The Firm:
HW Fisher LLP is a top 30 UK chartered accountancy firm. We are a commercially astute organisation with a personal, partner-led service aimed at entrepreneurial small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large corporates, Not for Profit organisations and high-net worth individuals.
Our clients come from many different backgrounds and are active in all branches of commerce and industry. Our reputation is grounded in quality, delivering premium advisory services efficiently and cost-effectively.
Founded in 1933, the practice comprises 28 partners and approximately 300 staff supplying a range of services spanning audit, corporate taxation, private client services, VAT and forensic accounting, together with a range of sector groups offering specialist industry knowledge.
The Department:
The Forensic Department (HW Fisher Forensic) comprises 3 Partners, 4 Directors and a large and experienced team, acting for an array of vast multi-national and listed companies across the world. The two main services provided to these clients are Royalty Auditing and Contract Compliance, always utilising advanced forensic accounting techniques and approaches.
Our main competition is from the Big 4 Accountancy firms, who cannot match our depth of experience and expertise across the sectors in which we operate (including TV, Film, Pharma, Automotive, Sport, Brand Extension and Gaming). Operating effectively as a boutique practice, we can move flexibly and swiftly to meet our client's requirements. We have grown substantially over the last 10 years and continue to grow, which is why we are now looking to employ a new team member as a trainee.
The Role:
This is a great opportunity to develop a career in HW Fisher's world-renowned forensic auditing team, specialising in Royalty Auditing and Contract Compliance. The talent in our team has attracted an array of vast multi-national and listed companies across the world.
HW Fisher Forensic has a global reputation for performing "royalty audit" assignments. Major brand owners often choose to license out their Intellectual Property - for example, allowing a third-party to put a cartoon character on a t-shirt or a sports team in a video game. In return, the third-party (a Licensee) would typically pay the Brand owner (a Licensor) royalties. A royalty audit is where the licensor is given access to the licensee's records to ensure that the correct royalty payments are being made.
As the licensee self-reports their royalties, most licensors periodically perform audits of the reporting to confirm their accuracy. These audits involve forensic examination of the licensee's financial records (their accounting systems, invoices, inventory records etc) to reconstruct the royalty reporting and to verify that all other terms of the license agreement have been followed. Royalty audits are highly commercial and can often result in significant additional payments to our clients.
The audits can be performed remotely or on site at a licensee's offices. Our clients and their licensees are based all around the world, so the role will require international travel.
The role will involve some international travel, so any suitable candidates must be willing and able to undertake this.
We would support the ACA qualification on a three-year apprenticeship training contract, joining our January 2025 ACA intake.
Full training for the role will be given - no prior auditing experience is required.
The Candidate:
The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the following qualities:
- Be investigative, analytical and always willing to challenge the information put in front of them
- Driven to perform their work to very high standards and looking to express their talent and develop their skillsets
- Able to show their strong Excel and IT skills and has the potential and desire to learn more
- Willing to travel internationally
The successful candidate should have at least a 2:1 degree, in any discipline, and have strong A-levels with at least 120 UCAS points.
As stated, we will provide full study support for the ACA qualification under a three-year apprenticeship training contract.
The Benefits:
- Salary: £30,000 (with a salary review every 6 months)
- Group Life Cover
- 20 days holiday on commencement
- Buying and Selling Holiday Scheme
- Hybrid working policy - at least 2 days in the office a week, with a core hours system in place
- Contributory Private Health Scheme
- Non-Contributory Health Cash Plan
- Season Ticket Loan (after qualifying period)
- Discounted Gym Membership
- Discounted Tastecard
- Perkbox Membership
- Pension Scheme
- Cycle voucher scheme