Accounts Associate

Department: Business Advisory

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Colchester

Description

Take the next step in your accountancy career with an exciting opportunity at Scrutton Bland, a forward-thinking and well-established practice, and part of the wider Sumer Group. We are seeking a motivated and ambitious individual to join us as a Trainee Client Support. This opportunity would suit candidates with prior experience in an accountancy or finance environment who are ready to build on their existing knowledge.

This role offers a strong combination of hands-on experience, structured training, and professional development, supporting you as you progress towards your chartered qualification. If you are detail-oriented, eager to develop, and looking to grow within a supportive and collaborative team, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will join a dynamic and collaborative team, where they will have the opportunity to combine their existing accounting experience with a fresh, innovative approach to client service. This role is well-suited to an individual who is keen to take the next step in their career, building on their technical knowledge while developing strong client relationships. You will be responsible for undertaking and reviewing accounts preparation work as directed, while playing a key role in delivering a high standard of service to a varied client portfolio.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Supporting the preparation and review of statutory financial statements, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and adherence to relevant accounting standards.
• Assisting with the production of management accounts, including analysis and commentary, as well as contributing to the preparation of financial forecasts.
• Providing support with tax compliance work, including the preparation of personal and corporate tax returns and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships.
• Collaborating with colleagues across the team to meet deadlines, share knowledge, and contribute to a positive and professional working environment.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

The successful candidate will:

• Be partway through studying towards their ACCA or ACA qualification or be AAT qualified as a minimum
• Have work experience in a similar environment
• Be able to analyse and interpret information
• Be personable and enjoy building and maintaining client relationships
• Be able to demonstrate their ability to use their initiative in the application and use of technology
• Be competent using Microsoft Office and ideally, have experience of Xero and other cloud accounting software packages.

Job Benefits

We offer an attractive reward and flexible benefits package which you can tailor to suit your needs.

• Flexible working alongside a culture that promotes work life balance
• Commitment to continued learning & development
• 36 days holiday (including 8 bank holidays and 3 days Christmas closure)
• Option to purchase a further 5 days holiday
• Life Assurance up to 4x salary and contribution towards the Firm's pension scheme
• Access to our health cash plan (Health Shield) day one, where you can claim towards your dental, optical, health and wellbeing expenses - we believe health and wellbeing is so important
• Amazing employee referral scheme, paying up to GBP 5,000 for a successful referral
• Access to mental health support
• Employee health and wellbeing program
• Regular social and informal events within the organisation

Belong @ Sumer
At Sumer, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment, not just as buzzwords, but as the heartbeat of our team. Our recruitment practices reflect this commitment, welcoming individuals from all backgrounds. We prioritise creating an environment where every candidate feels respected and supported throughout the hiring process.

Everyone is unique and we understand that each individual may have distinct needs to showcase their best selves during interviews. Our commitment is to offer personalised support for all candidates. Let our team know how we can bring out your fullest potential.