We are looking to recruit a client manager for a multi sited accountancy firm. This is a professional services firm offering SME businesses one complete professional team combining all the expertise they need to take their business forward. The team includes Accountants, Tax Advisors, Financial Advisors, Insolvency Practitioners and Corporate Finance Professionals.
The Client Manager role sites within the Accounting and Financial Management group and is responsible for managing the day-to-day client relationships within a portfolio of SME clients. The role will involve the application of technical expertise and relational skills to deliver a range of accounting and consulting services to clients along with taking on business development responsibilities.
Advisor to SME clients
The Client Manager is the first point of contact for most clients and will often become a trusted advisor on a broad range of business issues. Typically, the Client Manager would expect to be doing the following:
• Presenting management accounts and leading meetings with clients’ to discuss the commercial performance of their business
• Providing advice and support to business owners as they develop and execute business strategies. This could involve developing forecast models, critiquing business plans, liaising with lenders or just being a 'sounding board’ on new business ideas
• Developing bespoke management information and reporting processes to support clients’ businesses. This could include KPI dashboards and 'flash’ reports.
Oversight and delivery of accounting work
• The Client Managers client portfolio will include a full spectrum of services including management accounting & bookkeeping, year-end accounting, VAT, Payroll and Tax Advisory work.
• The Client Manager will have 3-4 technical accounting teams working with them. The Client Manager will liaise with the managers of these teams and act as an internal client ensuring the clients’ needs are represented and a quality product always delivered
• The Client Manager will be the final reviewer on most year-end and other compliance work and will be responsible for delivery and explaining the accounts to the clients
• They will also regularly work with the tax advisory team to assist them in rolling out tax work for portfolio clients. This could include assisting with R&D tax credits, corporate structuring or tax investigation work.
Leading on Business Development opportunities
The Client Manager will be expected to drive business development in their portfolio. This will include the following:
• Building a deep understanding of the client and their ambitions and strategies for the business
• Identifying opportunities for the firm to assist the client in moving their business forward. This will include pulling in services outside of the accounting service line (such as Financial Services, Wills and Estates, Corporate Finance and Tax)
• Coordinate internally to bring together the people and resources to introduce and deliver these new services to the client
• Monitoring engagement scope and ensuring that fees are raised where required to adapt to scope change.
• Maintaining the necessary engagement admin for new and current engagement
Key Skills and Attributes:
• The candidate will be a confident communicator with a natural ability to build and manage client relationships. He or she will be extremely numerate and have a broad technical understanding across the accounting and tax skill set. They will be able to demonstrate an ability to take initiative, work with minimal guidance and have a track record of improving the product and service they deliver.
Specifically:
• Qualified accountant or management accountant with experience working directly with clients in a professional services practice capacity
• Two to four years post qualified experience at a minimum
• An advanced user of MS Office, particularly Excel.
• Experience using Xero, Sage and Iris desirable
• Strong academic record is desirable
• Can demonstrate they have a high level commercial acumen with the ability to see beyond 'the numbers’ and accounting treatments and interpret what they mean for a client
• Have a track record in working directly with clients providing advice and managing a professional relationship
• Be a strong communicator and presenter, able to simplify complex accounting and business concepts
• Extremely good time and task management skill set. Able to demonstrate they can handle a busy work load, delegating work effectively across their team.
Thank you for your interest.