Senior Audit Manager

If you're looking to join an organisation that will give you the right opportunities and experience to develop your career, join Tilney Smith and Williamson.

Tilney Smith & Williamson

Leading independently owned providers of investment management, financial planning, financial advisory, accountancy, tax and corporate services to private clients, corporates, professional practices, and non-profit organisations. With over 60 offices in the UK, Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey, 3,200 people and an international capability in over 100 countries, our aim is to provide an innovative global service.

Assurance & Business Services

We provide a range of services including external audit, finance due diligence, valuations, and payroll services to a diverse client base ranging from small businesses and startups to substantial international groups. Our client portfolio includes businesses from a variety of different industry sectors, across both private and AIM listed companies.

Role Profile

Purpose of role:

The primary responsibility of the Audit Manager will be to deal with all matters relating to the management of a portfolio of audit clients. You will also provide assistance to Partners in both client work and in the management of the group, and on occasions the wider firm. Where appropriate, you may become involved in special assignments on an ad hoc basis.

Key responsibilities:

Client work:

• Ensure that clients receive an efficient and proactive service and client expectations are exceeded throughout the year. Liaison with client Partners and other S&W staff where appropriate to ensure all are kept up to date with relevant issues.
• Audit work and setting budgets - awareness of commercial aspects of clients business and impact on our work. Arrangement of timetable, booking of staff, planning review and completion of audit and other related assignments.
• Be aware of developments in compliance and how this impacts on our clients.
• Client billing.

Staff Management:

• Organise staff on jobs, ensuring each individual is clear on expectations and timescales, is properly trained and receives constructive feedback. Ensure any shortages or excess workloads are identified and minimised.
• To ensure assessment forms are completed and feedback given to all staff on all jobs.
• Liaison with junior staff to assess any issues that need dealing with.
• Ensure appropriate in house and external training received personally.

Business Development:

• Prepare proposals for new work.
• Attend relevant marketing events.
• Present at seminars if required.
• Attend relevant client segment focus group meetings.
• Develop personal contacts.
• Identify and develop opportunities for S&W with current clients.

Key Competencies:

• Planning and organising - to ensure all client work is carried out within the appropriate timescales through continual monitoring of progression of the work.
• Technical expertise - to ensure audit conducted to correct standard and accounts preparation is accurate and meaningful for the type of industry. To be able to answer staff and client technical queries and make technical decisions.
• Commercial awareness - to have a good understanding of the commercial factors affecting the client and to be able to monitor the commercial effectiveness of work done by S&W by reviewing costs against budget.
• Teamwork - working as a team with the other managers, Partners and staff to ensure the department as a whole meets its objectives and all client demands are exceeded etc and dealing with differences.
• Problem solving - technical knowledge to resolve client issues and organisation to be flexible to meet client and director demands.
• Customer focus - ensuring clients expectations are exceeded, by providing a first class service at all times.
• Business Development - ability to develop trusted advisor status with clients

Candidate Profile

Education/Qualifications:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, CA, ACCA).

Key Experience/Skills:

• Significant external audit experience gained within a professional services environment.
• Experience of working with entrepreneurial, OMB, SME and AIM listed clients.
• Experience of (and appetite for) business development activities such as targeting, preparation of proposal documents, proposal presentations and attendance of networking events
• Demonstrable working knowledge of accounting and auditing standards, industry specifics and their application.
• Good working knowledge of skill requirements of staff at various levels to ensure work undertaken by appropriate individual.
• Strong communication skills in order to liaise with clients, Partners, staff and other professionals.
• Previous experience of management and motivation of staff to ensure best performance.
• Organisation to ensure needs of clients, partners and staff are all met.
• Monitoring costs against budget for individual clients.

About Tilney Smith and Williamson

Tilney Smith & Williamson is the UK's leading integrated wealth management and professional services group, created by the merger of Tilney and Smith & Williamson on 1 September 2020.

With £54 billion of assets under management (as of 30 June 2021), it ranks as the third largest UK wealth manager measured by revenues and the eighth largest professional services firm ranked by fee income. The Group currently operates through three principal brands: Tilney, Smith & Williamson, and online investment service Bestinvest. It has a network of 28 offices across the UK, as well as the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands. Through its operating companies, the Group offers an extensive range of financial and professional services to individuals, family trusts, professional intermediaries, charities, and businesses.

Value statement

Tilney Smith & Williamson's chosen purpose to "place the power of good advice into more hands" succinctly encapsulates the group's central mission of supporting both individuals and businesses to achieve their goals.

In delivering its purpose, Tilney Smith & Williamson have set out three core values that it is committed to embedding in the culture of the business:
 

• Personal - we treat you as an individual: We are a people business at heart and strive to deliver a friendly, inclusive, and personalised service to all of our clients, large and small.
   
• Partnership - we go further together: We develop relationships that stand the test of time, spanning multiple generations. We partner across the full breadth of our expertise to create value for our clients, our company and society at large.
   
• Performance - we strive for more: We are ambitious for our clients and for ourselves, so we aim to be a forward-thinking and innovative business that leads the way in the industry.

Diversity statement

The Tilney Smith & Williamson Group recognises the benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to treating all colleagues with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, or belief. At Tilney Smith & Williamson we are committed to equal opportunities in all aspects of our work.