Probate Manager

Newstaff Employment Services is recruiting for an ambitious Probate Manager to join a successful accountancy practice.

The Role:

To take responsibility for a varied caseload of probate & estate administrations, to include taxable and non-taxable estates.

Key responsibilities: 

• Ability to engage with Partners/Directors and clients by telephone, email and face-to-face meetings for initial scoping of work involved and continued progression as matter evolves
• Preparation of all emails and letters requesting information to value assets and liabilities as at date of death, as required
• Keeping the executors abreast of progress, with regular updates
• Preparation of all relevant Inheritance Tax forms - a good understanding of relevant Inheritance Tax allowances to include the nil rate band and the transferable nil rate band. Experience in business relief and agricultural relief are also desirable but not essential
• Dealing with the application to obtain a grant of probate
• Liaising with HMRC, HMCTS and third parties, as required
• Discussing with the executors who will be responsible for collecting in assets, paying liabilities and distributing the estate – potential instructions for opening a designated client account & liaising with our in-house team
• Maintenance and preparation of estate accounts
• If applicable, preparation of estate tax returns and beneficiary statements R185 for the administration period and 60 Day UK Property CGT returns.
• Experience Required:
• A good understanding of the whole process of probate & estate administration 
• A working understanding of will validity and interpretation
• Ability to handle estates that are often high in value and that include trust structures e.g. discretionary wills, nil rate band wills and life interest trust wills
• Confident to take and exercise initiative to ensure responsibility for the completion of the estate administration 
• Experience of preparing more complex estate accounts desirable, but not necessary.  

IT Skills:

• Outlook, Excel and Word, CCH Practice Management System.  Various other applications and digital accounts.

Qualifications/education required:

• Ideally CTA and/or STEP qualified – or a desire to work toward a STEP qualification
• Alternatively, qualified by experience 

Particular aptitudes / skills required

• Good communication, organisational and team skills
• Flexible and dependable, able to take the initiative 
• Motivated and resilient with a positive outlook
• Able to quickly build confidence, respect, and trust with others

Monday to Friday 37.5 hours per week - Office hours

Salary: £60,000 pa to £70,000 pa dependant on experience + excellent benefits

Interested?  Please call Anne Marie on or email CV to