Accounts Senior in Harlow

Job title: Accounts Senior

Reporting to: Manager / Senior Manager

Hours: Full time Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm (37.5 hours per week)

Location: Harlow

Affinia is a UK Top 50 Accountancy firm and growing. Through successful acquisitions and organic growth, we have seen significant development within the last 18 months.

We focus on building authentic connections, collaboration and growth both with our clients and colleagues. Affinia is a challenger accounting, tax and business advisory firm with over 300 years’ experience, bringing together financial experts from across London, East Anglia & Southeast England. We have more than 500 accountancy professionals across our 11 offices and advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across seven principal practice groups: Accountancy & Advisory, Tax and Planning, Audit Services, Corporate Finance, Digital Solutions, Payroll and Financial Planning.

We have invested continuously in technology and gained in-depth knowledge across a broad range of markets, growing through acquisitions and private investment. We offer an exceptional service to our clients, with access to our sector experts to develop the strategy that will help them reach their goals. We keep a finger on the industry pulse, so our clients receive the best short to medium and long-term advice.

We offer flexible and hybrid working – your line manager will work with you to agree the pattern that works best for you and Affinia.

We provide access to training providers such as Croner-i, Tolley’s, Mercia, and LinkedIn Learning to meet the needs of our people from both a hard and soft skills perspective. We also work with an Apprenticeship provider to offer the combination of paid work and access to professional qualifications.

Purpose of the role:

As a Senior Accountant, you will take a lead role with financial reporting assignment, tax preparation, bookkeeping, VAT return preparation and continue to develop real-world accounting practices whilst being supported by senior members of the team. You will assist with the direct supervision and training of more junior staff.

Working with senior management and the wider team you will continue to receive structured training if applicable to support your career progression at Affinia Ltd.

Accountabilities:

• Preparation of year-end statutory accounts for a mix of Sole Traders, partnerships, LLPs, Charities and Limited Companies (including, but not limited to accounting frameworks under FRS 102 1A and FRS 102, FRS 102 Charities SORP and IFRS).
• Preparation of group consolidated financial statements and workings for review.
• Preparation of corporation tax returns for review / Initial review of draft corporation tax computations prepared by junior members of the team.
• Review simple and non-complex VAT returns.
• Liaising with clients and responding to queries in a professional manner.
• Keeping up to date with changes in accounting regulations and financial laws.
• Preparing and processing invoices, expenses, and payments.
• Collaboratively working with other Service Lines within our group.
• Assist more junior members of the team in accounts and bookkeeping activities.
• Assisting Directors/Managers with ad hoc projects.
• Train and mentor more junior members of staff and seek to support, train and provide technical guidance on simple accounting concepts.
• Preparation of monthly or quarterly management accounts, and VAT returns.
• Assisting clients with queries.
• Additional responsibilities as and when identified in association with expectations of the role.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Full opportunity to study and gain a professional qualification, if relevant.
• Strong IT/Microsoft abilities.
• Regular use of CCH, Sage, QuickBooks, Xero preferred, but not essential as full training will be provided.
• Nearing the completion of your professional studies, be qualified by experience or ACA/ACCA or AAT Level 4 qualified.
• A minimum of 5 GCSE’s (Level 5 and above), which must include Maths and English language.
• A-Levels (or equivalent) are not essential but may be advantageous, especially in the subjects of Maths and English.
• A Degree is not essential but may be advantageous (Accounting, Business, Finance, Data Science).
• Ability to respond and be reactive to shifting priorities at short notice.
• Have clear written and spoken communication.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask under pressure and to mentor others.

Core Benefits:

• Opportunity to purchase 3 extra days holiday per year.
• Auto enrolment Pension Scheme with True Potential.
• Death in Service.
• Professional membership support.
• Paycare – claim money back for Dental / Optical / Professional Therapies.
• Dress for your Diary Policy.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Affinia is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal:

we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion, or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity, or sexual orientation. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.