The role
The Associate Director is responsible for leading the team of client accountants who provide accounting services to either the corporate occupier or investor property management clients. As a member of the department’s Senior Management Team (SMT) the Associate Director supports by:
Managing Client Reporting teams to deliver monthly and quarterly reporting to meet the clients’ accounting needs.
Ensuring service levels and other targets agreed with clients and internal surveying teams are met, monitoring key performance indicators and reporting on a regular basis in accordance with client and departmental requirements.
Ensuring all statutory, legislative and internal process requirements are met, including requirements of HMRC and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Key deliverables
Lead the client reporting team, ensuring staff are of appropriate calibre, well trained and motivated, and organised effectively to meet client requirements
Oversee recruitment, retention and career development of employees to develop committed, high performance, client focussed teams
Assist in establishing and implementing departmental targets and set objectives for the client reporting team ensuring that they are communicated clearly and effectively, and that individual performance by team members against these objectives is monitored and measured
Implement the company’s performance management programme, adhering to and promoting internal performance standards, and ensuring areas for development and improvement are identified and addressed
Provide coaching and support to members of the client reporting team to ensure appropriate levels of performance and technical skills are maintained
Processes
Develop, implement and continuously improve processes and procedures to ensure service delivery standards for internal and external clients are met
Assist in designing and implementing the departmental control framework and delegation policy
Work with internal audit and compliance to ensure that all compliance and control requirements are met
Participate in and monitor the effectiveness of controls of activities performed by the team
Service Delivery
Ensure that members of the client reporting team understand and achieve internal and external client objectives and that service levels are defined, agreed and met
Increase the range of services provided by Client Finance and the expertise deployed to develop key differentiators and assist actively in winning new business
Develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external clients and ensure effective co-ordination with the shared service and treasury functions to ensure satisfaction with all client accounting services delivered
Support surveying colleagues in tenders for new work including the pricing of instructions and preparation of client pitches
Monitor and control the content and quality of accounting deliverables to ensure information provided to clients is accurate, complete and timely
Review and interpret client accounting requirements providing ad-hoc advice to clients and working with clients and the Client Finance team to refine deliverables and ensure effective delivery mechanisms
Ensure all statutory and tax requirements for clients are satisfied and that both company and legislative procedures and controls are adhered to
Clients and Business Development
Manages existing client relationships.
identifies and helps progress new business opportunities both in and outside own discipline
Able to work on a broad range of projects referring only to senior colleagues/ external specialists on highly unusual or technical issues.
Specialist in one aspect of own discipline. Broad knowledge of principles and practices of related disciplines
Person specification
Essential Qualifications
Essential skills
Experience of leading property management and accounting packages for managing agents
Experience of accounting techniques, internal and external reporting, finance operations and processes
Essential experience
Accounting and/or management operations experience
Background in large accounting operations, ideally in a client or property context
Strong people management, interpersonal and mentoring skills, with demonstrable experience of leading teams
Ability to build team relationships and use influencing skills to interact effectively and deliver through others
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including experience in client pre-sales activities and general presentation skills
Committed to the provision of excellent customer service and to meeting deadlines
Commercially astute, innovative and solutions oriented
Good appreciation of risk management and formal governance policies
Organised and methodical, able to manage multiple projects
We are proud to offer award-winning benefits to support and reward our employees:
Health & Leisure: Private medical cover, 27 days annual leave + public holidays (the option of purchasing up to 5 additional days via flex benefits), health screening, gym discounts, wellbeing support, volunteering opportunities, cycle to work scheme, eye care voucher, travel & retail discounts, travel insurance, concierge service, kids pass, open fairways golf card, great company culture and social events (including sports teams, charity events, art pass), perks at work
Financial: Pension, company car allowance, life assurance at 8 x basic salary, group income protection, long term disability insurance, interest free season ticket loan, bonus scheme - you will be eligible to participate in the Company’s Bonus Scheme, share incentive plan, financial and mortgage advice
BNP Paribas Real Estate is committed to providing a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and equal employment opportunity without regard to race, colour, gender, age, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability (physical or mental), marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, or any other legally protected status.
BNP Paribas Real Estate is proud to be an inclusive employer, as recognised by our RICS Inclusive Employer status and membership to Stonewalls Diversity Champion Programme.