Assistant Accountant

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you’re helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

Office Hong Kong
Department Finance
Reporting to Senior Accountant and Finance Manager

Department purpose
The Finance team, led by the CFO of Hong Kong, aims in producing high quality advice and relevant information to decision makers and stakeholders, building relationship with Partners, ensuring compliance with regulations and deliver our services efficiently.

Role purpose

• Responsible for the end-to-end Accounts Payable process for the Hong Kong office and General Ledger tasks
• Manage the vendor invoices and payments to ensure they are properly dealt with in accordance with the Firm’s internal controls and documentation relating to these payments are adequately maintained
• Ensure client disbursements are processed in accordance with the Law Society rules
• Support the Senior Accountant and Finance Manager on the preparation of month end reporting, account reconciliations, annual audit and tax compliance

Role and responsibilities

• Ensuring accurate general ledger / matter coding of all invoices and staff reimbursements
• Inputting data for voucher creation in the financial system, creating electronic payment runs, processing cheques and other methods of payment for authorisation and release
• Dealing with enquiries from internal staff members and external vendors on financial matters
• Maintenance of vendor records including setting up of new vendors and staff members
• Maintenance of fixed asset register
• Managing treasury function and preparing payment schedules to meet the payment requirements
• Reconciliation of the Accounts Payable ledger to the General Ledger control accounts
• Monitoring bank payments and transactions in accordance to Solicitors’ Accounts Rules with ledger records updated
• Preparing and posting general ledger journals
• Preparing supporting schedules for substantiation of general ledger balances
• Performing monthly bank reconciliations on office and client money accounts
• Assisting on monthly management accounts, cash flow forecast, annual budget and audit
• Ad hoc office duties

Key requirements
Skills and personal attributes

• Good verbal and written English and Chinese communication and interpersonal skills to interact with lawyers, members of the Finance Support and other Business Support functions effectively
• Able to work independently, positive working attitude and maintain high quality and accuracy
• Flexible and ability to handle multiple priorities
• Good organisational and time management skills; able to deal with urgent requests and meet deadlines
• Ability to quickly learn new processes and systems
• Diligent and able to pay close attention to detail

Qualifications and experience

• Office based working experience in an Accounts Payable Team
• Good understanding of general ledger, accounting and finance functions
• Intermediate to advanced level in Excel, Word and Outlook
• Working experience in a global firm with exposure to multi-currency environment is an advantage
• Working experience in the legal sector/ professional services field is an advantage
• Experience of using Elite 3E software is an advantage