Director Designate / Director
Moore and Smalley - Preston (including travel to clients on a regular basis)
Professional Practices
Full time (37.5 hours per week)
£Competitive salary and benefits package

This excellent position has been newly created to assist the Partner of the Professional Practices department in running the specialist team, expanding service offered to professional clients, winning new work and further developing the legal specialism across the North West region. It is an opportunity to run a portfolio of clients as client relationship manager, consisting of a mixture of professional clients and general corporate clients, working alongside other Corporate Partners. The individual will already be an Audit RI, or will plan to become one. The role will include carrying out business development activities such as networking, potential new client meetings, tender and fee quote preparation, writing technical articles and blogs, and videos. The successful candidate will offer technical support to the Partner, ensuring staff maintain high technical standards, including file review and completing ad hoc project work. They will manage and inspire staff.

The key responsibilities of this role include:

• To become a client relationship manager on a range of corporate and professional clients, delivering a high standard of technical and commercial advice on annual compliance services and ad hoc projects
• Become audit RI to lead statutory audit, SRA Accounts Rules, and other specialist audit assignments
• To lead the team in client service standards        
• To lead, develop and motivate managers and the team, providing support and development through on the job coaching and appraisals
• Taking an active role in the financial management of the department
• Participating in business development activities to further grow and add to the department US 

 To be considered for this position, applicants must have:

• ACA/ACCA (or equivalent) qualification         
• External audit experience at a senior level       
• The ability to make good decisions in a timely and confident manner, implement change and challenge
• Effective organising, planning and communication skills        
• The drive to seek new opportunities to improve current processes, systems and methods to promote reliability, quality and efficiency of output        
• The ability to recognise and understand clients’ needs and deliver in a manner that exceeds clients’ expectations     
• The skills to direct and lead others to accomplish the firm’s goals and objectives       
• Understanding of general business and financial concepts, understanding the firm’s business, and using both general and specific knowledge to be effective

Desirable skills include:      

• Experience of working with solicitors and other professional practices    
• Experience of completing SRA Accounts Rules audit work       
• Experience in preparing tax computations for limited companies, partnerships and individuals      
• Familiar with both paper based and IT based auditing systems       
• Awareness of key dates and filing deadlines

To be successful in this role, you will need to have strong communication skills along with a positive and solutions focused attitude and the dedication to work the hours necessary to achieve the desired results.  

We are looking to recruit as soon as possible and will make an appointment as soon as a suitable candidate is found.