The Role
The Client Accountant works with a small team of other Client Reporting Accountants and is responsible for all aspects of client and property accounting within a designated portfolio. The Client Accountant is the focal point for co-ordinating our accounting service delivery to both external and internal clients. In addition, there may be a requirement from time to time to work on project type activities. In respect of such projects, there may be a direct reporting line to a member of the Client Finance Senior Management Team.
Key deliverables and responsibilities
- Act as the principal contact point for clients, surveyors, and other relevant parties on all aspects of accounting service delivery for a designated portfolio of properties
- Responsible for the accuracy and completeness of designated client accounting records, including client statements and/or profit and loss and balance sheet reporting, VAT and other tax reporting, charges to tenants and clients, rent deposits, and bank, cash, and service charge reconciliations, maintaining and collating supporting information as required
- Understand and document specific client reporting requirements and operating procedures, and ensure that services are delivered in accordance with the agreed contract
- Respond promptly to routine queries from clients, tenants and colleagues
- Ensure that data pertaining to the portfolio is complete and accurate
- Ensure that postings are made promptly, efficiently, and accurately, performing checks of work undertaken on the portfolio by other members of the Client Finance team in accordance with agreed procedures and controls
- Attend client meetings as required and work with clients to understand their needs
- Compile, check and deliver regular reports in accordance with agreed timescales, ensuring all necessary reviews have been undertaken and signed-off before issue
- Regularly review funding to ensure clients’ payment obligations can be met and that monies collected are paid over without delay in accordance with banking requirements
- Ensure at all times that client bank accounts are not overdrawn
- Review property expenditure on a regular basis, agreeing the accuracy of coding with surveyors and facilities managers, resolving queries with suppliers and actioning any amendments required
- Monitor rent, service charge, rates, and similar payments made on the clients’ behalf, ensure that these are made in accordance with the terms and, where appropriate, that associated tax receipts are obtained and filed or passed to the client as required
- Ensure all service charge reconciliations are completed within three months of period end in accordance with client requirements and that any balancing charges and/or adjustments are processed promptly
- Liaise with the credit control team to understand the arrears position and report to clients accordingly
- Supervise the day to day activities of other client and assistant accountants assigned to assist on the portfolio
- Complete month/quarter and year end processes and ensure appropriate accounting periods are maintained
- Ensure routine charges are raised on a timely basis in accordance with lease and budgetary requirements
- Agree interest charges on late payments and write-off of uncollectable charges with the surveyor responsible
- Complete all statutory reporting required on behalf of the client
- Assist in internal and external audits of financial information, procedures and controls
- Calculate and compile completion statements on sale of properties or their transfer to other agents
- Assist in identifying and resolving the allocation of unidentified receipts
- Adhere to all agreed procedures and controls
- Report client service delivery issues and routine key performance indicators
- Oversee the set up and continued maintenance of the chart of accounts, sub ledger structure, banking rules and transaction types pertaining to the allocated portfolio
- Specific project deliverables as may arise from time to time, as defined by the Client Finance Senior Management Team
Financial
- Has an awareness of wider team or department budget
- Participation in the annual property budget and quarterly re-forecast process through to submission to the client
- Participation in ensuring the property decisions are made in support of the achieving the budgeted result.
Clients and Business Development
- Assist in business development with new clients by demonstrating systems, processes and procedures operated by client finance
- Report to clients based on trial balance to include profit and loss and balance sheet control account reconciliation to include input to the quarterly FMP for sensitive accounts
- Prepare monthly reporting to the client to include variance analysis and commentary against budget and re-forecasts throughout the year
- Ensure that data held on Tramps maps to the client systems chart of accounts and the all transactional reporting is in a format which can be uploaded to the client’s financial systems
- Is proactive in building relationships with internal clients and responsive and helpful to external clients
- Functional or specialist competence with relevant understanding of business/ departmental context
- Completes own work under minimal supervision/guidance
- Can deal with novel or difficult situations within context of own function or specialism
People
- Active team player
- Strong communication & written skills both to internal & external stakeholders
Systems and Process
- Ensure that processes and procedures are adopted across disciplines to ensure that accurate and timely accrual based accounting entries are calculated and posted monthly for deferred income and expenditure, accrued income and expenditure, prepayments and accruals
- Manages, co-ordinates, implements and develops a range of important activities, processes, functions or relationships
- Makes some decisions within field of expertise
- May contribute to, or be expected to lead projects from time to time.
Person specification
Qualifications
- Qualified or part-qualified in a recognised accounting qualification (CIMA, ACCA, AAT) with an appreciation of client reporting requirements, preferable but not essential in a property related client facing role, or qualified by experience with at least three years related financial accounting experience
Skills
- Demonstrable understanding of basic bookkeeping, accruals and prepayments, internal and external financial reporting, financial operations, budgeting & forecasting and associated processes and controls.
- Knowledge of property accounting, service charges, CIS and/or property VAT an advantage
- Proficient in MS Office
- Property management and accounting packages for managing agents
Experience
- Highly numerate with a strong “can do” attitude and attention to detail
- Self-motivated, responsible and organised.
- Committed to the provision of excellent customer service and to meeting deadlines
- Ability to juggle priorities and recognise when to ask for guidance
We are proud to offer award-winning benefits to support and reward our employees:
Heath & Leisure: Private medical cover, 25 days annual leave + public holidays (the option of purchasing up to 5 additional days via flex benefits), health screening, gym discounts, wellbeing support, volunteering opportunities, cycle to work scheme, eye care voucher, travel & retail discounts, travel insurance, concierge service, kids pass, open fairways golf card, great company culture and social events (including sports teams, charity events, art pass), perks at work
Financial: Pension, life assurance at 8 x basic salary, group income protection (long term disability insurance), interest free season ticket loan, bonus scheme - you will be eligible to participate in the Company’s Bonus Scheme, share incentive plan, financial and mortgage advice
BNP Paribas Real Estate is committed to providing a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and equal employment opportunity without regard to race, colour, gender, age, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability (physical or mental), marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, or any other legally protected status.
