Location: Belfast
Workplace: Hybrid
At Baker McKenzie we are different in the way we think, work and behave. With our team of 13,000 people, including over 6,500 locally admitted lawyers, in over 70 offices worldwide, we have a passionately collaborative community of 60 nationalities and are committed to world-class career development to everyone in every job at every level. Baker McKenzie can offer you both the uncompromising commitment to excellence expected of a top firm paired with a passionately global and genuinely collaborative working environment.
The Accounting Assistant will assist the Senior Manager and Manager in ensuring reliable records are kept. The role-holder is responsible for the proper and timely processing of interfirm billing activity, ensuring compliance with monthly deadlines and tax requirements.
Main responsibilities:
- Each month, prepare, review in detail and distribute all interfirm invoices in an accurate and timely manner while ensuring that all required VAT and system checks have been completed and documented
- Review all invoices received from member firms to ensure they are correct and tax-compliant
- Review and process when correct all member firm payment transmittal and request forms, and update banking records and ledgers accordingly
- Manage continuously the BMIBILL box for all emails relating to interfirm billings and payments
- Review every week the Daily Transaction Sheet and follow up on any outstanding payments and transmittals that have not been paid/received
- Review outstanding interfirm balances every month and follow up per firm policies with member firms on overdue amounts
- Maintain the Master AR and AP files and VAT on IOB files and ensure they tie to the accounting records. Deal with queries from the SAP Team on VAT on IOB bookings and reconcile VAT on the
- IOB file every month to the underlying cost center data. This will also involve preparing the Irrecoverable Tax Reconciliation file every month
- Develop and maintain Interfirm billing account reconciliations between the ledgers and applicable sources
- Monitor various profit and loss and balance sheet accounts, including inter-firm suspense accounts, and ensure these reconcile at all times
- Liaise with Member Firm Accounting staff and, where necessary, train and advise them on processes to ensure that all open interfirm AP and AR accounts are reconciled at all times
- Assume the responsibilities of the Accounting Analyst when they are out of the office; This will involve ensuring that you are cross-trained and up to date on tasks at all times
- Assist the Manager and Senior Manager on other tasks as required, including annual audit tasks
Skills and experience:
- Educated preferably to college degree level (minimum MBO level) with a solid understanding of accounting and a general knowledge of VAT
- An in-depth knowledge of SAP and an affinity and curiosity as to how accounting packages work and can be best used. Needs to be able to think outside the box
- Reasonable skills in Excel
- Service-minded, with an eye for detail, and is highly organized
- A drive for excellence and taking personal responsibility for all tasks under the remit
- Dependable and can make the extra effort to meet deadlines
- A flexible and professional attitude
- Hands-on mentality and the ability to work both independently and with a team
- Excellent written and verbal English communication skills (Fluent)
Working at Baker McKenzie Belfast Center:
Baker McKenzie is the world’s leading law firm with offices all over the world. Our Belfast Center is home to over 400 colleagues in both legal and professional services.
We offer one of the best workplace benefits packages in the business with comprehensive private health cover, income protection, life assurance and a full employee assistance plan. These and a host of other benefits make us one of the most desirable companies to work for in Belfast.
Baker McKenzie is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for all. Our unique international culture is reflected in the drawing together of a worldwide family of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds in all of our offices. We encourage the best people – regardless of race, religion or belief if any, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or age – to fulfill their professional aspirations with us. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates.
To be considered for this role you will be redirected to and must complete the application process on our careers page. To start the process click the Continue to Application or Login/Register to apply button below.
