.
This is a client-facing role. Being technically capable isn't enough on its own — we want our clients to feel looked after.
Essential Requirements
You should have:
- good practical bookkeeping knowledge;
- excellent organisational skills;
- strong attention to detail;
- good written and verbal communication skills;
- a friendly and professional telephone manner;
- confidence dealing directly with clients;
- good general IT skills;
- experience using spreadsheets;
- the ability to manage a busy workload and multiple deadlines; and
- the ability to work independently while recognising when something needs to be checked or escalated.
Desirable Experience
It would be particularly useful if you have experience with:
- Self Assessment tax returns;
- Making Tax Digital;
- working in an accountancy or bookkeeping practice;
- managing your own portfolio of clients;
- Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or similar accounting software;
- bookkeeping for sole traders;
- HMRC systems;
- client onboarding;
- practice-management software;
- payroll; or
- AAT qualifications or current AAT study.
You don't need to tick every box.
If you have solid bookkeeping skills, you're good with clients and you're willing to learn, we'd still be very interested in hearing from you.
Hours
This is a full-time position working 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
We can agree one of the following working patterns:
8:30am–5:30pm with a one-hour lunch break
or
8:30am–5:00pm with a 30-minute lunch break.
Location & Future Working Arrangements
The position will initially be based at our Leamington Spa office.
During your initial training and three-month probationary period, you should expect the role to be predominantly office-based.
After successful completion of probation and training, there may be an opportunity for greater flexibility, including hybrid working and potentially, in time, predominantly home working.
However, we don't want to promise a particular hybrid or home-working arrangement at the outset. Any future working arrangement will depend upon the requirements of the business, your performance and the needs of the team at that time.
You should therefore apply on the basis that this is an office-based position, with the possibility of greater flexibility in the future rather than a guaranteed entitlement.
On-site parking will be available.
What We Offer
- £27,000–£30,000 salary, depending on experience
- 20 days' annual leave plus bank holidays
- Company pension
- On-site parking
- Professional development opportunities
- Training in Self Assessment and MTD where required
- Casual dress
- Access to company events
- Genuine responsibility for your own clients and workload
- Opportunity to develop your accounting and tax knowledge
- Opportunity to grow with a rapidly expanding business
- Potential for greater working flexibility after successful training and probation
Why This Role Is Different
MTD is changing the way millions of self-employed people manage their tax affairs, and it's also changing our business.
Our client numbers and quarterly workload are expected to grow substantially over the coming years.
We're therefore looking for somebody who doesn't simply want another bookkeeping job.
We want someone who would like to become an important part of the business as it grows — taking responsibility for clients, developing their tax and accounting knowledge and helping us build an efficient, friendly service that clients genuinely value.
If you're good with numbers, good with people and like getting things organised, we'd like to hear from you.
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: £27,000–£30,000 per year
Expected hours: 40 per week
Work Location: In person – Leamington Spa, with potential for increased flexibility following successful probation and training.
Pay: £27,000.00-£30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
