Year-End Accountant

About The Firm

Founded in 2015, this is a small but growing accounting firm in Essex. The team is currently hovering around 10 team members and they are keen to add another. They work closely with small and medium-sized business owners to help them run their businesses simply and profitably. They do this by solving problems and they are passionate about making a difference.

They utilise the best technology to support clients’ businesses and you will have the chance to work with the latest accounting technology and the chance to help clients to maximize it’s benefits. You will be given the chance to obtain and retain your Xero and QBO certifications.

About The Team

The company is split into two expert teams, each big enough to get the work done but small enough for your voice and opinions are heard. You can have a direct impact with how the business moves forward by providing ideas and plans on growth.

They consider themselves the friendly face of accounting. Their founding values are centered around ease-of-use and accessibility in accounting, so that they can help businesses grow.

Their positive, problem-solving approach means each member of their team is valued and involved in the process of accounting.

About The Position

The primary responsibility of this role is to take a client's completed bookkeeping records through the full year-end accounts preparation process. This includes reviewing the bookkeeping in Xero or QuickBooks Online, preparing comprehensive year-end working papers, completing all necessary reconciliations and adjustments, drafting annual accounts and corporation tax computations, and clearly identifying any matters requiring review.

This is not primarily a bookkeeping position although you may be asked to assist with bookkeeping from time to time and may need to do bookkeeping in order to complete some accounts. The successful candidate must have strong experience in the preparation and substantiation of year-end accounting files and be comfortable investigating balances rather than simply accepting the information contained in the accounting system.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a high level of balance sheet substantiation, supporting evidence, documentation and review trail required for UK year-end accounts preparation

The firm is looking for someone who will work with both teams to assist in getting working papers and year-end accounts done on time. Most of the clients are small to medium sized businesses. This gives you the chance to make a genuine difference to their families and their businesses.

This is a remote-working offshored position. You will officially be employed by Human Edge in South Africa, but in all other aspects you are a member of this firm’s team and they are looking for remote workers who are willing to fully integrate and become supportive and interactive team players.

Key Responsibilities

Year-End Accounts Preparation

• Take completed bookkeeping records from Xero and/or QuickBooks Online through to draft annual accounts.
• Review the client's balance sheet and profit and loss accounts for completeness, accuracy and appropriate accounting treatment.
• Identify unusual, inconsistent or potentially incorrectly classified transactions and investigate where necessary.
• Prepare comprehensive year-end working papers supporting the balances included in the annual accounts.
• Process or recommend year-end adjustments, including accruals, prepayments, depreciation and other appropriate adjustments.
• Prepare draft annual accounts for UK limited companies.
• Clearly document any outstanding queries, unusual items or matters requiring senior review.

Balance Sheet Reconciliations & Working Papers

Prepare and maintain supporting working papers and reconciliations for relevant balance sheet accounts, including:

• Bank and credit card accounts
• Trade debtors
• Trade creditors
• VAT
• PAYE and payroll-related balances
• Corporation tax
• Director's loan accounts
• Other loans and financing
• Hire purchase and asset finance agreements
• Fixed assets and depreciation
• Accruals and prepayments
• Other material or unusual balance sheet accounts

The accountant will be expected to investigate and explain differences, rather than simply record or carry forward unexplained balances.

Corporation Tax

• Prepare corporation tax computations based on the completed annual accounts.
• Identify appropriate adjustments between accounting profit and taxable profit.
• Prepare capital allowance calculations where applicable.
• Prepare the supporting corporation tax documentation for review.
• Ensure corporation tax balances are correctly reflected and reconciled within the accounts.

Directors & Shareholders

• Review director and shareholder transactions relevant to the year-end accounts.
• Reconcile director's loan accounts and identify matters requiring further attention.
• Prepare personal tax workings for directors/shareholders where required as part of the firm's year-end process.
• Identify transactions or balances that require further consideration by the reviewer.

Review & Query Management

An important part of the role is knowing when something does not look right.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Identify discrepancies and inconsistencies during the accounts preparation process.
• Investigate issues wherever possible before escalating them.
• Prepare clear and concise queries for missing information or supporting documentation.
• Highlight technical or judgemental matters requiring senior review.
• Document the work completed and the conclusions reached.
• Leave a year-end file that can be readily understood and reviewed by another accountant.

Requirements

· Strong practical accounting experience with small and/or owner-managed businesses.

· Previous experience preparing year-end accounts or year-end accounting files.

· Strong experience preparing review-quality or audit-quality working papers.

· Experience reconciling and substantiating balance sheet accounts.

· Ability to review a trial balance/general ledger critically and identify areas requiring investigation.

· Experience with year-end adjustments, including accruals, prepayments, depreciation and correcting journals.

· Strong Excel skills.

· Experience using cloud accounting software, ideally Xero and/or QuickBooks Online.

· Ability to document work clearly so that it can be reviewed by another accountant.

· Good written English and the ability to communicate accounting queries clearly.

· Strong attention to detail and a methodical approach to accounting work.

· Ability to work independently and know when an issue should be escalated.

• You must have a reliable internet connection and be able to work through loadshedding

Qualifications & Skills

• A degree or degree-equivalent
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in audit or AFS compilation
• You would need to have - and be able to demonstrate - knowledge of accounting principles.
• Experience working for an accounting firm
• Strong organisational skills and the foresight to plan ahead

Other skills that are not strict requirements, but would be advantageous are:

• Knowledge of cloud accounting software (specifically Xero and QBO)
• Experience with UK Working Paper and Drafting Software
• Knowledge of UK VAT, PAYE, Income Tax & CIS

Please note, these last skills are advantageous, but they are not requirements. Training can be provided where necessary.

Salary Range

R25,000 – R30,000 per month

HOW TO APPLY

If you would like to be considered, please complete this screening test.

https://www.flexiquiz.com/SC/N/cab5431e-0682-4eeb-b594-1e4676ca6097

If you are successful, an email address for your CV will be provided at the end of the test.

• CVs received independently, without a completed screening test will not be considered.