At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop a portfolio of creative businesses while ensuring top-notch service delivery.
- Company: Join a boutique accounting agency known for its innovative approach in the creative industries.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working hours, 25 days holiday, and support for your professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by guiding creative clients and leading a dynamic team.
- Qualifications: 4+ years in accounting, client-facing experience, and a passion for creative industries.
- Other info: Be part of a hybrid team with regular social events and excellent career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid - Home working & London
Salary: £45,000 to £60,000 p.a. (depending on experience)
Closing date: Monday 23rd February 2026
ABOUT THE ROLE
Our Portfolio Leads are at the heart of what makes Practice tick as the go-to accounting agency in the creative industries. The role is a pivotal, client-facing position with responsibility for the delivery, performance and development of a portfolio of small-to-mid-sized creative businesses. You will lead and develop a small team, act as primary point of contact for clients, and take ownership of service quality, operational performance and commercial health across your portfolio. This role is central to how our firm develops commercially while maintaining the highest-quality, relationship-led client experience for our clients.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Portfolio ownership & client leadership
- Take ultimate responsibility for delivery of services to a small portfolio of clients.
- Act as the key point of contact for clients, ensuring their needs are met professionally and accurately.
- Maintain high client satisfaction while balancing growth, efficiency and quality.
- Team leadership & development
- Lead, coach and develop a team of typically 3 junior and mid-level staff.
- Champion the firm’s house-style, values and standards across all client work.
- Ensure client bookkeeping, VAT returns and statutory accounts are delivered by the team accurately and in line with our targets.
- Support clients through the delivery of all contracted compliance work.
- Conduct pre-year-end reviews to identify tax planning and efficiency opportunities.
- Maintain consistent quality and presentation across all deliverables.
- Advisory & commercial awareness
- Provide practical, responsive advice and troubleshooting support to clients.
- Support basic budgeting and financial analysis for clients with the support of the directors.
- Take ownership of the commercial health of your portfolio.
- Operational performance & improvement
- Monitor team and client KPIs and proactively address any performance gaps.
- Develop and document clear processes and ways-of-working.
- Share best practice with other Portfolio Leads to drive firm-wide improvement.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Minimum of 4 years' experience working in an accounting and finance role.
- Preferably fully-qualified ACA, ACCA or equivalent accounting qualification.
- Proven client-facing experience in an accountancy practice.
- Strong working knowledge of VAT, bookkeeping standards and statutory accounts preparation.
- Some experience leading or supervising a small team in a professional context.
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
- Clear communicator with strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
- Comfortable working collaboratively and enforcing consistent processes across teams and clients.
- Experience with cloud accounting software (e.g., Xero, QuickBooks) and other financial systems.
Benefits of working at Practice
- Flexible working arrangements come as standard - our core hours are 10am to 4pm, but there’s no fixed start or end time each day so you’re more able to fit work around life.
- We’re a hybrid team right now, but we’ll make you feel welcome with a series of online and in-person events.
- Our team members who are based in the London area get together once every month, and those who live further afield join us for our twice annual ‘all-team’ get-togethers.
- Workplace pension with NEST.
- Learning and development budget available and encouraged.
- Study support for accountancy qualifications.
- 25-day holiday allowance, plus bank holidays (pro rata).
About us
Imagine a business partner who can switch from discussing financial targets, to legal contracts to finding the perfect hire, but also gets excited about creative ideas, fresh opportunities and new ways to grow. That’s Practice. We’re regulated as a firm of Chartered Accountants, but we go way beyond the fundamentals; we believe that when it comes to business, the magic happens when practical planning lines up with creative thinking.
About our plans
We’ve been around for 6 years and have quietly built a reputation as the go-to advisory and accounting firm in the creative industries. We’ll always remain ‘boutique’, but right now there’s huge potential for us to deepen our offer for a portfolio of pre-eminent growing brands - benefitting our clients and the creative industries as a whole.
Portfolio Lead employer: Practice London
Contact Detail:
Practice London Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Portfolio Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the creative industries. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work and showcases your experience in accounting and finance. Make it visually appealing and easy to navigate, so potential employers can see what you bring to the table at a glance.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its clients. Understand their values and how they operate in the creative sector. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate that you’re not just another candidate, but someone who truly gets their mission.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. Let’s make it happen!
We think you need these skills to ace Portfolio Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your client-facing experience and any leadership roles you've had, as these are key for the Portfolio Lead position.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've successfully managed client portfolios and led teams in the past. This is your chance to show off your personality!
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t forget to mention your knowledge of VAT, bookkeeping standards, and cloud accounting software. We want to see how your technical skills align with what we need for the role.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us during the process.
How to prepare for a job interview at Practice London
✨Know Your Portfolio Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the types of clients you’ll be working with. Research small-to-mid-sized creative businesses and think about how your experience aligns with their needs. This will help you demonstrate your client-facing skills and show that you’re ready to take ownership of a portfolio.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Portfolio Lead, you'll be leading a team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached or developed team members in the past. Think about specific situations where you improved team performance or maintained high-quality standards, as this will highlight your ability to lead effectively.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Awareness
Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to the commercial health of the portfolio. Bring examples of how you've previously identified growth opportunities or improved operational performance. This shows that you understand the balance between client satisfaction and business development.
✨Prepare for Practical Scenarios
Expect to face situational questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Think about challenges you’ve encountered in client management or team leadership and how you resolved them. Practising these scenarios will help you articulate your thought process clearly during the interview.