Accounts Portfolio Manager

ACCOUNTS PORTFOLIO MANAGER

We are seeking an Accounts Portfolio Manager to join our team and take charge of a broad portfolio of clients. This is a senior position ideal for someone who is both technically strong and passionate about client service. You will lead on delivering accounting and advisory services, ensuring compliance and high-quality outputs. Key responsibilities include:

Overseeing a portfolio of clients:

Manage a portfolio primarily consisting of SMEs, partnerships, and sole traders, acting as the main point of contact for your clients and ensuring their needs are met. You will build and maintain strong, long-term client relationships founded on trust and excellent service.

Financial reporting and compliance:

Prepare and review financial statements, annual accounts, tax returns, and periodic management reports for your clients. Ensure accuracy in all deliverables and compliance with relevant accounting standards and UK tax regulations. You will also make sure all reporting deadlines are met.

Strategic advisory:

Provide strategic financial insights to clients to help them grow their businesses and improve their financial performance. This includes advising on tax planning, cash flow management, and business planning opportunities, tailoring your advice to each client’s circumstances.

Client relationship management:

Serve as the trusted adviser for clients in your portfolio, handling day-to-day queries and proactively addressing their accounting and business needs. You will conduct client meetings, present findings from reports, and ensure client satisfaction is kept at the forefront

Team leadership and mentoring:

Supervise and mentor a team of junior accountants and trainees. You will review their work, provide guidance and training, and foster their professional development. By nurturing talent and leading by example, you will maintain a high-performing team that delivers quality work.

Quality control and compliance:

Take responsibility for the quality of work produced by your team, implementing review processes to ensure compliance with UK GAAP/IFRS and the latest tax legislation. You will stay up to date with any changes in accounting standards or tax law and ensure the firm’s services adapt accordingly.

Continuous improvement:

Work with the directors and senior management team to identify opportunities to improve internal processes or enhance the client service experience.

This role is pivotal to our firm’s success. You will have the autonomy to manage your portfolio while also contributing to firm-wide initiatives, such as staff training and business development (for example, spotting opportunities to introduce additional services to existing clients). It’s a fantastic opportunity for a seasoned accountant to make a real impact on both clients’ businesses and our practice.

About You

The ideal candidate is a qualified accountant with strong technical knowledge and excellent people skills. Key qualifications and attributes we are looking for include:

• ACA or ACCA Qualified: You are a chartered accountant (ACA or ACCA) with full membership status (or equivalent qualification). This is an essential requirement, ensuring you have a solid technical foundation in accounting and audit standards.
• Practice and Managerial Experience: You have previous experience in an accountancy practice environment, with a track record of managing a diverse portfolio of clients. You should also have proven experience in a senior role, supervising staff and reviewing work, ideally as an Accounts Manager or Client Manager.
• Technical skills: Strong knowledge of UK accounting standards (UK GAAP and/or IFRS) and a good understanding of tax compliance. You stay current with regulatory changes and can ensure compliance in all client work.
• Software proficiency: Proficient in accounting software including Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage. Familiarity with other cloud accounting and tax software is a plus.
• Leadership and mentoring: Excellent leadership qualities – you enjoy managing and mentoring junior team members, helping them grow and maintaining high standards of work. You can delegate effectively and provide constructive feedback to develop your team.
• Client-focused communication: Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. You are confident in liaising with clients, explaining complex financial information in clear terms, and building trusted adviser relationships. Client relationship-building is second nature to you, and you take pride in delivering great service.
• Analytical and organised: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with keen attention to detail. You are well organised, able to manage deadlines and priorities across a portfolio of engagements, and you take a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues.
• Business acumen: Commercial awareness and the ability to spot opportunities to add value for clients or improve services. You understand the challenges small businesses face and can tailor your advice to help clients succeed.

If you are an ambitious, reliable, and personable accounting professional who meets the above criteria, we would love to hear from you. In return, we offer a role where you can truly partner with clients and play a key part in the growth of the firm.

Benefits

We offer a competitive benefits package and a supportive work environment to ensure you excel in your role and enjoy being part of our team:

• Salary: Salary of £38,000-£44,000 dependent on experience, plus annual bonus.
• Holiday and Leave: Holiday allowance of 23 days plus bank holidays, with an additional day for your birthday. We recognise the importance of work-life balance and encourage you to take your holidays.
• Pension & Financial: Company pension scheme with employer contributions to help you plan for the future. We also offer death in service cover for your peace of mind.
• Professional Development: Continuous training in soft skills, technical knowledge, and professional development. We invest in our people and will support your career growth, including potential progression to senior management roles.
• Agile Working: We offer agile working and the possibility of some remote working arrangements to suit your circumstances (after probation), recognising the benefits of a healthy work-life integration.
• Personal Health Cash Plan: We offer an NHS top-up personal health cash plan to contribute towards the cost of routine healthcare.
• Team Culture: Be part of a friendly, professional team that values collaboration and knowledge-sharing. You’ll join a firm where your ideas are heard and your contributions are valued.

We look forward to hearing from you. Join us and play a key role in supporting local businesses while advancing your career as an Accounts Portfolio Manager in our growing Exeter practice!

Apply now!