Role Objective
Working closely with the Office Manager in the Frankfurt office and the finance teams in London and New York to fulfil day-to-day requirements of accounts payable, bookkeeping, and general accounting duties for the German office. The role is part of the German business services professional team.
This job description is not exhaustive, and the job holder may be required to undertake additional duties from time to time as the need arises.
Responsibilities
Accounts Payable
- Coding vendor invoices, checking correctness of taxes and amounts, inputting them into accounting package
- Ensuring appropriate approval levels are obtained
- Scanning vendor invoices; entering payment sessions; reporting sessions to head office
- Processing vendor payments
- Following compliance procedures for new and existing vendors, including conflict checks, RAFT forms, data protection, NDA, etc
- Reviewing and updating of the respective guideline, communicating updates internally, training of new hires on procedures and requirements during onboarding
- Electronic filing of all electronically received invoices according to German regulations
- Reporting wage tax relevant data to the payroll provider
Chrome River and Personal Expenses
- Processing expense claims in accordance with Firm's policy, including ensuring appropriate approval levels, receipts, tax treatment
- Following up on queries
- Quarterly check of open amounts on employees' PD, including requesting payments and following up on any queries
Treasury
- Bank reconciliations
- Maintenance of the Firm credit card scheme
- Transmission of information regarding regulations to Headquarters in New York
- Ensuring cash account is sufficient to meet operating needs
- Reporting all receipts to head office on a timely basis; reporting cash income to head office daily
- Maintaining petty cash account
- Training of new hires on procedures and requirements for expense report and travel reporting during onboarding
- Updating templates for attendants lists and hospitality receipt according to German regulations, ensuring correctness
Budgeting and expenses
- Monthly variance analysis of actual spent vs budget and reporting any budgetary gaps to the Office Manager
- Drafting of the annual budget with the Office Manager, including preparation of Aderant reports for Managers
- Entering the elements in the budgeting software (Hyperion)
- Answering queries from headquarters in New York
Payroll and social security
- Handling and reconciling of payroll bank account
- Collecting all payroll relevant data and report to the payroll provider on a monthly basis
- Payroll processing and handling of payroll payments
- Payroll reporting to the headquarters and entering bookings into Aderant
- Providing support during wage tax and social security audits by making documentation available and answering queries
- Attending annual training on updates regarding payroll
- Entering payroll into bank reconciliation
- Support headquarters department in GL account clearance
Tax and Accounting
- Liaising with outside accounting service providers regarding VAT and statutory accounts
- Ensuring compliance with VAT, tax office and other regulatory requirements
- Preparing documents and documentation for outside service accounting providers regarding month end reporting
- Providing support during tax audits
- Preparing Audit Letter Reports
- Preparing and submitting compulsory statistical reporting
- Maintaining fixed assets register liaising with headquarters and outside accounting service provider
- Attending annual tax update session at outside accounting service provider
Essential knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Fluent in German and English (oral and writing)
- Minimum of 3 years of accounting experience, preferably in a law firm or other professional services firm.
- Knowledge of relevant firm computer software programs (e.g., Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), with the ability to learn new software and operating systems
- Demonstrates effective interpersonal and communication skills, both verbally and in writing when dealing with partners, lawyers and international teams.
- Demonstrates close attention to detail
- Informs about changing requirements and trends, adopts where necessary, adjusts procedures
- Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, organizational, and planning skills
- Ability to administer Firm policies and procedures
- Ability to handle multiple projects and shifting priorities
- Ability to handle sensitive matters and maintain confidentiality
- Ability to organize and prioritize work and delegate effectively
- Ability to work well in a demanding and fast-paced environment
- Ability to work well independently as well as effectively within a team
- Liaises with teams in London and in New York
- Ability to use discretion and exercise independent and sound judgment
Flexibility to adjust hours and work the hours necessary to meet operating and business needs.
