Senior Accountant / Client Manager in City of London

Dragon Argent is a rapidly growing SRA-regulated professional services firm that specialises in working with high potential SMEs. We have three core disciplines in advisory, accountancy and legal which we deliver to clients through quality guidance and joined-up expertise at each stage of business growth.

Client Manager is a central role within the Accountancy team and wider business. The focus of the client facing part of your role is to free up founders/our clients by becoming a key and trusted partner, allowing them to focus on what they do best. Your role is a mix of office and home working, with our office based at 63 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XF, London.

• Delivery of Quality Output
• Provide commercial input to clients to ensure a value-adding service is delivered.
• Preparation of tailored and client specific management accounts.
• Prepare statutory accounts and corporation tax returns for c.25 clients.
• Oversight of bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and statutory accounts where applicable.
• Active management and support of outsourced accountancy function and internal junior accountants.
• Ensure all deadlines and budgets are met on time.
• Takes responsibility for WIP control and billing.
• Ensure commercial consideration of your portfolio of clients and accountancy team as a whole.
• Create a positive first impression with efficient onboarding of new accountancy engagements.
• Provide expert advice to our clients alongside commercial, corporate, litigation and employment advice.
• Actively evaluate the service we are delivering and client processes to identify opportunities to improve.
• Monitor and improve team’s work to ensure consistently highest standards.
• Prepare and file personal tax returns when applicable.
• Preparation and assisting in preparation of R&D calculations and narratives when applicable.
• Business Development
• To increase the awareness in the market of who we are and what we do, we ask that everyone in the company contributes in some way, whether by creating content, attending events or speaking on a webinar.
• Identify opportunities to grow business with existing clients and take plans to relevant Directors.
• Assist in discovery calls, drafting proposals and fee estimates.
• Contribute to marketing of the Accountancy department and wider firm by producing at least one piece of content per month.
• Delivering client training, seminars and workshops.
• Identify and undertake business development opportunities.
• Build internal and external networks.
• Professional Development
• Your commitment to continuing to learn and strengthen both technical and inter-personal skills is crucial to ensure you can deliver the maximum value to clients and achieve your personal goals.
• Identify where you need to develop and focus on strengthening skills in Team Training Time.
• Identify technical issues, industry updates, complete research, and collaborate within the team to develop a team learning focus.
• Keep up to date with key functions on Xero, Iris, Excel, and other key software, to be able to complete work efficiently and accurately.
• CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
• The only way we can ensure we are giving our clients the best possible service is by investing the time to get to know what matters most to them and their business.
• Build and manage key client relationships as the main day-to-day point of contact.
• Seen and trusted as a key team member by clients through regular, proactive communication.
• Lead and influence meetings with clients (guide is to meet each client F2F at least once a year).
• Communicate any key information with the wider team and firm.
• Take responsibility for health of client relationships within the firm including billing and fee discussions.
• Build clients knowledge of the firm.
• LINE MANAGEMENT
• To build and maintain a high-performance culture, we ask that all line managers ensure the following is true for those that they always manage – employees know what is expected of them, how they are doing and how they can improve.
• Viewed as a role model for the firm’s policies and behaviours.
• Has the trust and respect of junior staff, offering support when needed.
• Develops staff, their capabilities and performance to enable them to fulfil their potential.
• Resolves any negative issues.
• Reports on the performance and progress of their team to the relevant firm Director.
• Inspires confidence and has the trust of the firms directors who rely on you.
• Have effective 1-2-1 meetings (each month) and appraisals (each 6 months).

• Qualified either ACA or ACCA.
• Collaborative and supportive to team members.
• Can work on your own initiative without the need for constant supervision and direction.
• Able to manage client expectations and project manage matters when needed.
• Experience in value adding outsourced accountancy services.
• Experience in using Xero.
• Experience using Iris Accounts production and Business Tax.
• Willing and able to work independently and as a team member with all levels of legal and business personnel.
• Warm and approachable.
• Growth mindset, curious and keen to try new things and learn more.
• Excellent English – written and verbal communication skills and attention to detail.

If interested, please send CV and covering letter to harry.hasler@dragonargent.com