Senior Manager - Compliance & Practice Assurance - #2192945

Location: Manchester (Hybrid with regional travel)

Salary: £60,000–£90,000 depending on experience

Contract: Permanent

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced professional with a background in accountancy practice to take on a newly created, high-profile role within a leading UK accountancy and advisory group.

Working within the central compliance function, you will be responsible for undertaking operational assurance activities across the organisation’s northern office network, ensuring practices operate in accordance with relevant professional standards, regulatory requirements and internal policies.

This is a highly visible, people-focused role requiring significant stakeholder engagement. You will work closely with partners, practice managers and senior leadership teams to identify areas for improvement, strengthen operational controls and promote best practice.

The position offers an excellent opportunity for someone with practical accountancy experience who is looking to broaden their career into compliance, operational assurance and governance.

• Undertake onsite operational and compliance assurance reviews across regional accountancy practices.
• Review key operational controls and processes, including client money, reconciliations, complaints handling, professional indemnity insurance and wider regulatory requirements.
• Assess compliance with relevant professional body standards, internal policies and operational procedures.
• Build effective working relationships with partners, practice managers and senior stakeholders across the business.
• Identify weaknesses, operational risks and opportunities for improvement, providing practical recommendations.
• Work collaboratively with local management to agree and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Support the consistent implementation of compliance policies, processes and operational standards across the regional network.
• Liaise with central Compliance and AML teams to support effective regulatory oversight.
• Produce clear assurance findings, management information and progress reports.
• Promote a positive compliance culture through constructive challenge, engagement and continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will ideally demonstrate:

• A relevant professional qualification, supported by a strong background in accountancy practice.
• Experience in general practice management, portfolio management, audit, practice assurance or operational oversight.
• A sound understanding of how accountancy practices operate and the professional and regulatory requirements affecting them.
• Practical knowledge of operational controls, compliance processes and risk management.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Confidence engaging with partners and senior management, including the ability to influence and constructively challenge.
• A pragmatic, commercially aware and solutions-focused approach.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage activities across multiple locations.
• Willingness to travel regularly across the northern regional office network.

This is not a traditional technical audit or client file review position.

The focus is on reviewing how accountancy practices operate, assessing their compliance with relevant requirements and working collaboratively with local leadership teams to improve standards.

While previous audit or assurance experience would be beneficial, the ability to engage stakeholders, understand practical operational challenges and influence positive change is particularly important.

• Competitive salary of £60,000–£90,000 depending on experience.
• Hybrid working arrangements.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Option to purchase up to five additional days’ leave.
• Additional annual leave at certain seniority levels.
• Company pension scheme.
• Life assurance at four times annual salary.
• Enhanced family leave and company sick pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Corporate discounts and flexible benefits options.

This newly created position offers the opportunity to play an influential role within a substantial and growing professional services organisation.

You will have significant exposure to senior stakeholders, the opportunity to shape regional assurance activities and the ability to make a tangible difference to operational standards across the business.

It represents an attractive career move for an experienced accountancy professional looking to transition into a broader, relationship-led compliance and assurance position.

For a confidential discussion, please contact MERJE.