Member Article

10 new jobs as Haines Watts meets spike in demand with latest recruitment push

Haines Watts has announced its latest recruitment push as it aims to keep pace with growing client demand across its five offices in the West Midlands.

The leading chartered accountants, a specialist in providing tailored support for thousands of owner-managed businesses across the region, is creating ten positions - just a few months after it filled 25 new jobs.

Annual fees were up 20% in 2021 and the company is responding by strengthening its teams in Birmingham, Hereford and Worcester through the appointment of experts in accounts, audit, VAT and corporate and personal tax.

There is also a strong commitment to developing its existing staff, with more than 5000 hours of training and upskilling opportunities offered to employees over the last twelve months.

“Owners are looking for even more support as they try to navigate the uncertainty of global disruption and the continuing presence of Covid-19,” explained Andrew Jones, Partner at Haines Watts’ Birmingham office.

“They are doing all this against a desire to grow and meet market demand and this sits perfectly with the way we work, as we invest heavily in getting to know each client and ensuring we deliver tailored accounting and auditing services.”

He went on to add: “With these latest positions, we will have created in excess of 35 jobs and we’re also exploring how we can develop the next generation of talent by building strong relationships with local colleges and universities.”

Hannah Murphy is one of the leading products of the Haines Watts’ approach to supporting staff in their careers, joining the firm as an 18-year-old AAT apprentice and now, just twelve years later, is Audit and Accounts Manager for the Birmingham office.

The 30-year-old, who qualified as a Chartered Accountant at just 23, is now responsible for a 12-strong team of auditors who are looking after clients from ten different sectors and have a combined £1billion annual turnover.

She has been supported throughout her development with mentoring from senior figures at the firm, as well as specialist external training, with the latest example being an 18-month Managers’ Skills Programme that has increased collaboration across all the offices.

“From the minute I started with Haines Watts, I was encouraged to think big, and this has seen me quickly move through the ranks, completing my apprenticeship and then my Chartered qualification before holding positions as an audit and accounts junior then audit and accounts senior,” commented Hannah, who raised over £3500 for Dig Deep Africa when she climbed Kilimanjaro in 2019.

“A development plan has been in place and any training I’ve asked for has been supported, as it will ultimately help our clients. Although we’re now one of the top 20 accountants in the UK, it still has a very personal feel about the business and this is great for teamworking, learning from more experienced colleagues and when challenging the status quo with new ideas.”

She concluded: “I started as an Apprentice and this definitely accelerated my career path, as I was able to apply theory to real life scenarios. There’s a lot you can learn from textbooks and tutors, but you can’t substitute learning how to manage different personalities and hitting the tightest of deadlines.”

For more information, please visit www.hwca.com/accountants-birmingham or follow @haineswattswm on twitter

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .