Associate - Business Outsourcing Services

At S&W, we help our clients thrive by simplifying the complex, illuminating new paths, and shaping solutions that make a difference. As one of the UK’s top 10 fastest-growing accountancy firms, we have been a trusted partner since 1881—helping businesses and individuals meet challenges and seize opportunities across generations.

Built on expertise and driven by ambition, we provide a comprehensive range of services, including tax and accountancy, advisory and assurance, corporate finance, and restructuring. We are defined by our purpose—to help navigate challenges, unlock potential, and achieve the extraordinary.

What will you be doing?

As part of our Business Outsourcing Services team, you’ll be working with clients and their finance teams or bookkeepers, helping them with their year-end accounts, management accounts, bookkeeping, VAT returns and cloud accounting software support. This means providing services, advice and solutions that really make a difference.

We work with high growth businesses and entrepreneurs and our specialist sectors in Bristol include Fintech, Property, AI, Gaming, Product Development and Experience Tech. You will also have exposure to working with Partners gaining invaluable experience and building your confidence with senior members of staff.

You'll create a valuable client experience, developing the knowledge and skills needed to be a trusted business adviser. Alongside your work, you will receive first-class professional training as you study for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification (or ACA if study has already commenced) on a Level 7 Apprenticeship qualification, developing essential skills sought out in the professional services sector. This will enable you to gain a full understanding of the technical aspects of audit, accountancy, and additional financial advisory services.



Progression within this team is fast, with responsibility from an early stage. You will assist with supervision of the new intake of trainees and will have opportunities to experience other ad hoc assignments that our clients request our help with such as: one-off software implementation projects, cloud accounting software 'health-checks' or client secondments to assist their finance function. You will also receive internal training from the professional services learning and development team.

As an Associate, your responsibilities will include among others

• Working as part of a team to provide clients with a range of services including statutory accounts, bookkeeping, management accounts, VAT returns, software implementation and 'health-checks' of their systems
• Developing an understanding of our clients and their businesses
• Keeping your manager fully informed of any issues and problems, ensuring the work is completed to a level agreed with the manager and recording clearly and concisely the work carried out
• Becoming familiar with our internal accounting software as well as other cloud accounting technologies
• Providing advice and solutions to clients in response to their accounting queries
• Using automation to improve efficiencies for our clients' finance function
• Prioritising tasks for your own portfolio of clients, whilst monitoring time against budget

Skills and Experience

To be successful in this role, you should have experience

• Be committed to completing the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification (or ACA where study has already commenced)
• Be AAT qualified (or equivalent) 
• Have experience working in a similar role in professional practice 

Desired

Experience of the following software is desirable:

• FRS102 section 1A
• Silverfin accounts production software 
• Xero cloud accounting software

As a colleague here at S&W you will have access to benefits that include

• Competitive salary
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Pension contribution
• Hybrid working model (role dependent)
• Generous holiday package
• Option to purchase additional holiday
• Shared parental leave
• Fully funded training towards professional qualifications
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Eye care support

We are proud to value the differences that a diverse workforce brings, representative of society and our clients. At S&W we have a wide range of highly active employee resource groups and we’re delivering multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the organisation. It is our commitment to provide a workplace where all colleagues, regardless of identity, background, or circumstance, feel respected as individuals and feel that they can achieve their full potential and work in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.

We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments to accommodate for your needs throughout the application process. Please let your Recruiter know.