Senior Accountant
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Are you doing the job of a leader without the title to match?
If you're the person everyone turns to - the one who reviews the work, manages the team, and holds the client relationships together - but your seniority still doesn't reflect that reality, this role is worth your attention.
THE ROLE
This is a senior leadership position within an established independent accountancy practice in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
The firm has a loyal client base and a committed team. What it needs now is someone to take genuine operational ownership - not as a deputy, but as the person responsible for the day-to-day running of the practice.
Working directly with the owner, you will lead the team, oversee the quality of client work, drive improvements in process and structure, and play a central role in the firm's growth and succession planning.
There is a clear and realistic pathway to Directorship within 3–5 years, with genuine long-term ownership potential.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead, develop and manage the team, setting clear performance expectations
- Oversee accounts, review and advisory work to a consistently high standard
- Take ownership of workflow, deadlines and quality control across the practice
- Address performance and people issues proactively and constructively
- Improve operational processes, structure and discipline firm-wide
- Partner with the owner on strategy, business development and succession planning
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- ACA or ACCA qualified
- Strong post-qualification experience gained within practice (not industry)
- Proven track record of leading and managing teams - beyond junior oversight
- Confident handling change, difficult conversations and high standards
- Trusted by clients and credible with colleagues
- Motivated by progression, accountability and long-term impact
WHAT'S ON OFFER
- Salary: £60,000 – £70,000+ depending on experience
- Clear and genuine route to Directorship within 3–5 years
- Long-term ownership potential for the right candidate
- Immediate authority and influence over culture, operations and client experience
- A practice with strong foundations, ready for the right leader
Please note: this is an office-based role in Salisbury. Remote candidates are unlikely to be a fit.
If you are a senior practice accountant ready to lead properly and be recognised for it, apply now or contact us for a confidential conversation.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your ACA or ACCA qualification prominently as this is explicitly required for the role
📊 Quantify your team leadership experience: 'Led 8-person accounts team, improving review turnaround by 25%'
🎯 Emphasise practice-specific experience rather than industry background as the advert specifically seeks practice experience
🤝 Showcase client relationship management skills as you'll be taking ownership of client experience
🌐 Demonstrate operational improvement examples as you'll be driving process improvements firm-wide
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Led 12-person accounts team through busy season, delivering 95% of client deadlines on time while maintaining quality standards across 200+ engagements
- •Implemented workflow management system that reduced review turnaround time by 30% and improved client satisfaction scores to 4.8/5
- •Managed portfolio of 85 clients generating £450k annual fees, maintaining 98% client retention through proactive relationship management
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Letter preview — tailored to Hermitage Consultancy
Dear Hiring Manager,
Hermitage Consultancy's Senior Accountant role represents exactly the leadership progression I've been seeking. With my ACA qualification and proven practice experience in team leadership and quality control, I'm ready to take genuine operational ownership of your Salisbury practice.
My background in practice accountancy has equipped me with the skills to lead teams, manage client relationships, and drive operational improvements. I understand the unique challenges of practice management and have consistently delivered results in accounts preparation, review work, and advisory services.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you approach improving workflow management across a practice?
- ›What's your experience with accounts preparation and review processes?
- ›How do you ensure quality control across multiple client engagements?
- ›Describe your approach to succession planning in an accountancy practice
- ›What systems would you implement to improve operational efficiency?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you had to have a difficult conversation with a team member
- ›Describe a situation where you improved processes in your previous role
- ›Give an example of how you've managed competing deadlines across multiple clients
- ›Tell me about a time you had to lead change in your organisation
- ›Describe how you've built trust with both clients and colleagues
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you had to have a difficult conversation with a team member
Describe a situation where you improved processes in your previous role