Assistant Portfolio Manager

A well-established, vibrant and expanding accountancy practice based in Chichester and Hampshire is seeking an ACA or ACCA-qualified Assistant Portfolio Manager to join its growing team. This is an excellent opportunity for a practice-trained professional ready to take greater responsibility for client assignments, develop their portfolio-management experience and progress within a growing professional practice. Role Profile The Assistant Portfolio Manager will be an ACA or ACCA qualified professional with relevant experience gained within an accountancy practice. The successful candidate will have strong technical foundations across accounts preparation and taxation, together with the confidence and professional judgement to take greater responsibility for client assignments and support the Portfolio Manager in the effective delivery of a varied client portfolio. They will be organised, commercially aware and capable of managing competing priorities and deadlines while maintaining consistently high standards of technical accuracy, compliance and client service. The role requires someone who can communicate confidently and professionally with clients and colleagues, review work prepared by junior team members, and provide constructive technical guidance and feedback. The successful candidate must recognise the limits of their own competence and delegated authority and escalate significant technical, commercial, compliance or client matters appropriately. Essential Qualifications & Requirements The successful candidate must: Be ACA or ACCA qualified Have relevant experience gained within an accountancy practice environment Maintain professional competence through appropriate continuing professional development Have a full UK driving licence, due to the location of the firm’s offices and the potential requirement to travel between offices or attend client premises. Essential Technical Experience The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate: Strong practical experience in preparing statutory and non-statutory accounts for owner-managed businesses Experience preparing accounts for limited companies, together with relevant experience of sole traders, partnerships or LLPs Practical experience in the preparation of corporation tax computations and returns Practical experience in the preparation of personal tax returns and associated compliance work A good understanding of statutory filing requirements, internal deadlines and the importance of accurate and complete client records Experience of reviewing accounts and associated work prepared by junior colleagues The ability to identify technical, presentation and completeness issues and provide clear, proportionate and constructive review points The ability to resolve routine technical matters within their own competence and delegated authority Sound professional judgement, including the ability to recognise technical, tax, compliance or risk matters that require escalation to the Portfolio Manager or an appropriate specialist An understanding of the importance of anti-money laundering, data protection, confidentiality, information security and quality-control procedures within an accountancy practice Portfolio and Workflow Management The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate: Experience of managing multiple client assignments, priorities and deadlines The ability to take ownership of allocated assignments and progress them efficiently through to completion Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to anticipate potential delays, missing information and capacity pressures The ability to maintain accurate workflow, planner and assignment information Experience of working to assignment budgets and agreed timescales An understanding of work in progress, billing, recovery, write-offs and the commercial implications of assignment overruns The ability to identify potential budget or deadline overruns at an early stage and escalate them appropriately The ability to work accurately and efficiently in a fast-paced professional environment while maintaining high standards of quality Client Service and Communication The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate: Confidence in dealing directly with clients in a professional, responsive and commercially appropriate manner Experience of obtaining information from clients, resolving routine queries and communicating progress clearly The ability to explain accounts, tax and related technical matters in language appropriate to the client’s level of understanding Strong written and verbal communication skills The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a varied client base. The ability to manage client expectations while working within the scope of the agreed service and delegated authority The judgement to recognise complaints, relationship concerns, commercial sensitivities or client risks that require prompt escalation An awareness of potential additional client-service needs and the ability to refer these opportunities to the Portfolio Manager for consideration Review, Coaching and Team Contribution The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate: Experience of reviewing work prepared by trainees or junior colleagues The ability to provide clear, specific and constructive feedback The confidence to provide day-to-day technical guidance and practical support to less experienced team members A patient and professional approach to coaching and developing colleagues The ability to identify recurring technical, quality or training issues and raise them with the Portfolio Manager A collaborative approach to meeting departmental deadlines and maintaining continuity of client service The ability to support effective handovers and share relevant information with colleagues The willingness to contribute positively to the wider team and assist colleagues during periods of increased workload Professional Judgement and Accountability The successful candidate must: Take responsibility for the quality, accuracy and timeliness of their own work Work within their personal competence and delegated authority Recognise when further guidance, approval or specialist input is required Escalate significant technical judgement, risk, client approval, commercial sensitivity or compliance matters promptly Respond positively to feedback and take appropriate action to address review points Demonstrate integrity, discretion and a strong commitment to confidentiality Apply the firm’s procedures and professional standards consistently Report errors, breaches, conflicts, complaints or material risks promptly and appropriately IT and Systems Skills The successful candidate must have: Strong general IT skills A good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word Confidence using accountancy, tax and practice-management software The ability to maintain complete and accurate electronic client and workflow records The ability and willingness to learn new systems and adapt to changes in technology, software and working practices Personal Attributes The successful candidate will be: Professional, approachable and client focused Organised, dependable and attentive to detail Self-motivated and able to use initiative appropriately Commercially aware and conscious of the relationship between quality, efficiency and client service Able to balance competing priorities without losing sight of deadlines or quality requirements Comfortable accepting responsibility while recognising the boundaries of the role Constructive and supportive when reviewing the work of others Flexible and willing to support the needs of the team and wider practice Committed to maintaining and developing their technical and professional knowledge Calm and professional when dealing with pressure, changing priorities or difficult client situations Proactive in identifying issues and seeking timely solutions Committed to delivering work to a consistently high standard Desirable Experience The following would be advantageous but is not essential: Experience supporting the management of a portfolio of owner-managed business clients Experience working across limited companies, LLPs, partnerships and sole traders Experience supporting more complex or higher-value client relationships Experience identifying additional client-service opportunities Experience working within formal billing, recovery, work-in-progress and workflow targets Experience coaching or mentoring trainees and junior colleagues Experience using CCH or comparable accounts production, tax and practice-management software Recruitment Assessment Applicants will be assessed against the following areas during the recruitment process: Professional qualification and relevant practice experience Accounts and tax technical competence Quality of first-level file review Client communication and relationship management Assignment ownership and workflow management Commercial awareness, including budgets, WIP and recovery Professional judgement and appropriate escalation Coaching and constructive feedback Organisation, accuracy and deadline management Alignment with the firm’s professional standards and client-service expectations Salary: Competitive DOE Job Type: Full time, office based Benefits: · 28 days annual leave, to include Bank Holidays, increasing to a maximum of 33 · An additional ‘Holiday’ birthday day each year after successful completion of the probationary period (non contractual) · Free staff parking · Bright Exchange – staff discount facility · Employee Assistance Programme · Fully funded staff social events