Accounts Navigator
Senior Accounts Associate
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Senior Accounts Associate
Part-Time Position Available
Location: Mainly remote, with two in-person days per month in Cuffley, Hertfordshire
Hours: Part-time, increasing as the client portfolio grows
Salary: Competitive and dependent on experience
Company: Accounts Navigator
Website: www.accountsnavigator.com
Specialism: Complete Finance Management for UK nurseries and Early Years businesses
Are you an experienced accountant looking for a flexible role with the opportunity to grow into full-time employment?
Accounts Navigator is a modern, digital and multi-award-winning accountancy practice with more than 20 years’ experience.
We provide Complete Finance Management services to nurseries and Early Years businesses across the UK. Due to continued growth, we are recruiting two Senior Accounts Associates on a part-time basis.
The successful candidates will initially work reduced hours, with the opportunity to steadily increase their hours as new clients and work join the practice. Our intention is for both positions to develop into full-time roles.
This is not simply a year-end accounts position.
We work closely with nursery owners, founders and leadership teams to help them understand their numbers, improve profitability, manage cash flow, control staffing and operating costs, plan for tax and make informed business decisions.
About the Role
You will manage a portfolio of clients and oversee the delivery of accurate, timely and commercially useful accounting services.
You will work closely with the Founder and CEO, our wider team and our specialist bookkeeping, payroll and administrative functions.
You will review work, manage internal and statutory deadlines, communicate with clients and identify opportunities to improve their financial performance, systems and processes.
Key Responsibilities
Your responsibilities will include:
- Preparing and reviewing statutory accounts for limited companies
- Preparing Corporation Tax computations and returns
- Preparing personal tax returns for directors, individuals and business owners
- Preparing and reviewing VAT returns
- Reviewing bookkeeping records and accounting controls
- Preparing monthly management accounts
- Producing profit and loss reports, balance sheets and cash flow reports
- Preparing short and medium-term cash flow forecasts
- Reviewing performance against budgets and previous periods
- Identifying financial risks, unusual movements and potential opportunities
- Supporting nursery clients with cost-per-hour and profitability calculations
- Reviewing nursery income from funded hours, private fees and additional charges
- Helping clients understand staffing costs, overheads and operating margins
- Reviewing payroll information where required
- Monitoring internal and statutory deadlines
- Liaising with HMRC and Companies House
- Supporting clients with accounting software, systems and processes
- Reviewing junior team members’ work and providing constructive feedback
- Maintaining accurate and complete client records
- Participating in client review meetings
- Explaining financial information clearly and without unnecessary jargon
- Identifying opportunities for additional support and advisory services
- Contributing to the development of our nursery and Early Years specialism
- Supporting improvements to internal systems and procedures
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Essential Criteria
You must have:
- Three to five years’ recent experience within a UK accountancy practice or the finance department of a nursery group or Early Years setting
- Strong experience preparing statutory accounts for limited companies
- Good knowledge of UK Corporation Tax, VAT and personal tax
- Experience managing or supporting a portfolio of clients
- Experience preparing or reviewing management accounts
- A strong understanding of bookkeeping and accounting controls
- Experience using cloud-based accounting software
- Strong knowledge of Xero, QuickBooks Online or similar platforms
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel
- The ability to identify errors, financial risks and unusual transactions
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Confidence speaking directly with business owners and senior decision-makers
- The ability to explain financial information in plain English
- Excellent attention to detail
- A proactive and solution-focused approach
- The ability to work independently while remaining part of a collaborative team
- A strong understanding of confidentiality, GDPR and professional ethics
- The right to work in the UK
Qualifications
Candidates should ideally be:
- AAT qualified with significant accountancy practice experience
- ACCA, ACA or CIMA part-qualified
- ACCA, ACA or CIMA qualified
- Qualified by experience, with strong and demonstrable UK practice knowledge
Practical experience, technical ability and the right attitude will be considered alongside formal qualifications.
Desirable Experience
It would be advantageous to have experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Nurseries, childcare providers or Early Years businesses
- Management reporting for service-based businesses
- Nursery funding, private fees or funded childcare income
- Cost-per-hour, margin or utilisation calculations
- Payroll, workplace pensions and employer costs
- Supervising or reviewing junior team members
- Practice management and workflow software
- Improving accounting systems and internal controls
- Client advisory or business review meetings
Direct nursery sector experience is desirable but not essential. Training and support will be provided to help successful candidates understand the financial and operational challenges faced by nursery businesses.
The Person We Are Looking For
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You will:
- Want to grow with the practice over the long term
- Be comfortable starting part-time and gradually increasing your hours
- Take ownership of your work and deadlines
- Communicate openly and professionally
- Respect systems, processes and every member of the team
- Be willing to develop specialist knowledge within the nursery and Early Years sector
- Understand that accounts should support business decisions, not simply record history
- Enjoy building trusted client relationships
- Look beyond compliance to understand the commercial story behind the numbers
- Be dependable, accountable and committed to delivering high-quality work
Working Hours
We are recruiting two part-time team members.
Initial hours will be agreed based on each candidate’s availability, experience and the needs of the practice.
Candidates must be willing to gradually increase their working hours as the client portfolio grows. Our intention is for both roles to develop into full-time positions.
Some flexibility will be available, subject to client deadlines, team meetings and the operational needs of the business.
What We Offer
- A clear route from part-time to full-time employment
- Mainly remote working, with two in-person days per month in Cuffley
- Private healthcare
- Broad exposure to accounting, tax, management reporting and advisory work
- Specialist development within the nursery and Early Years sector
- A modern and digital working environment
- Supportive leadership and professional development
- The opportunity to contribute ideas and help shape our systems and services
- Meaningful client work that influences profitability, sustainability and growth
- The opportunity to grow with an ambitious specialist practice
Our Values
At Accounts Navigator, we believe in:
- Respecting the process
- Taking responsibility for our work
- Delivering accurate and timely information
- Communicating clearly and honestly
- Treating every team member with respect
- Finding solutions rather than simply identifying problems
- Helping clients understand their numbers
- Supporting profitable and sustainable businesses
- Growing together as a team
How to Apply
Please send your CV and a covering letter explaining:
- Your current role and level of UK accountancy experience
- The clients and assignments you currently manage
- Your statutory and management accounts experience
- The accounting software you regularly use
- Your availability and preferred working hours
- How you would like your hours to increase over time
- Why you are interested in joining Accounts Navigator
- Why you would like to develop expertise within the nursery and Early Years sector
Email: andrea@accountsnavigator.com
Subject: Application: Senior Accounts Associate
Accounts Navigator is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.
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