Associate Director - General Practice in Ipswich

Location: Ipswich

Full-time, Permanent

Salary: Competitive, depending on experience

Our client is seeking an experienced Associate Director to take a senior leadership role within their General Practice team in Ipswich. This is a senior, client-facing role focused on owner-managed businesses, combining portfolio leadership, technical oversight and advisory input. While the role is not primarily audit-led, experience and confidence in audit work and audit clients is desirable.

You will act as a trusted adviser to business owners and directors, while playing a key part in managing workflow, maintaining technical standards and supporting the development of the wider team.

The Role

You will oversee a substantial portfolio of mainly owner-managed and family-run businesses, alongside supporting Directors with more complex or higher-risk assignments. This is a senior position with responsibility not only for client service but also for team leadership, file quality, workflow and contributing to the direction and growth of the Ipswich office.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Portfolio Leadership
  • Managing a significant portfolio of limited companies, partnerships and sole traders
  • Acting as a main point of contact and trusted adviser to business owners and directors
  • Building strong, long-term client relationships across compliance and advisory matters
  • Leading annual accounts meetings and wider business discussions
  • Identifying opportunities to provide additional services and added value advice
  • Supporting Directors with more complex client matters and larger assignments
• Accounts, Compliance and Audit Exposure
  • Overseeing the preparation and review of statutory accounts and management information
  • Reviewing files prepared by managers, seniors and trainees, ensuring quality and efficiency
  • Working with a number of audit clients, with involvement in planning, review or completion stages where appropriate
  • Acting as a key contact on audit assignments alongside the audit team, particularly where wider accounts, tax or advisory input is required
  • Ensuring assignments are delivered to deadline, within budget and to a high technical standard
• Advisory and Technical Input
  • Advising clients on corporation tax, personal tax, VAT and PAYE matters at a practical level
  • Identifying issues relating to profit extraction, remuneration planning, CGT and IHT, working with tax specialists where needed
  • Supporting clients with business performance, systems, and growth-related discussions
  • Providing proactive, commercial advice rather than purely compliance-based support
  • Contributing to proposals and meetings for new or prospective clients
• Team Leadership and Development
  • Supporting the management of workflow across the Ipswich general practice team
  • Mentoring and developing managers, seniors, assistants and trainees
  • Reviewing work, providing feedback and helping maintain strong technical standards
  • Ensuring team members gain appropriate experience and exposure
  • Promoting collaboration between accounts, tax and audit teams
• Quality, Standards and Firm Contribution
  • Taking responsibility for the quality and completeness of client files under your supervision
  • Ensuring compliance with relevant accounting, tax and (where applicable) audit standards
  • Supporting improvements in internal processes and ways of working
  • Working closely with Directors on client, team and operational matters
  • Contributing to the continued development and growth of the Ipswich office

Key Skills and Qualifications

• ACA or ACCA qualified with significant post-qualification experience
• Strong background in UK accountancy practice within general practice
• Experience managing a client portfolio and reviewing the work of others
• Comfortable working with audit clients and with exposure to audit assignments
• Confident advising owner-managed businesses and their directors
• High technical and practical ability with sound judgement
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Commercially aware, with a proactive and client-focused approach

What They Offer

• A senior role with real responsibility and influence
• A varied portfolio of established, owner-managed business clients
• A collaborative working environment across accounts, tax and audit
• The opportunity to shape client relationships and support office growth
• Direct exposure to Directors and strategic decision-making

Benefits

• The salary package will be competitive, depending upon the level of qualification and experience. You will have an opportunity to progress and develop where applicable.
• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid working with fully hosted systems
• Progression opportunities
• Private healthcare
• Employee Assistant Programme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric car salary sacrifice scheme
• Holiday purchase
• Varied and successful clients, client contact and interaction
• Modern offices and working practices
• Social events
• Medical cash plan
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Group life assurance
• Charity events and paid volunteering day