Open role
Partnership Accountant (18 Month FTC)
- Aggregated by CV-Library
- Northampton, West Northamptonshire
- Permanent
- Full Time
Job Description
The role is currently being considered across our London, Birmingham, and Northampton offices.
The Partnership Accountant is responsible for the end-to-end management of partner financial arrangements within a professional services LLP. This includes partner remuneration, drawings, capital accounts, tax reserves, and reporting, ensuring accuracy, compliance with the LLP Agreement, and clear communication with partners and senior stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
1. Partner Remuneration & Distributions
Calculate and process monthly partner drawings and quarterly distributions
Support annual profit allocation processes in line with the LLP Agreement
Maintain and update partner remuneration schedules, including fixed and performance-related elements
Prepare and issue individual remuneration statements and summaries
Forecast partner profit distributions and associated tax payments to support cashflow planning and partner communications
Administer partner annuity arrangements, including calculation, processing and payment of annuity obligations
2. Partner Accounts Management
Maintain accurate records of capital, current and tax reserve accounts
Manage partner capital contributions, repayments and funding arrangements, including liaising with the firm’s partner capital loan providers
Monitor balances and ensure compliance with the LLP Agreement
Oversee reconciliations between underlying schedules and the general ledger/system
3. Tax Reserve & Partner Tax Support
Maintain partner tax payment schedules
Coordinate payments to HMRC on behalf of partners
Act as liaison with external tax advisers and support partner tax queries
Provide clear explanations of tax positions to partners and third parties where required
Provide detailed schedules of personal expenditure and adjustments to external tax advisers to enable accurate uplift of individual taxable profits
Undertake salaried member/disguised remuneration testing to ensure compliance with UK tax legislation and HMRC requirements
4. Financial Reporting & Analysis
Prepare detailed partner-related reporting for audit
Support year-end processes and audit queries relating to partner balances
Prepare and analyse gender pay gap and related partnership reporting, ensuring accuracy and alignment with internal requirements
Support business planning for team hires and other business change activities
5. Partner Lifecycle Management
Contribute to onboarding new partners (capital, drawings, tax briefings)
Manage retirements and exits (final accounts, capital repayment, annuity calculations)
Prepare financial illustrations for prospective and retiring partners
Prepare and issue mortgage reference letters and other financial confirmations for partners and third parties
6. Governance, Compliance & Systems
Ensure all processes are aligned to LLP Agreement, internal policies and regulatory requirements
Maintain strong audit trails and documentation
Support improvements to systems and processes
Safeguard confidentiality of sensitive partner financial data
Oversee the allocation of Gift Aid contributions and manage liaison with the Charities Aid Foundation, ensuring accurate recording and reporting
7. Stakeholder Management
Act as a trusted contact for partners on remuneration and financial matters
Liaise with senior leadership including the Chair of the firm, tax teams, external advisers and audit teams
Communicate complex financial concepts clearly and concisely
Skills & Experience
Essential
Strong experience in partnership accounting / LLP environment
Good understanding of partner remuneration structures, capital and current accounts, and UK tax fundamentals
Advanced Excel skills and financial modelling capability
High attention to detail with strong reconciliation ability
Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information
Credibility and confidence in discussions with partners and advisers
Desirable
Exposure to partner tax processes and external advisers in a Multi Entity/Jurisdictional environment
International/ Group exposure
Knowledge of financial systems (preferably SAP)
Understanding of LLP agreements and governance frameworks
Personal Attributes
Highly organised and process-driven
A self-starter with confidence to consult appropriately with others when required
Strong communication skills with senior stakeholders
Proactive and solution-focused
Able to manage competing deadlines
Commercially aware with a focus on accuracy and risk mitigation
The Firm
Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. The first top 50 law firm to achieve ‘Platinum Standard’ Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm.
We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system. In addition to the competitive salaries, great working environment and high-quality work, we believe that all staff should be rewarded for their commitment to the continued success of the firm through a comprehensive and flexible range of benefits.
Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme replaced the Two Ticks Positive about Disabled People scheme. We had been accredited as a two tick employer for many years - Disability Confident broadens and develops that original commitment, and demonstrates we have adopted a proactive approach to employing disabled people and developing their abilities.
