Partnership Accountant (18 Month FTC)

The role is currently being considered across our London, Birmingham, and Northampton offices.

The Partnership Accountant is responsible for the end-to-end management of partner financial arrangements within a professional services LLP. This includes partner remuneration, drawings, capital accounts, tax reserves, and reporting, ensuring accuracy, compliance with the LLP Agreement, and clear communication with partners and senior stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

1. Partner Remuneration & Distributions

Calculate and process monthly partner drawings and quarterly distributions

Support annual profit allocation processes in line with the LLP Agreement

Maintain and update partner remuneration schedules, including fixed and performance-related elements

Prepare and issue individual remuneration statements and summaries

Forecast partner profit distributions and associated tax payments to support cashflow planning and partner communications

Administer partner annuity arrangements, including calculation, processing and payment of annuity obligations

2. Partner Accounts Management

Maintain accurate records of capital, current and tax reserve accounts

Manage partner capital contributions, repayments and funding arrangements, including liaising with the firm’s partner capital loan providers

Monitor balances and ensure compliance with the LLP Agreement

Oversee reconciliations between underlying schedules and the general ledger/system

3. Tax Reserve & Partner Tax Support

Maintain partner tax payment schedules

Coordinate payments to HMRC on behalf of partners

Act as liaison with external tax advisers and support partner tax queries

Provide clear explanations of tax positions to partners and third parties where required

Provide detailed schedules of personal expenditure and adjustments to external tax advisers to enable accurate uplift of individual taxable profits

Undertake salaried member/disguised remuneration testing to ensure compliance with UK tax legislation and HMRC requirements

4. Financial Reporting & Analysis

Prepare detailed partner-related reporting for audit

Support year-end processes and audit queries relating to partner balances

Prepare and analyse gender pay gap and related partnership reporting, ensuring accuracy and alignment with internal requirements

Support business planning for team hires and other business change activities

5. Partner Lifecycle Management

Contribute to onboarding new partners (capital, drawings, tax briefings)

Manage retirements and exits (final accounts, capital repayment, annuity calculations)

Prepare financial illustrations for prospective and retiring partners

Prepare and issue mortgage reference letters and other financial confirmations for partners and third parties

6. Governance, Compliance & Systems

Ensure all processes are aligned to LLP Agreement, internal policies and regulatory requirements

Maintain strong audit trails and documentation

Support improvements to systems and processes

Safeguard confidentiality of sensitive partner financial data

Oversee the allocation of Gift Aid contributions and manage liaison with the Charities Aid Foundation, ensuring accurate recording and reporting

7. Stakeholder Management

Act as a trusted contact for partners on remuneration and financial matters

Liaise with senior leadership including the Chair of the firm, tax teams, external advisers and audit teams

Communicate complex financial concepts clearly and concisely

Skills & Experience

Essential

Strong experience in partnership accounting / LLP environment

Good understanding of partner remuneration structures, capital and current accounts, and UK tax fundamentals

Advanced Excel skills and financial modelling capability

High attention to detail with strong reconciliation ability

Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information

Credibility and confidence in discussions with partners and advisers

Desirable

Exposure to partner tax processes and external advisers in a Multi Entity/Jurisdictional   environment

International/ Group exposure

Knowledge of financial systems (preferably SAP)

Understanding of LLP agreements and governance frameworks

Personal Attributes

Highly organised and process-driven

A self-starter with confidence to consult appropriately with others when required

Strong communication skills with senior stakeholders

Proactive and solution-focused

Able to manage competing deadlines

Commercially aware with a focus on accuracy and risk mitigation

The Firm

Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. The first top 50 law firm to achieve ‘Platinum Standard’ Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm.

We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system. In addition to the competitive salaries, great working environment and high-quality work, we believe that all staff should be rewarded for their commitment to the continued success of the firm through a comprehensive and flexible range of benefits.

Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme replaced the Two Ticks Positive about Disabled People scheme. We had been accredited as a two tick employer for many years - Disability Confident broadens and develops that original commitment, and demonstrates we have adopted a proactive approach to employing disabled people and developing their abilities.

As part of our accreditation, we commit to interviewing any applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for each vacancy. In some circumstances we may only be able to interview those that best meet the essential criteria due to the volume of applications received. 

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to and usable by everyone. If you have a disability or long-term condition and would like to receive information in a different way, or need us to make any adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Talent Acquisition Team. We can consider your needs and requirements, and how we can assist you to apply for our roles. For example we can provide a copy of our application via email so that you can complete it using your own accessibility software.