Experienced Practice Accountant / Accounts Senior
Location: Rayleigh, Essex
Salary: £40,000 – £50,000 per annum, depending on experience and qualifications
Hours: Full Time, Monday to Friday
Working Arrangement: Office Based
Employment Type: Permanent
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Practice Accountant / Accounts
Senior to join our growing team in Rayleigh, Essex.
This is an excellent opportunity for an accountant with previous accountancy practice
experience who is confident working independently and managing a varied portfolio of
clients.
The successful candidate will have strong experience in the preparation of management
accounts, year-end accounts and general practice accounting work, together with
excellent attention to detail and the ability to build strong relationships with clients.
This is a fully office-based role and would suit an experienced accountant who enjoys
working as part of a professional, friendly team and is looking for a long-term position
with the opportunity to develop their career.
Key Responsibilities
- Managing a portfolio of clients across a range of sectors and business sizes.
- Preparing monthly and quarterly management accounts.
- Preparing year-end accounts for limited companies, sole traders and partnerships.
- Preparing accounts and supporting schedules for external submission.
- Preparing and reviewing balance sheets, profit and loss accounts and supporting schedules.
- Completing bank, control account and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Preparing VAT returns and ensuring deadlines are met.
- Assisting with corporation tax and personal tax returns where required.
- Reviewing bookkeeping records and correcting discrepancies.
- Maintaining accurate and up-to-date client records.
- Liaising directly with clients to obtain information and resolve accounting queries.
- Providing clients with meaningful financial information and support.
- Identifying accounting issues and bringing them to the attention of senior management.
- Ensuring all client work is completed accurately and within agreed deadlines.
- Supporting junior members of the team and reviewing work where appropriate.
- Assisting with improving internal systems, procedures and processes.
- Keeping up to date with relevant accounting, tax and regulatory changes.
About You
We are looking for someone who has:
- Previous experience working within an accountancy practice – essential.
- Strong experience preparing year-end accounts.
- Good experience preparing management accounts.
- Experience dealing directly with clients.
- Strong knowledge of UK accounting principles and legislation.
- Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
- The ability to manage multiple clients and deadlines effectively.
- Strong organisational and time-management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- The ability to work independently while also contributing positively to a wider team.
- A proactive and professional approach to client service.
- Good IT skills, particularly Microsoft Excel and accounting software.
Qualifications
Ideally, you will be:
- AAT qualified, ACA/ACCA qualified, part-qualified or qualified by experience.
Professional qualifications are advantageous, but strong practical experience within an accountancy practice will be equally important.
Desirable Experience
Experience with some or all of the following would be advantageous:
- Xero
- Sage
- Microsoft Excel
- VAT returns
- Corporation tax
- Personal tax
- Payroll
- Bookkeeping
- Year-end accounts
- Management accounts
What We Offer
- Competitive salary of £40,000–£50,000, depending on experience.
- Permanent, full-time employment.
- Monday–Friday office-based position in Rayleigh, Essex.
- A professional and friendly working environment.
- Varied client portfolio and interesting workload.
- Annual salary review.
- Company pension scheme.
- 20 days’ annual holiday plus bank holidays.
- Additional benefits to be discussed at interview.
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be an experienced practice accountant who can hit the ground
running and take responsibility for client accounts with minimal supervision.
You will be confident preparing management accounts and year-end accounts,
comfortable speaking directly with clients and able to manage your workload effectively.
We are looking for someone who is not simply technically capable, but who takes pride
in their work, has a commercial mindset and genuinely wants to build long-term
relationships with clients and colleagues.
If you are an experienced practice accountant looking for a new challenge in a growing
and professional accountancy environment, we would love to hear from you.
Pay: £40,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Free parking
- Private medical insurance
Work Location: In person
