Accounts Associate Director/Experienced Manager

Accounts Associate Director/Experienced Manager

We’re Gravita: the accountants fuelling ambitious businesses. We’re a full service, tech-enabled firm, working with entrepreneurs and businesses to help them achieve their goals, and make an impact in the world.

We’re growing fast and are bringing like-minded advisors together to form a full-service tech-enabled accounting partner for thousands of SMEs. Our team use their incredible expertise alongside intuitive technology to help businesses and entrepreneurs plan better and grow faster.

Our mission is to become the UK’s leading tech-enabled accounting firm for SMEs. We have ambitious goals and our high-calibre team work hard to achieve them. We are one team with one agenda, working collaboratively in a respectful environment to deliver a great service to our clients. So if you join us, you’ll not only be working on exciting client challenges, you’ll also be helping us shape the future of accounting.

The Role

The Accounts Associate Director supports in leading and growing our accounts practice. They are responsible for overseeing the delivery of statutory accounts, tax compliance, and related advisory services for a varied, significant client base. The role involves managing key client relationships, reviewing complex work, supporting team development, and contributing to operational efficiency and technical quality. Working closely with directors and partners, the Associate Director also plays a role in business development and in shaping the future direction of the service line.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver a high-quality accounts preparation service to clients, ensuring compliance with UK GAAP and Financial Reporting Standards, to support strong client retention and satisfaction.
• Act as the primary point of contact for both the client and internal team, keeping the partner regularly informed of progress, issues, and overall status. Manage the end-to-end delivery process, including budget control, work-in-progress (WIP) monitoring, timely delivery, and billing.
• Prepare and review tax computations using the tax team’s checklist to determine which computations fall under the accounts service line, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Proactively manage client relationships by working alongside partners to provide timely, practical solutions to client queries, agreeing clear scopes and fees to add value.
• Participate in or lead client meetings with senior leaders to build rapport, understand client needs, and provide strategic insight.
• Maintain regular, two-way communication with other service lines to coordinate work smoothly, meet deadlines, and ensure clients are kept informed and expectations managed effectively.
• Manage workflow proactively, taking into account statutory deadlines such as Companies House and HMRC filings as well as client-specific timelines. Use system workflow reports to monitor progress and coordinate team efforts effectively.
• Conduct thorough technical reviews of accounts and supporting documentation, flagging significant findings or wider commercial issues to clients. Consult the technical team when complex issues arise.
• Regularly update and improve technical knowledge through self-directed learning and mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Support business development by identifying and converting cross-selling opportunities.
• Actively engage with the firm’s marketing activities, including LinkedIn posts and networking events, and assist with follow-up meetings.
• Develop a thorough understanding of the firm’s full range of services to identify new client opportunities.
• Assist in preparing fee quotes and proposals and contribute content for newsletters and the company website to promote services.

People / Team Management

• Delegate and allocate work efficiently within the team, including Associates, Senior Associates, Managers, and the Offshoring team. Provide the appropriate level of guidance and support according to team members’ experience, while managing their development and performance.
• Line Managers facilitate regular one-on-one meetings and group sessions to address individual progress, challenges, and team objectives. As well as conducting performance appraisals to assess achievements, set goals, and encourage ongoing professional growth.
• Provide timely, constructive feedback to all team members, including offshore colleagues, to support continuous improvement and performance assessments.
• Seek feedback on your own work regularly and implement suggestions to enhance quality and efficiency.
• Step in to handle technical tasks during staff absence where appropriate to maintain service continuity.
• Promote a positive, inclusive, and collaborative team environment that values continuous learning and open communication.
• Act as a representative of the company’s values, support client relationship building and networking activities.

Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience

• Typically, at least 2 years’ experience as a manager in an accounting environment.
• Typically, ACA or ACCA qualified.
• Proficient in Xero, Sage 50 Accounts, QuickBooks, Excel, and other accounting and tax software.
• Communicates clearly and persuasively, with an understanding of common communication barriers.
• Demonstrates excellent written communication, tailoring language to different stakeholder groups. Proactively share key updates, progress, and potential challenges before they escalate.
• Thrives on problem solving and effectively manages high-pressure situations, guiding both team members and clients through issues.
• Supports new initiatives and collaborates with others to foster creativity and innovation.
• Maintains an organised and thorough approach to work, consistently identifying opportunities to improve efficiency.

Your Career with Gravita

When you join Gravita, we’ll support you on your own growth journey. We want to be the place you learn, grow and unlock your true potential.

We’ll work with you to build a progression plan to outline how you’ll grow at our company and everything we’ll do to help you get there. We’re also passionate about learning and development, to help you focus on your future.

The Nitty Gritty

• Our standard working week is a 37.5-hour week on a hybrid basis
• Core working hours are 10am – 4pm Monday to Friday
• Flexible working and happy employees are at the top of our list here at Gravita and we have been working hard to support our teams through the fast-paced changes.
• Your development won’t be forgotten, our development support is extraordinary for a firm of our size.
• It\’s a busy, fast-paced environment here at Gravita.