Client Accountant

CLIENT ACCOUNTANT

• Chaneys Chartered Surveyors • Competitive • Office Based - Hemel Hempstead

ROLE OVERVIEW

You will be the trusted accounting partner for a portfolio of residential and mixed-use developments, ensuring service charge finances are accurate, timely and fully transparent. With a calm, professional approach, you will keep funds compliant, ledgers reconciled and stakeholders informed, so Property Managers and clients can make confident decisions.

This is a hands-on role at the heart of property management where experience and judgement matter. You will combine technical accounting rigour with clear communication, supporting year-end accounts and audits, shaping budgets, and continuously improving processes in a collaborative team.

ROLE EXPECTATIONS

Most days you will own the service charge accounting cycle end-to-end: posting and reconciling transactions, preparing budgets and year-end packs, running payment cycles and handling queries from clients, residents and suppliers. You will work closely with Property Managers, producing accurate reports and meeting hard deadlines across monthly, quarterly and annual timetables.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Service charge accounts delivered on time with clean, well-documented audit trails.
• All bank and control accounts reconciled monthly with zero unexplained items.
• Budgets that are realistic, well-evidenced and clearly communicated to stakeholders.
• Proactive debtor management with accurate allocations and clear arrears reporting.
• Prompt, professional responses that resolve queries and reduce repeat issues.
• Tangible process improvements that enhance accuracy, speed and control.

HOW YOU'LL SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME

• Preparing service charge budgets, cashflows and variance analyses for your portfolio.
• Posting journals, allocating receipts, processing supplier invoices and running payment cycles.
• Completing monthly bank, control and service charge reconciliations.
• Producing year-end statements and audit packs, and liaising with external auditors.
• Partnering with Property Managers to explain figures, forecast spend and plan works.
• Managing client, resident and supplier queries with clarity, empathy and accuracy.

WHO THIS ROLE IS FOR

• You are a detail-accurate client accountant who enjoys ownership and accountability.
• You communicate complex financial information in a clear, people-friendly way.
• You stay calm under pressure, plan ahead and deliver to firm deadlines.
• You're collaborative, helpful and comfortable constructively challenging where needed.
• You look for better ways of working and share improvements with the team.

EXPERIENCE THAT HELPS

• Service charge accounting within residential block or property management.
• Preparing year-end accounts and supporting external audits.
• Strong Excel skills, including reconciliations, lookups and pivot tables.
• Working with property management/accounting systems (e.g., Qube/MRI, Propman, Yardi).
• Improving processes, controls and documentation in a changing environment.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary, aligned to experience
• 24 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Annual salary review
• Employer pension contribution
• Exclusive discounts across retail, travel and entertainment
• Fully funded learning and development support
• Study and exam support following probation, including paid study leave
• Employee referral scheme with rewards from £250-£1,500
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Free eye tests

ABOUT CHANEYS CHARTERED SURVEYORS

Chaneys is a long-established Chartered Surveying and Property Management business based in Reading, Berkshire, with roots dating back to 1959.

Operating across Berkshire and the wider Thames Valley, we manage residential and mixed-use developments with a strong reputation for professionalism, quality service and long-standing client relationships.

As part of the wider Trinity Property Group and Odevo network, Chaneys combines the stability, investment and opportunities of a larger organisation with the close-knit culture and local expertise of an established regional business.

For employees, this means the opportunity to work within a supportive and collaborative environment where experience is valued, relationships matter and people are trusted to take ownership of their work.

We are committed to delivering high standards for clients while creating an environment where employees can build long-term careers and continue developing professionally.

HOW WE HIRE

• Initial conversation with our talent team
• Interview focused on your client accounting expertise, service charge knowledge, accuracy under deadline, stakeholder communication and approach to problem solving

We aim to complete the process within two to three weeks and communicate clearly throughout.

INTERESTED?

Apply with your CV.

All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. Documentary evidence of eligibility will be required.