Client Onboarding Manager

Williams, Stanley & Co is a leading accountancy firm catering to a diverse range of clients within the hospitality industry, from high street chains to family‑run cafes. Our mission is to provide accurate and actionable financial insights to businesses, drawing from our founders’ experience in managing multiple rapidly growing ventures. With a commitment to customer‑first accounting, we operate across the UK, US, Philippines, and Dubai.

Role Overview

The Client Onboarding Manager will own the end‑to‑end onboarding journey for new accounting and advisory clients, from the point of sale through to full handover into ongoing service delivery. Your goal is to deliver a consistent, compliant, and confidence‑building onboarding experience ensuring clients feel supported from day one and internal teams are set up for success.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Onboarding & Activation: Act as the main point of contact for new clients from sign‑up through to completion of onboarding. Lead onboarding meetings to gather client information, understand service requirements, and clearly set expectations. Guide clients through all required documentation, authorisations, and compliance steps (including ID verification and HMRC agent authorisations). Ensure clients are correctly set up across internal systems (e.g. Xero, QuickBooks, payroll platforms, CRM).
• Accountant Transition & Handover: Manage the handover process from outgoing accountants or bookkeepers. Request, track, and validate the transfer of records, access credentials, historical data, and prior‑year information. Coordinate cut‑over dates and ensure clarity of responsibilities during transition periods. Identify and resolve gaps, delays, or risks in handover before services commence.
• Internal Readiness & Cross‑Functional Coordination: Work closely with Sales to receive clear and complete handovers. Coordinate with Account Managers and Client Service teams to ensure they are fully briefed and prepared before taking ownership. Liaise with Bookkeeping, Payroll, and Compliance teams to ensure all services are activated on time. Act as the quality gatekeeper, confirming onboarding is complete and ready for service handover.
• Process, Documentation & Compliance: Maintain and improve onboarding workflows, checklists, and documentation. Complete AML / KYC checks and ensure client risk assessments are carried out in line with regulations. Ensure accurate data capture, record‑keeping, and audit trails across all systems. Support adherence to internal controls and regulatory requirements.
• Client Experience & Continuous Improvement: Deliver a structured, professional, and reassuring onboarding experience. Proactively monitor client satisfaction during onboarding and resolve concerns early. Provide guidance and training on portals, systems, and communication processes. Identify opportunities to improve onboarding efficiency, clarity, and consistency. Contribute to playbooks, templates, and automation to streamline workflows as the firm scales.

Essential Skills and Experience

• 24+ years experience in onboarding, client services, account coordination, or operations.
• Experience within an accountancy firm, financial services, professional services, or similar regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of bookkeeping and accounting service components (even at a high level).
• Excellent communication skills able to translate financial processes into clear client guidance.
• High attention to detail and strong organisational skills.
• Experience interfacing with multiple internal teams simultaneously.

Desirable

• Experience conducting AML/KYC checks.
• Familiarity with accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, Dext, payroll platforms).
• Experience building or improving operational processes.
• Background in managing multiple complex client implementations.

About You

• Highly organised with the ability to multi‑task and process‑driven.
• Professional and client‑centric.
• Confident communicator who can manage expectations and guide clients through new processes.
• Proactive mindset anticipates problems and resolves them early.
• Comfortable managing multiple clients and priorities simultaneously.
• Calm under pressure and excellent at juggling details.
• Strong IT skills and the ability to work competently with all Microsoft Office packages, including Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Excellent attention to detail and able to work in a fast‑paced environment.
• Right to live and work in the UK.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to build and shape the onboarding function as Williams Stanley grows.
• A supportive, collaborative team environment.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Competitive salary, benefits, and career progression within operations or client services.
• The chance to directly impact client satisfaction and operational efficiency.
• 30 days holiday entitlement pro‑rata (including Bank Holidays) with an additional day for each year of service.
• Great pension scheme (Penfold).
• Fun company socials and events.
• Flexible hybrid working model (2 days minimum in the office).
• Enhanced parental leave policy (subject to length of service requirements).
• Birthday leave – an additional day of leave to be taken on or around your birthday.
• Mental Health Half Days celebrating the power of Me Time.
• Annual Pay Reviews and Biannual Appraisals – career progression is everything!