Location
Watford, UK
Specialist recruiters for accounting and CPA practices
We place audit, tax, and accounting professionals in UK, USA and Canada accounting and CPA firms
Discipline
Accounting
Salary
£32000 - £40000
Referral Reward
£1,500
Location: Watford (Hybrid)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Working pattern:4 days in-office (Tue–Fri), Mondays from home
Leave:28 days’ holiday + bank holidays
Type: Full-time, Permanent
We are recruiting an Assistant Financial Accountant for a modern, client-focused accountancy practice in Watford. You’ll prepare year-end accounts, be hands-on in Xero from day one, and work directly with business owners who value timely, accurate information. The role suits someone progressing through AAT/ACCA/ICAEW (part-qualified welcome) who wants structured learning, real responsibility, and a supportive team culture.
What you’ll do
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Prepare year-end accounts for limited companies (and some sole traders/contractors), including working papers, trial balance, journals, accruals and prepayments.
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Own Xero day-to-day: bank reconciliation, account coding, data quality checks, app integrations and tidy ledgers ready for close.
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Support month-end routines and management reporting packs.
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Assist with VAT returns, CIS, and light payroll support as needed.
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Contribute to corporation tax and basic personal tax computations from final accounts.
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Face clients confidently: onboarding, systems set-ups, answering routine queries and explaining numbers clearly.
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Help refine internal checklists and processes; capture learnings to improve next month/next year.
Must-haves
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Professional pathway: AAT, ACCA or ICAEW (qualified or part-qualified).
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Xero experience is non-negotiable, your Xero knowledge will be tested at interview.
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Proven year-end accounts prep experience in practice.
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Comfortable dealing directly with £1m+ turnover clients
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Clear written and verbal communication.
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Strong Excel and sound grasp of double-entry and fundamental UK GAAP principles.
Nice to have
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Experience with common Xero add-ons and data migrations.
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Exposure to VAT partial exemption/CIS nuances.
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Curiosity for automation and cleaner workflows.
Benefits
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Hybrid: 4 days in office (Tue–Fri), Mondays WFH.
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35 hours/week with sensible rhythms around client peaks.
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28 days’ holiday + bank holidays.
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Study support and CPD aligned to your qualification route.
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Modern tools, a collaborative team and exposure to ambitious clients.
Working style & culture
You’ll join a team that values fun, excellence, communication, being a team player, and certainty, doing what we say, when we say, for colleagues and clients. Expect a supportive, development-minded environment with clear expectations and open feedback.