Senior Financial Accountant

This law firm are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Senior Finance Accountant to join their growing organisation based in Tunbridge Wells.

This is a key role within the finance team, responsible for ensuring the integrity, accuracy and robustness of financial reporting and financial controls. Reporting to the Finance Manager, you will lead the preparation of statutory accounts, coordinate the annual external audit process, maintain balance sheet integrity, and provide insightful financial analysis to support business decision-making.

The successful individual will also take ownership of partnership accounting, ensuring partner capital accounts, current accounts, drawings and tax reserves are accurately maintained and reconciled.

Working closely with senior finance leadership, you will play an important role in strengthening reporting capabilities, improving financial controls and driving process improvements across the finance function.

Key Responsibilities as the Senior Financial Accountant

Financial Reporting & Control

• Support the monthly financial close process.
• Review and post complex accounting journals, including accruals, prepayments and adjustments.
• Maintain the integrity of the general ledger and accounting records.
• Ensure timely and accurate completion of balance sheet reconciliations.
• Investigate and resolve reconciling items.
• Prepare supporting schedules for monthly management accounts.
• Provide financial commentary and analysis to support management reporting.

Statutory Accounts & External Audit

• Lead the preparation of annual statutory accounts.
• Manage the external audit process from planning through to completion.
• Act as the main point of contact for auditors.
• Prepare audit schedules and working papers.
• Coordinate responses to audit queries and ensure deadlines are met.
• Support the preparation of information required for partnership tax computations.

Partnership Accounting

• Maintain partner capital and current account balances.
• Manage partner drawings, profit allocations and distributions.
• Maintain tax reserve balances and related reconciliations.
• Support activities relating to partner admissions, retirements and changes to profit-sharing arrangements.

Financial Analysis & Insight

• Perform detailed variance analysis against budget, forecast and prior year.
• Investigate significant movements in revenue, costs and profitability.
• Assist with departmental profitability analysis.
• Provide ad-hoc financial reporting and analysis to support strategic decisions.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes and controls.
• Support enhancements to reporting systems and automation.
• Assist with finance system upgrades and implementations.

To be successful

Essential

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified (or equivalent).
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including UK GAAP and FRS 102.
• Experience preparing statutory accounts and supporting external audits.
• Strong financial reporting and general ledger expertise.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables and data analysis.
• Experience managing balance sheet reconciliations and financial controls.

Desirable

• Experience within a professional services, partnership or law firm environment.
• Experience with partnership accounting and partner balance management.
• Experience using accounting and practice management systems

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