Accounts Supervisor - London

Reporting to the Head of Accounts, the Accounts Supervisor will be responsible for the day-to-day activities of the Accounts team in ensuring the overall provision of an accurate, efficient and timely accounting and cashiering service to all six of our offices (Bristol, London, Glasgow, Dubai, Canada and Dublin).

About Beale & Co

Beale & Co provides specialist legal advice to the construction and insurance sectors. With lawyers spread across offices in London, Bristol, Glasgow, Dublin, Dubai and Toronto, the Firm has a long track record in successfully acting for clients all over the world. Our teams handle complex international arbitration; professional indemnity disputes; coverage; claims handling; corporate and commercial and contracts and projects advisory matters, with an emphasis on finding the best possible legal and commercial solutions to meet our clients’ needs.

Key Requirements:

• Provide support to all functions of the Accounts team on a daily basis, and report into the Head of Accounts when required on any issues.
• Day to day supervision of the Accounts teams, delegating appropriate duties.
• Assist with daily postings where required and cover when team members are absent or at busy intervals.
• Deal with general accounts queries and audit requests as required.
• Responsible for the monthly reconciliation of all Client Office and Business No Notice bank accounts, presenting a summary of all reconciliations to the Accounts Manager.
• Ensure that Balance Summary checks are performed, and that the VAT summary balances on a weekly basis.
• Check on a weekly basis that client to office transfers have been actioned, and that professional disbursements have been paid out appropriately.
• In conjunction with the Revenue Supervisor, ensure that all monthly reports are accurate, balance and saved appropriately before the Head of Accounts runs month end.
• Propose system and process improvement solutions to the Head of Accounts, to continuously improve efficiency and effectiveness within the accounts department.
• Assist the Head of Accounts with maintaining an internal handbook of all accounting processes and procedures for use by the team.
• Maintain records and implement procedures to ensure full compliance with the Solicitors Accounts Rules’ (SARs). Report every breach to the Head of Accounts and COO.
• Ensure that all members of the team are trained appropriately to perform all tasks accurately and efficiently. Ensure that team members are encouraged to develop their skills within the department.
• Assist the Firm’s Auditors, Head of Accounts and COO with the year end audit, including producing information and dealing with queries.
• Be responsible for bringing to the attention of the Head of Accounts and COO any problems when dealing with the firms’ bankers.
• Work in conjunction with the Revenue Supervisor when required, and assist the Head of Accounts during the Revenue Supervisors absence.
• On a quarterly basis prepare the client interest schedule. Calculate interest to split beneficiaries on matters where appropriate.
• Ensure that any client funds held that need to be donated to the SRA are done so in accordance with the SAR’s.
• Review funds held in the firm’s entire client accounts to ensure that they are held correctly and where necessary, return funds to clients. Produce a report for the Head of Accounts, showing balances held and the reason why the firm continues to hold these funds.
• On a monthly basis, review unbilled disbursements and expenses and report to the Head of Accounts any issues.
• On a monthly basis, check all pro forma VAT has been converted correctly.
• In conjunction with the Revenue supervisor, maintain the firms rates when required.
• Responsible for supplying any management information to clients as requested.

Experience

Our Accounts Supervisor will demonstrate the below key skills and experience:

• Previous demonstrable and relevant experience as an Accounts Supervisor within a law firm or legal business.
• Previous demonstrable and relevant experience of the tasks expected of the Accounts teams.
• Must be both capable of performing these tasks and of training others to complete them.
• Previous demonstrable and relevant experience of supervising a team.
• Excellent knowledge of the Solicitors Accounts Rules (SAR’s).
• Excellent numerical accuracy skills.
• Excellent attention to detail skills.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage own workload.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate confidently at all levels.

Skills

• Demonstrable experience of dealing with insurer clients.
• Advanced Excel IT skills.
• Demonstrable and relevant experience in training others to undertake an accounts role.

In return, you will benefit from being part of an organisation that is genuinely committed to its people.

For further information on the role, please apply send your CV to HRDept@beale-law.com or if you want a confidential chat about the role, then feel free to call Jonathan Brett on 0203 053 3091.

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