Audit Assistant Manager - Pensions Audit, Milton Keynes/Watford

Job description

The Department

Our small but growing KPMG London FS Regions team based in Milton Keynes and Watford is our London Region Centre of Excellence for pension’s audit. The team, led by a Director and supported by 1 other Director and 3 managers, is responsible for the audit of c.75 pension schemes based across the wider London Region and South East. Our schemes include defined benefit, defined contribution, hybrid and earmarked pension schemes, typically with assets up to £500million.

The London Region Centre of Excellence is one of 6 operating across the UK and as a firm, KPMG audit some 620 schemes including 36 of the top 100 schemes by size making us No. 1 in this market.

The London FS Regions team sits alongside KPMG Northern Home Counties National Markets audit team based across the Milton Keynes and Watford offices and consisting of around 130 client facing staff led by 5 Partners and 7 Directors, who service clients across a variety of sectors, including: retail, media, construction, mining, recruitment, telecommunications and sports. Their audit clients, who are both listed and non-listed, vary in size from large multi-national groups through to small owner managed business based across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northants, Hertfordshire, North London and the surrounding areas. The National Markets London audit department also works in conjunction with other services including Corporate Tax, Deal Advisory, Pensions and Restructuring.

We are currently looking for a qualified accountant at Assistant Manager Level to join our Financial Services Audit department in Watford and Milton Keynes.

KPMG is one of the leading Audit and Assurance practices in the UK whose success and reputation depends upon the quality and integrity of our services - and our people. As a member of our team you will benefit from extensive training and education to keep you up to speed with current changes in regulation, accounting and auditing standards.

As an Assistant Manager you will be expected to lead the delivery of audit and assurance engagements from planning through to completion. The role will require proficiency in UK GAAP and Pension SORP. You are required to possess well developed supervisory skills, including coaching and project management.

Roles and Responsibilities:

- You will have your own portfolio of clients with responsibility for agreeing audit timetables, working with Trustees and scheme administrators, briefing those that work with you (including other specialists), monitoring budgets and supervising the KPMG audit process. This will include planning and completion of audit fieldwork, statutory reporting and project management.
- Supervising and coaching junior members of staff.
- Keeping Managers and Partners up to date with progress throughout the course of the assignment.
- Preparing reports to senior client management and audit committees.
- On-site involvement and being the key point of contact for the client.
- Keeping up to date with KPMG's product and service offerings and helping to identify sales opportunities within your client base.

Qualifications and Skills:

The Assistant Manager candidate will meet the following criteria:

- Professionally qualified with a recognised accountancy body, ACA, ACCA or CPA. (or equivalent) is essential.
- Significant audit experience for pension schemes.
- Sound working knowledge of UK GAAP, Pensions SORP.
- You will possess well developed supervisory and coaching skills and have the ability to effectively communicate (both verbally and through written media) with a wide range of individuals both internally and externally.
- Strong project management techniques including decision-making ability, analytical skills, time management, organisation and evaluative skills.
- IT literacy with sound knowledge and experience of Excel/Word.