Chartered Accountant / Practice Manager

Chartered Accountant / Practice Manager - Leeds - Permanent - Up to £50,000

About the Role

We are working with an established and growing accountancy practice supporting a broad portfolio of SME and owner-managed businesses.

They are looking for an experienced ACA/ACCA qualified accountant to take a senior role within the practice, combining client management, accounts and tax review, team leadership and day-to-day practice management.

This is a hands-on opportunity for someone who enjoys working closely with business owners, providing commercial advice and helping clients improve their businesses, while also having the opportunity to shape how the practice operates and grows.

Key Responsibilities

Client Management & Advisory

• Take responsibility for a portfolio of SME and owner-managed clients, acting as a trusted day-to-day adviser.
• Build strong, long-term relationships with business owners and senior stakeholders.
• Meet with clients to discuss accounts, financial performance, tax and wider business matters.
• Provide practical commercial advice around profitability, cash flow, business performance and financial planning.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, reporting and financial controls within client businesses.
• Proactively identify additional services and opportunities to support existing clients.

Accounts & Tax

• Review statutory accounts, management accounts and corporation tax returns prepared by the wider team.
• Ensure work is completed accurately, efficiently and in line with relevant accounting standards and legislation.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the accounts team on more complex matters.
• Review personal and business tax matters where appropriate, working alongside specialist tax colleagues where required.
• Maintain strong technical knowledge across accounting, taxation and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure appropriate AML, compliance and professional standards are maintained across the client portfolio.

Team Leadership

• Manage, mentor and develop a team of accountants and support staff.
• Allocate work effectively and monitor workloads, deadlines and client deliverables.
• Review team performance and provide ongoing coaching and technical support.
• Act as a senior point of escalation for more complex accounting and client matters.
• Help create a positive, collaborative and commercially focused team environment.

Practice Management

• Play a key role in the day-to-day running and development of the practice.
• Improve internal processes, systems and ways of working to increase efficiency and service quality.
• Monitor client deadlines, workflow and overall service delivery.
• Support the Partners/Directors with operational and commercial decision-making.
• Oversee client billing, WIP, fee collection and portfolio profitability.
• Help implement new technology and cloud-based systems to improve the way the practice operates.
• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and best practice across the firm.

Business Development

• Support the continued growth of the practice through strong client relationships and referrals.
• Attend prospective client meetings and help develop tailored solutions to their requirements.
• Identify opportunities to broaden relationships with existing clients.
• Develop relationships within the local business community and professional network.
• Work closely with Partners/Directors on new business opportunities and strategic growth initiatives.

Skills & Experience

• ACA, ACCA or equivalent qualified accountant.
• Strong experience within an accountancy practice environment.
• Experience working with SMEs, owner-managed businesses and entrepreneurial clients.
• Strong knowledge of statutory accounts and corporation tax.
• Previous experience reviewing accounts and supporting or managing junior accountants.
• Experience managing a portfolio of clients and building trusted client relationships.
• Previous team management or leadership experience.
• Commercially minded with the ability to understand and communicate financial information to non-finance stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple clients, deadlines and priorities.
• Confident communicator with excellent relationship-building skills.
• Good knowledge of accounting software and Microsoft Excel.
• A proactive approach to improving processes and developing both clients and colleagues.

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Chartered Accountant looking to take the next step into a broader leadership role, combining technical accounting expertise with client advisory, people management and practice operations.

The successful individual will have genuine influence over how the practice develops, with the opportunity to build strong client relationships, develop a team and play an important role in the continued growth of the business.