Company Description
At S&W, we help our clients thrive by simplifying the complex, illuminating new paths, and shaping solutions that make a difference. As one of the UK’s top 10 fastest-growing accountancy firms, we have been a trusted partner since 1881—helping businesses and individuals meet challenges and seize opportunities across generations.
Built on expertise and driven by ambition, we provide a comprehensive range of services, including tax and accountancy, advisory and assurance, corporate finance, and restructuring. We are defined by our purpose—to help navigate challenges, unlock potential, and achieve the extraordinary.
Job Description
Purpose of role:
* With the support of the Head of Department and other staff, responsibility for developing relationships and new business opportunities to provide a range of tax and other services.
* Overall responsibility and accountability for a group of clients, with excellent technical expertise in your field.
* Skilled at leading and managing the relationship with clients, with the aim of developing new business from your current client base and beyond.
* Responsibility for encouraging and developing associate directors and other staff members.
* Ensuring excellent client service whilst minimising conduct risk.
* Contributing to the management of your department and/or office if relevant.
Key Responsibilities
Client Advice
* Able to provide suitable strategic and technical advice and guidance to clients with regard to their tax affairs.
* Understand and evaluate the client's situation and tailor the advice according to their specific needs providing clear and technically accurate documentation.
* Potentially have or be able to build a sector specialism.
* Understand and evaluate the impact of market and general economic indicators and identify necessary changes to proposed tax advice.
* Able to provide support to clients in their negotiations, liaising with other advisers, coordinating their activities where necessary.
* Able to oversee the reports and advice given by the team and review, edit and authorise key documents.
Client Liaison
* Able to structure and lead client meetings ensuring that information given is up to date, clear and meets the client's needs.
* All dealings with clients are conducted professionally and their requests are dealt with in a timely and effective manner.
* Correspondence and reporting is clear, technically accurate and meets client's needs.
Growing the Business
* Promote and build the group's reputation internally and externally.
* Contribute to business strategy to ensure that decisions put the client first.
* Assist your Head of Business (HoB) with PR for your field of expertise.
* Promote cross-selling within the group.
* Build and cultivate relationships with clients and potential clients of the group.
* Identify and pursue key targets.
* Responsible for marketing and business development activities for your field of expertise.
Quality Control, Compliance and Risk Management
* Ensure compliance with the group's internal procedures to avoid unacceptable levels of risk.
* Ensure compliance with the group's compliance manual and relevant operating procedures.
* Maintain personal technical competence.
* Report complaints and potential PI issues in line with the group's complaints procedures.
Financial Management
* Monitor and manage chargeable hours, utilisation, recoveries, WIP, billing and lock up for you and your team.
* Monitor and manage time recording for you and your direct reports.
* Hold regular financial performance reviews with your direct reports.
* Inform the HoB promptly of all WIP and bad debt provisions or any other material issues.
* Ensure compliance with the Delegated Authority Limits and policies in respect of WIP and debtor management.
Staff Management & Development
* Act as an effective leader in accordance with the Exceptional Leader profile.
* Responsible for the day to day management of direct reports.
* Conduct annual development reviews (ADRs) for your direct reports.
* Act as mentor and help develop talent.
* Ensure that your own high standards of technical and professional competence are maintained.
* Ensure your direct reports are developed in accordance with their ADRs.
* Manage, counsel and develop your direct reports to maximise their work potential.
Key Performance Indicators
* Responsible for a client portfolio of at least £250,000 per annum.
* Regularly record at least 900-1,000 chargeable hours per annum.
* Maintain under recoveries of <10% per annum.
* Keep overall lock-up below the relevant KPIs.
* Maintain tight control of debtors and demonstrate a commercial approach.
Qualifications
Key Competencies:
* Customer focus - core to your role is to provide an excellent service to clients.
* Judgement - the firm relies on your judgement in the services supplied to clients.
* Technical expertise - strong technical leadership is critical.
* Networking - you are skilled at developing relationships.
* Communication - you communicate effectively.
* Leadership - you will help drive a culture of continuous development.
Education/Qualifications
* Degree educated.
* Chartered Accountant and/or Chartered Tax Adviser.
Key Experience & Skills
* Extensive knowledge and practical experience of business tax services.
* Proven complex client experience and client handling abilities.
* Demonstrable experience of generating and developing new business.
* Strong technical leadership.
* Experience and knowledge of staff management.
* Strong communication and inter-personal skills.
* Strong commercial awareness.
Additional Information
As a colleague here at S&W you will have access to benefits that include:
* Competitive salary
* Private medical insurance
* Life assurance
* Pension contribution
* Hybrid working model (role dependent)
* Generous holiday package
* Option to purchase additional holiday
* Shared parental leave
* Fully funded training towards professional qualifications
* Cycle to work scheme
* Season ticket loan
* Eye care support
We are proud to value the differences that a diverse workforce brings. At S&W we have a wide range of highly active employee resource groups and we’re delivering multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the organisation.
We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs throughout the application process.
Seniority level
Director
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Accounting/Auditing and Finance
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