hi, we're ammu
A distinctive blend of accounting, management information and tax specialists with a commercial perspective on business.
what we do
Our unique team use cloud based software, digital and analytical tools to help clients to get a better understanding of their key numbers, trends, and their future choices and options, enabling them to make better decisions key to creating sustainable growth. This is our raison d’etre.
In May 2020, Jane Grant and Simon Murrision united two well respected Scottish accountancy practices Amas Scotland, which was founded in 2002, and Murrison & Wilson, founded in 2013. They successfully combined two innovative, digitally led practices with complementary skills and shared values, all under one name – ammu during the first lockdown of 2020. Find out more about us here.
We focus on specific client types – owner-managed / family run, SMEs £1m-£10m t/o across a range of sectors, including professional services, construction, financial services, healthcare – opticians, dentists, pharmacists, and private clients – HNWs, investors and retired business owners. We also have specific focus on the manufacturing & engineering sectors, and the supply chain in these industries, for generating R&D Tax Credits work / raising funding for investment / digitisation of financial systems. Find out more about how we work here.
what's in store for 2022
After a very positive first year of trading as the new merged business, we achieved an initial growth in turnover of around 5% with a further 10% in the converted sales pipeline / in process of being onboarded.
This growth has mainly come about due to the increased range of business and tax advisory services we can now offer to our compliance only clients. This is a road that has further to travel and will provide even more opportunities for us.
We are targeting further growth through key service offerings by winning new clients / growing existing base through our: business advisory: MI, management accounting, digitisation and virtual FD services; tax advisory – transactions, planning – business and personal; and the traditional year-end accounting + tax services. Find out more about what we do here.
Our overriding aim is to develop new income from new clients and new income from existing clients – expanding service footprint into compliance base and vice versa for advisory clients. Tax advisory – covering property, succession planning, transactions (buying / selling businesses), as well as the impacts on the Directors personally from their business activities.
As a newly merged practice we are aiming to increase the profile of the firm, our offering and our key individuals’ expertise and capabilities. We have an inherent west coast bias due to our offices in Glasgow and Ayr, with a client base centred around these locations. We do however wish to broaden beyond our west-coast bases to raise our profile across the central belt, and we have also recently been working on increasing the profile of firm in manufacturing and engineering sectors UK wide.
we want to hire
The position is for a senior tax specialist who will be responsible for all tax department functions and staff, including compliance, advisory and responding to tax correspondence.
A key part of the role requires you to be up to date with latest technologies and regulatory policy in alignment with HMRC. The specialist role also requires a high level of competency in corporation and personal tax rules. As ammu’s tax specialist we require you to understand well, tax exposures/disclosures and in particular where our clients have residency overseas. To support our clients you need to be aware of the implications related to inheritance and capital gains tax and help clients where required on investment decisions.
For the role we expect you to have strong analytical skills with eagle eye attention to detail and the ability to manage your team and time efficiently. We are looking for a person who will lead the tax department in line with our values and the strategic direction of our company. The successful candidate will demonstrate leadership qualities and the ability to grow the tax business in an innovative manner.
Bruce Wilson was Simon’s business partner for seven years prior to the merger; Simon and Bruce had worked together for 20+ years prior to this, and it follows, many of the tax clients which Bruce was responsible for servicing were longstanding 20+ year relationships.
Bruce retired in Summer 2020 and was replaced by an experienced Tax Manager from a mid-tier Scottish accountancy practice. A well thought through handover process was put in place to ensure the new Tax Manager was given the right support to manage and grow the tax client base. This included an significant client communication effort – email communications re new person’s skills and capabilities; introducing regular tax updates issued by email to clients following Budget, Spending Reviews, Government announcements re Covid support/furlough, as well as promoting business and personal tax planning ideas via our new Tax Matters publication.
Take a look at our Tax Planner
View our Tax Hub
Read our Autumn Overview
We are now entering our second year of tax filings following Bruce’s retiral and we are delighted to report that we secured a good number of additional tax advisory assignments following the introduction of the new tax expert (our client base has warmed to the experience of having someone who can look at their business and personal finances and tax affairs in the round), and we have experienced minimal client defections since Bruce left less that 1-2% of the overall tax base.
The tax manager we appointed in Sept 2020 has moved on and we are now actively seeking someone new who enjoys working in tax, solving problems – spots them too, saving clients’ money (for investment in even better things). Someone who is experienced, capable and looking for the next step up. Someone who wants more responsibility, is ready to shape their own department and is open to discussing opportunities at a higher level within the Practice.
Objectives of this role
- Stay up to date with tax laws defined by UK government and HMRC
- Gather and examine information to talk through the best options with clients
- Accurately review client returns (Corporation and Personal) in accordance with tax authority rulings
- Proactively advise clients of the most appropriate and tax efficient planning for them
- Support your clients by liaising with HMRC on their behalf
- Demonstrate credible knowledge, explain the tax implications and support clients’ investment decisions
- Strong leadership skills to ‘lead’ tax department in direction aligned to overall accounting practice strategy
- Identify and develop business opportunities to grow our revenue
Experience & Requirements
- ATT or CIOT qualification and/or Accounting qualification
- Proven experience as a tax accountant/specialist
- Strong knowledge of accounting rules and regulations
- Client centred approach where client satisfaction is paramount
- Thrive working with a variety of clients and treat everyone as an individual
- Excellent working knowledge in accounting software
- Demonstrate leadership qualities and effectively manage a team
- Strong computer skills, with an expertise in excel
- Strong communication skills with ability to eradicate ambiguity
- Outstanding analytical skills with ability to generate and deliver facts
- Challenge the status quo and proactively seek ways to improve quality and processes
- Strong attention to detail and focus on accuracy
- Excellent time management and focus on meeting deadlines
- Professional drive to progress within ammu
looking ahead
In one year – we are aiming to stabilise and reaffirm our commitment to continuity of service for our clients and for our skilled staff who are currently providing support during the busy tax return season. Also develop additional tax advisory assignments from our existing client base.
In three years – our aim is to have attracted a number of new accountancy, tax and advisory clients and to have doubled the income of our business. We want our tax expert to provide additional commercial acumen and experience on client matters, especially around business change events: e.g. buying/selling, succession/retirement, future options appraisal (business + directors), transactions – buying and selling, making business investment and the timing of such; and the main private client tax matters – IHT, CGT, trusts, property.
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contact us
If you would like more information about working with ammu, please contact Denholm Associates today.
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