Accounts Assistant

IBB offers all its staff exceptional opportunities in an exciting and supportive working environment. Our culture encourages our individuals to develop expertise and eminence in their own professional area. To do this requires the hard work and dedication of leading individuals throughout our Business Support teams.

IBB is Heathrow’s closest major law firm and a Thames Valley heavyweight. It is a full-service firm, working for clients all over the South East of England. IBB has three offices, one in each of Uxbridge and Reading for corporate, charity, employment, IT/IP, real estate, private client and community legal services, the other in South Bucks for private clients. IBB boasts one of the region’s largest real estate teams outside of London and a corporate team working with UK headquarters of multinationals and large SMEs based in the South East. IBB handles complex work with great attention to detail and high quality client service. The firm has a clear vision to understand what our clients want and to deliver the best service possible through our legal professionals, support staff and technology. IBB’s partners are recommended in the legal directories as leading individuals in their fields and there are six accredited commercial mediators and one accredited family mediator within the firm. IBB is also ISO 9001:2000 and Lexel-accredited.

What we look for

As a growing firm, we recruit professional business support staff at all levels. We look for individuals who

• flourish in a challenging professional environment
• actively seek to add value in all that they do
• are eager to work hard, learn new skills and take ownership of their career
• embrace the ethos of IBB and share our core values
• have a record of academic excellence and personal achievement
• are excited about the prospect of being a part of IBB

We value the skills, knowledge, expertise and relationships that quality individuals bring to the firm. At the same time, we are sensitive to the challenges involved in making a transition to a new firm, and we therefore invest considerable time and resources to facilitate your integration in to the firm.

IBB’s Accounts team forms part of the Business Support Group (BSG). The focus of the Business Support Group is to provide the firm with all their support operational needs and requirements. The Business Support Group (BSG) is headed up by the Managing Partner.

The Accounts team is headed up by the Finance Partner and consists of 15 individuals. The team is sub divided into specialist teams e.g. management accounting, legal cashiering, purchase ledger, credit control and the criminal costs team

Role Description

As a member of a busy accounts team, approximately 50% of your time will be working alongside the Credit Control Manager. The remainder of your time will be focused on various accounts administration to ensure the smooth running of the department.

• Taking a proactive role in the managing and collecting Firm debts
• Ensuring timely payment of debts and following up as needed
• Monitoring monies held on client account and arranging transfers to settle invoices where advised by fee earners
• Responding to relevant client enquiries
• Preparation of statements, client reconciliations and all relevant information as required
• Regular reporting to the Credit Control Manager in respect of unpaid invoices
• Matching and coding of supplier invoices, processing invoices and expenses
• Reconciliation of supplier statements
• Providing administrative support to the team which may include filing and dealing with paperwork on a daily basis
• Assisting with land registry and Searchflow invoices
• Checking and writing off balances on files that are ready for closure.
• Supporting cashiering team during busy periods
• Assisting with month end procedures where necessary including the posting of fee invoices.
• Any other reasonable duties for the smooth running of the Accounts department.
• To adhere to the Solicitors accounts rules and practices and make recommendations and give advice as appropriate

Education

• Passes at “C” grade or higher in GCSE (or equivalent) core subjects, to include Maths and English Language
• Consideration will also be given to candidates with relevant professional qualifications / memberships
• The ability to communicate professionally at all levels within the firm
• Excellent attention to detail skills

Essential:

• Previous office experience, ideally gained within a professional services accounts environment
• Enthusiastic & committed, well organised and able to work flexibly and to tight deadlines
• Highly numerate with basic understanding of book keeping and accountancy procedures
• Good working knowledge of Excel
• Strong team consciousness
• Calm in busy and pressured situations
• Ability to build and maintain working relationships with others and is seen as “approachable”
• Knows when to seek guidance or further input from others before taking action
• Willing to contribute ideas and seek improvements
• Strong verbal, presentation and written communication skills

Desirable:

• Previous credit control experience
• Knowledge of Solicitor's Accounts Rules

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A high level of IT proficiency
• Good time management skills
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively independently or as part of a team
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Willingness to proactivity take ownership of own learning and development
• Commercial awareness