Trainee Business Surveyor/Auditor - Invoice Finance

About Hilton-Baird Audit & Survey

Established in 2001, Hilton-Baird Audit & Survey provides outsourced risk management services to help UK & European finance providers and equity specialists make informed lending decisions, minimising risk whilst maximising lending. The company is part of FRP, a leading national business advisory firm with 33 offices and more than 800 team members, including 100+ Partners, across the UK and overseas.

Person specification

Education

The candidate should be educated to a high standard, ideally to at least A Level education, and have a financial, business or debt recovery background. However, candidates who have achieved GCSE level and a thorough background of relevant work experience will also be considered.

Experience

We hire for attitude and aptitude above all else. If you possess the drive and determination to succeed, and have a good level of audit and survey experience, along with a sound understanding of business and finance in general and specifically within the invoice finance (factoring, invoice discounting and asset based lending) markets, that is a distinct advantage.

We will train you in our processes and methodology, which are key to our success. These will challenge and also provide the skills needed to prosper within this interesting, challenging and rewarding role. Our ethos is one of partnership – both externally and internally. The more value each individual adds to our clients and our business, the more value they receive in return.

Desired skills

• Excellent communication skills – verbal and written
• High level of attention to detail and investigation skills
• High level of business acumen
• Able to work on their own initiative and yet be collaborative
• Driven, hard worker
• Punctual and reliable
• Technology-literate to a high degree and able to work with and interrogate different accounts packages
• Excellent time management
• Approachable and able to gain trust of those you interact with
• Ability to multi-task to a high degree
• Full clean driving licence
• Ability to focus on the tasks required and take the necessary action swiftly

Personal qualities

• Ability to work under pressure
• Proven team player with excellent interpersonal skills
• Ambitious
• Light-footed and dynamic – able to modify plans at short notice
• Ability to effectively engage with other teams – both internal and external
• A willingness to learn and develop

What we offer

• A vibrant, enjoyable and committed workplace
• Rewarding discretionary bonus structure after completing a full financial year (January to December)
• Health Insurance and Life Assurance benefits after 12 months of service
• 25 days’ holiday (excluding bank holidays)
• Ongoing training – we invest and take great interest in our employees’ personal development
• Structured career path within the company
• The chance to be part of a company that makes a real difference to UK commercial financiers, SME and corporate businesses
• Opportunities to develop your skills and enhance your career within or alongside our parent company, FRP

Purpose of role

Hilton-Baird are a wholly owned subsidiary of FRP Advisory..

The primary responsibility of the Business Surveyor/Auditor is to undertake new business surveys and ongoing audits on behalf of clients of Hilton-Baird Audit & Survey, and to produce timely, accurate and insightful reports. The role requires you to maintain the highest levels of quality and efficiency, whilst providing a detailed insight which includes highlighting risks identified and insight into potential mitigants, so that our clients can make informed and secure lending and risk decisions.

Hilton-Baird Audit & Survey is an outsourced provider to the Invoice Finance and Asset Based Lending market. In addition, it sometimes engages directly with businesses to provide its expertise around risk and secured lending aspects. As a result of growth in demand, we are looking for hard working and driven individuals to join our team of experts across the UK.

As an integral member of our expert team, the Business Surveyor/Auditor would be responsible for their own day-to-day workload, managing their own output, supporting colleagues and ensuring work is carried out as effectively as possible, establishing rapports with our key clients and, in turn, their clients.

Key responsibilities

• Undertake thorough new business surveys, follow-up audit visits and any other business reviews as required on behalf of clients
• Production of timely and accurate reports in a format agreed with clients with reasoned findings and recommendations
• Ensure adverse trends, industry risks, suspicions of fraud and security issues are identified and highlighted to clients
• Liaise with both external and internal clients, as appropriate
• Facilitate and record escalations to the Audit Manager
• Perform against targets individually whilst contributing to the overall productivity of the team
• Support colleagues on larger complex audits where required
• Ensure that issues outside the standard processes are escalated the Audit Manager
• Identify trends and suggest improvements to our processes and strategy, whilst sharing knowledge and best practice with colleagues
• Build relationships and gather important information
• Maintain the highest level of quality and professionalism in an effective yet courteous manner
• Ensure compliance to all data and wider regulations and in line with the requirements of our wide client base
• Attend regular team meetings and contribute as appropriate
• Maintain a detailed and accurate record of all findings
• Any duty you may be asked to perform as part of a special project