Accounts / Audit / Tax Manager / Senior Manager – Boutique Practice

Location: Harrow, North West London
Salary: £55,000+ / Highly flexible depending on experience and existing client portfolio
Working Pattern: Hybrid – 2–3 days working from home
Level: Manager / Senior Manager / Sole Practitioner / Practice Owner

The Opportunity:

A growing boutique accountancy practice in Harrow is looking to speak with experienced Accounts, Audit, Tax or General Practice professionals who would be interested in joining the firm and playing an important role in its continued growth.

This is not a conventional Manager vacancy. The firm is deliberately keeping an open mind and is interested in speaking with established practice professionals who can bring experience, relationships and potentially an existing portfolio of clients with them.

They would be particularly interested in speaking with:

- An experienced Accounts, Audit or Tax Manager / Senior Manager with an existing book of business or client following who would like to move those relationships across.
- A Sole Practitioner who has built their own portfolio but would prefer the support and infrastructure of an established firm rather than continuing to manage every aspect of running a practice independently.
- A small Practice Owner considering their longer-term options who would be interested in discussing bringing their clients into a larger platform while potentially remaining involved.
- A strong General Practice Manager / Senior Manager with broad experience across accounts, tax, audit and owner-managed businesses.
- An experienced Tax Manager / Senior Manager, ideally CTA qualified, who could help further develop the firm's tax offering.
- An experienced Audit Manager / Senior Manager with strong client relationships who would be interested in a more entrepreneurial role within a smaller, growing practice.

The firm can be flexible regarding the size of an existing portfolio. Whether you have approximately £50,000, £70,000, £100,000+ of recurring fees, or something significantly larger, they would be interested in having an initial confidential conversation.

The Role:

The position can be shaped around the successful individual's technical background, existing client portfolio and longer-term ambitions.

For somebody bringing a book of business, the firm has the capacity to absorb those clients into the practice, provide the team and infrastructure needed to service them and allow you to continue managing and developing those relationships.

You would also have the opportunity to take on additional clients and new work generated by the firm, enabling you to grow your portfolio considerably further.

Depending on your background, responsibilities could include:

- Managing a portfolio of owner-managed businesses, SMEs, companies and private clients.
- Transitioning and continuing to manage your own existing client relationships where applicable.
- Acting as the primary point of contact and trusted adviser to clients.
- Overseeing a broad mixture of accounts preparation, corporation tax, personal tax and general compliance work.
- Managing and reviewing audit assignments, including planning, fieldwork, completion and client liaison where relevant.
- Managing audit relationships and working directly with business owners, Finance Directors and senior stakeholders.
- Providing corporate and personal tax planning and advisory support.
- Reviewing accounts, audit and tax work prepared by members of the wider team.
- Identifying opportunities to provide additional services to existing clients.
- Winning and onboarding new clients through referrals, networking and existing professional relationships.
- Supporting and developing junior members of the team.
- Working closely with the firm's leadership on growth, client strategy and business development.
- Helping further develop the firm's Accounts, Audit and Tax capabilities.
- Sole Practitioners & Practice Owners

The firm is particularly interested in speaking with individuals who have successfully built their own client base but may have reached the point where running a practice independently is becoming less attractive.

You may still enjoy looking after clients, advising business owners and winning new work, but want to move away from the administration, staffing, compliance and operational responsibilities associated with running everything yourself.

The firm can provide the infrastructure and wider team to absorb and service your existing portfolio, while allowing you to maintain your key client relationships and continue developing the book.

If you are considering selling, merging or transitioning your practice, the firm would also be happy to have an initial confidential conversation about what that could look like.

Accounts, Audit & General Practice Professionals

For an Accounts, Audit or General Practice professional, this could be particularly attractive if you have built strong relationships with your clients and want greater commercial involvement than a traditional Manager/Senior Manager position provides.

Experience across any combination of the following would be relevant:

Accounts | Audit | Corporation Tax | Personal Tax | Owner-Managed Businesses | Business Advisory | General Practice | Client Portfolio Management

You do not necessarily need to be a specialist in every area. The firm is more interested in your ability to manage relationships, provide a high-quality service and develop a portfolio.

Tax Specialists

The firm would also be particularly interested in strong Tax Managers / Senior Managers, including CTA-qualified professionals.

This could suit somebody who has considered establishing their own practice but would rather have the security, team and infrastructure of an existing firm while retaining considerable autonomy and the opportunity to build something.

Relevant experience could include:

Personal Tax | Corporate Tax | Mixed Tax | Owner-Managed Businesses | Tax Compliance | Tax Advisory

The Candidate:

There is no rigid profile for this appointment.

The emphasis is on finding a senior, commercially minded practice professional who can build strong client relationships and contribute to the firm's continued growth.

You are likely to have:

- Significant experience within a UK accountancy practice.
- Experience at Manager, Senior Manager or equivalent level.
- A background in Accounts, Audit, Tax or General Practice.
- Experience managing your own portfolio and senior client relationships.
- Strong commercial awareness and an interest in business development.
- The confidence to advise business owners and senior decision-makers directly.
- ACA, ACCA, CTA or ATT qualification would be advantageous, although substantial relevant experience will also be considered.

Candidates currently operating as Sole Practitioners or owners of smaller accountancy practices are actively encouraged to have a confidential conversation.

What's On Offer?

This is a flexible opportunity that can be structured around the individual rather than forcing the right person into a predefined role.

Depending on experience and the size and nature of any existing client portfolio, the package can include:

- Competitive salary from approximately £55,000-85,000 with flexibility for the right individual.
- Bonus and additional earning potential.
- Hybrid working with 2–3 days per week from home.
- An established team and infrastructure to support your clients.
- The opportunity to bring an existing portfolio into the firm.
- Additional clients and work generated by the practice.
- Significant autonomy and ownership over your portfolio.
- Direct involvement with the firm's leadership.
- The opportunity to help shape and grow a boutique practice.
- Genuine longer-term progression and commercial opportunity.

There is no immediate pressure to make an appointment. The firm is focused on finding the right individual and is happy to have confidential, exploratory conversations with experienced professionals considering their longer-term options.

If you are an Accounts, Audit or Tax Manager / Senior Manager, General Practitioner, Sole Practitioner or small Practice Owner and would be interested in exploring what bringing your experience — and potentially your client portfolio — into an ambitious boutique practice could look like, please get in touch for a completely confidential discussion.

For further information on this role please contact David Elliot at Clark Wood – david@clark-wood.co.uk / DD: +44 (0) 117 329 1058 | Mobile: +44 (0) 7358 908463

This role is ideal for candidates with relevant experience in a UK accountancy practice. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

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