Job description

We are recruiting for an Accounting Manager to join our Partners' Affairs and Tax team in London on a 9 month FTC.

Department purpose
The remit of the team is to support all aspects of the firm’s partnership accounting/partner finance function across the territories in which the firm operates.  This includes the calculation and payment of partners’ profit share (drawings & distributions), the management of partnership capital and partnership capital loan, partners’ tax reserving and tax payments.

Role purpose
The role will sit in a sub team of the Partners’ Affairs & Tax (PAT) team with responsibility the delivery of key accounting processes across Partner Finance & Accounting

Role and responsibilities
Ownership and management of Partner Finance & Accounting processes including:

• Management of relationship with the global finance team, and individual overseas offices, to ensure that accounting for partner related transactions with overseas offices are recorded and in compliance with internal policies.
• Management and review of the calculations for the partner profit allocations and priority share balances included in the Firm’s monthly management accounts.
• Management of the firm’s annual profit points by individual, department and office, including maintaining the forward projections in connection with the Global Equity Plan.
• Calculation of the firm’s provision for payments to former partners, for inclusion in the annual accounts.
• Management of the Trial Balance ensuring that department GL accounts are reconciled in a timely manner and in accordance with the firm’s policies.
• Involvement in development of foreign currency accounting practices for the team including inter-office/inter-entity accounting.
• Input into the annual Consolidated Report & Financial Statements preparation process (from Partners/Members Interest perspective) together with input into the preparation of the statutory accounts for UK registered Limited Liability Partnerships.
• Managing the year-end partner balance audit process including coordinating the production of information with the team and delivering on a timely basis to the firm’s Auditors.
• Managing the allocations of the global partner benefit policies comprising of the confirmation of cover for Life Assurance, Personal Accident, and Permanent Health Insurances together with the year-end cost allocations across the partner population.
• Ongoing development and enhancement of processes (e.g. development of IT systems, Year-end accounting processes); and
• Support and cover for other areas of the Partner Finance team during busy periods and periods of absence.

Key requirements

• Excellent communication skills both oral and written.
• Enthusiastic, dynamic, pro-active, ambitious, commitment to "getting the job done".
• Ability to assimilate large amounts of information and a strong eye for detail.
• Able to work effectively using own initiative and as part of a team.
• Strong numeracy and IT skills, including knowledge of Windows, Excel, and Word and the ability to adapt to using unfamiliar software packages.  Particular emphasis is placed on experience of Excel.
• Strong time management skills, ability to multi-task, prioritise, manage processes, critically review and evaluate financial information.
• Previous experience within a professional services function (desirable).
• Ideally a qualified accountant with several years relevant experience in this niche area.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

Our approach to hybrid working seeks to combine and maximise the benefits of effective remote working with the benefits of being in the office.  Our current hybrid working arrangements require office based working for a minimum of 60% of your time (i.e. three days per week for a full time role) in accordance with our hybrid working policy.

Additional information - External

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.