As part of our accreditation, we commit to interviewing any applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for each vacancy. In some circumstances we may only be able to interview those that best meet the essential criteria due to the volume of applications received.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to and usable by everyone. If you have a disability or long-term condition and would like to receive information in a different way, or need us to make any adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Talent Acquisition Team. We can consider your needs and requirements, and how we can assist you to apply for our roles. For example we can provide a copy of our application via email so that you can complete it using your own accessibility software
The Partnership Accountant is responsible for the end-to-end management of partner financial arrangements within a professional services LLP. This includes partner remuneration, drawings, capital accounts, tax reserves, and reporting, ensuring accuracy, compliance with the LLP Agreement, and clear communication with partners and senior stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
1. Partner Remuneration & Distributions
Calculate and process monthly partner drawings and quarterly distributions
Support annual profit allocation processes in line with the LLP Agreement
Maintain and update partner remuneration schedules, including fixed and performance-related elements
Prepare and issue individual remuneration statements and summaries
Forecast partner profit distributions and associated tax payments to support cashflow planning and partner communications
Administer partner annuity arrangements, including calculation, processing and payment of annuity obligations
2. Partner Accounts Management
Maintain accurate records of capital, current and tax reserve accounts
Manage partner capital contributions, repayments and funding arrangements, including liaising with the firm’s partner capital loan providers
Monitor balances and ensure compliance with the LLP Agreement
Oversee reconciliations between underlying schedules and the general ledger/system
3. Tax Reserve & Partner Tax Support
Maintain partner tax payment schedules
Coordinate payments to HMRC on behalf of partners
Act as liaison with external tax advisers and support partner tax queries
Provide clear explanations of tax positions to partners and third parties where required
Provide detailed schedules of personal expenditure and adjustments to external tax advisers to enable accurate uplift of individual taxable profits
Undertake salaried member/disguised remuneration testing to ensure compliance with UK tax legislation and HMRC requirements
4. Financial Reporting & Analysis
Prepare detailed partner-related reporting for audit
Support year-end processes and audit queries relating to partner balances
Prepare and analyse gender pay gap and related partnership reporting, ensuring accuracy and alignment with internal requirements
Support business planning for team hires and other business change activities
5. Partner Lifecycle Management
Contribute to onboarding new partners (capital, drawings, tax briefings)
Manage retirements and exits (final accounts, capital repayment, annuity calculations)
Prepare financial illustrations for prospective and retiring partners
Prepare and issue mortgage reference letters and other financial confirmations for partners and third parties
6. Governance, Compliance & Systems
Ensure all processes are aligned to LLP Agreement, internal policies and regulatory requirements
Maintain strong audit trails and documentation
Support improvements to systems and processes
Safeguard confidentiality of sensitive partner financial data
Oversee the allocation of Gift Aid contributions and manage liaison with the Charities Aid Foundation, ensuring accurate recording and reporting
7. Stakeholder Management
Act as a trusted contact for partners on remuneration and financial matters
Liaise with senior leadership including the Chair of the firm, tax teams, external advisers and audit teams
Communicate complex financial concepts clearly and concisely
Skills & Experience
Essential
Strong experience in partnership accounting / LLP environment
Good understanding of partner remuneration structures, capital and current accounts, and UK tax fundamentals
Advanced Excel skills and financial modelling capability
High attention to detail with strong reconciliation ability
Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information
Credibility and confidence in discussions with partners and advisers
Desirable
Exposure to partner tax processes and external advisers in a Multi Entity/Jurisdictional environment
International/ Group exposure
Knowledge of financial systems (preferably SAP)
Understanding of LLP agreements and governance frameworks
Personal Attributes
Highly organised and process-driven
A self-starter with confidence to consult appropriately with others when required
Strong communication skills with senior stakeholders
Proactive and solution-focused
Able to manage competing deadlines
Commercially aware with a focus on accuracy and risk mitigation
The Firm
Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. The first top 50 law firm to achieve ‘Platinum Standard’ Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm.
We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system. In addition to the competitive salaries, great working environment and high-quality work, we believe that all staff should be rewarded for their commitment to the continued success of the firm through a comprehensive and flexible range of benefits.
Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme replaced the Two Ticks Positive about Disabled People scheme. We had been accredited as a two tick employer for many years - Disability Confident broadens and develops that original commitment, and demonstrates we have adopted a proactive approach to employing disabled people and developing their abilities.
As part of our accreditation, we commit to interviewing any applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for each vacancy. In some circumstances we may only be able to interview those that best meet the essential criteria due to the volume of applications received.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to and usable by everyone. If you have a disability or long-term condition and would like to receive information in a different way, or need us to make any adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Talent Acquisition Team. We can consider your needs and requirements, and how we can assist you to apply for our roles. For example we can provide a copy of our application via email so that you can complete it using your own accessibility software