About Wilder Coe
Wilder Coe, Chartered Accountants, is a multi-faceted, independent accountancy practice with offices in London and Hertfordshire. With a rich 50-year history, we pride ourselves on the client relationships we have nurtured over the decades. We have a well-earned reputation as a personable, people-focused, and honest business with our clients and within the profession.
Our Values
Client-Centric Approach
Integrity and Trust
Expertise and Collaboration
Continual growth and learning
The role and the opportunity
Providing excellent exposure to our clients, we are looking for a highly motivated, proactive, and commercially astute Audit Manager for our London office (hybrid working). This is a highly visible role, where you will have significant exposure to senior stakeholders with various responsibilities.
Reporting directly to a Partner you will be given a great deal of autonomy and the opportunity to work with a challenging and diverse client portfolio from large corporations to small family companies, including the renewable energy sector, property, and pharmaceutical companies.
The role is 70% Audit and 30% Accounts, and you will be required to supervise junior/part-qualified accountants and liaise with Partners and other Managers across the firm.
The role will also involve keeping up to date on developments in some or all these sectors and helping prepare materials to inform internal team members and clients of developments and the potential impact of such changes.
The ideal candidate will be a qualified ACA/ACCA Accountant with at least 5 years’ PQE. They should have a proven track record in managing a mixed client portfolio, ideally from a Top100 or well-regarded regional accounting firm. We are seeking someone with strong audit and accounts preparation skills, a working knowledge of corporation tax compliance, as well as experience in staff management. Knowledge of accounting software such as Caseware and Alphatax would be beneficial.
We understand that engaged and energised people are the key to our business success. We will therefore provide the opportunity for the successful candidate to grow and develop and expand their areas of interest.
For the ideal candidate, promotional prospects are strong where you will have the opportunity to progress in a short space of time. Overall, this is an excellent opportunity for an Audit Manager to join a growing department in a rewarding new position, where you will have a genuine chance to carve a successful career.
Main duties and responsibilities
Technical & Practical
- Lead audit engagements, including planning, executing, and completing financial audits for clients in accordance with UK GAAP and IFRS.
- Review and analyse financial statements, ensuring accuracy and compliance with accounting standards and statutory requirements.
- Stay abreast of changes in auditing and accounting standards, regulations, and industry best practices, applying this knowledge to enhance audit processes and client service.
- Identify opportunities for additional services and business development, collaborating with partners to expand client engagements.
- Prepare and present audit findings and recommendations to clients, providing valuable insights to improve financial processes and controls.
- Review automated audit work papers prepared by the audit staff to ensure sound audit theory and compliance with the department’s procedures in compliance with the firm’s technical and Practice Assurance standards.
- Be responsible for corporation tax compliance function of portfolio of corporate clients, ensuring deadlines are met in good time to a high technical standard.
Managing Communications
- Communicating effectively with colleagues at all levels and departments within the firm
- Influencing, changing, and shaping the direction of a particular activity, either internally and/or externally.
- Manage relationships across departments (such as Tax and Accounting Support)
Developing self and others
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to audit staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
- Assist in the firm’s ACA training requirements
- Prepare performance reviews
- Drafting and presenting training sessions on current developments
- Participating in developing the firm’s service lines and other firm-wide activities
- Attending networking events and hosting CPD seminars
Client Management
- Develop and maintain strong client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor and understanding their business needs and challenges
Person Specification
Our ideal candidate will have a flexible and adaptable approach to work; they will be resilient, with excellent organisational skills.
The nature of the role also requires someone who can deliver a high level of commitment, with the flexibility to work additional hours as and when required. The candidate will be a self-starter with the ability to juggle priorities and able to work on their initiative and can get things done.
In addition, they should possess the confidence and professionalism to establish credibility at all levels, be commercially minded and have a clear perception of client requirements. The ideal candidate will be expected to work closely with colleagues and contribute to the department’s growth initiatives in line with the firm’s strategic objectives.
Qualifications
- ACA/ACCA qualified essential or qualified by experience.
- Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in audit, accounting and tax in a reputable accounting firm, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or managerial role.
- Experience in managing a portfolio of small to large clients.
Relevant Experience
- Significant experience of external audits of small and medium-sized enterprises under UK GAAP.
- Proven track record of successfully managing multiple audit engagements and meeting deadlines.
- Thorough understanding of UK GAAP, IFRS, and other relevant accounting and auditing standards
- Knowledge of Caseware and Alphatax would be advantageous but not essential.
- Experience delivering results and adding value to clients.
- Good working knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with meticulous attention to detail.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with clients and team members.Experience in coaching, mentoring, and developing audit staff to achieve their full potential
Key Skills
- Solid understanding and application of UK GAAP and IFRS accounting fundamentals and application.
- Have experience in managing a portfolio of small to large clients.
- Excellent interpersonal skills to work effectively with clients and staff at all levels.
- Effective communicator with both clients and internal staff
- Able to produce, accurate and concise written output which is of a high quality.
- Ability to handle conflicting demands and/or challenging pressures for resources.
- Able to work under pressure with accuracy and focus.
- Effective time management skills and the ability to coordinate audits and projects through prioritising work
- Proven organisational skills with a keen eye for detail.
- Adept at assessing complex financial/operational/compliance processes and assessing risks.
- Commercial awareness, able to demonstrate a good understanding of the business environment.
Qualities & Behaviours
- Proactive
- Commercial attitude towards work
- Flexible in both attitude and daily hours of work
- Ability to build strong relationships with clients.
- A strategic thinker yet pragmatic and results-driven.
- Actively seek to enhance expertise and knowledge.
