Senior Accountant
The accounts of any organisation are its lifeblood, and are the basis for calculating its performance, risks and investment opportunities. That’s why larger businesses will have whole teams of accountants monitoring and measuring the finances, and paying and charging the various people they work with. Accountants come in a range of specialisms and levels of experience, and the senior accountant is someone who has shown impressive aptitude in their field.
Usually positioned just below management or executive accountants in a business’s finance department, senior accountant jobs are not normally managerial themselves, but often involve training and assistance to junior accountants and onboarders. They will, however, be a trusted voice for accountancy managers, who appreciate that the senior accountant’s understanding of a specific financial matter could well exceed their own.
The skills required
As the name suggests, senior accountants won’t be freshly qualified at CIMA, AAT, ACCA, AIA or ICAEW level, but they will have augmented one of these qualifications with several years’ experience and a proven track record working in a busy accountancy department.
You’ll need to be thoroughly comfortable dealing with clients and suppliers, and should have an in-depth understanding of the sector that the role occupies, as there can be large differences between the financial and legal requirements of various sectors. Senior accountant jobs are often seen as stepping stones to managerial positions, although a lot of accountants are perfectly happy simply dealing with the numbers for their whole careers.
Senior Accountant Jobs in Wales
Known for its stunning coastlines and charming villages, sweeping landscapes and bustling cities and towns like Cardiff, Swansea, Barry, Newport and Aberystwyth, Wales offers an array of opportunities for those seeking Senior Accountant vacancies.
With the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the Welsh economy expanded significantly and the few small industries that existed before the 18th century - such as agriculture, milling, textile production and mining - all grew rapidly.
Techniques for copper smelting were developed in Swansea, while ironwork, slate quarrying and coal mining were also big business. Meanwhile, the Cardiff docks were extremely important during the 19th century for the shipment of coal and steelwork.
Today, Wales has a predominately post-industrial economy and the service sector has grown significantly since the end of the second world war. A number of financial companies have regional headquarters here, including Legal & General, HBOS, ING Direct, the AA and BT.
In addition, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is situated in Swansea - it maintains a database of vehicles in Great Britain and deals with other tasks like selling private number plates and issuing licences.
While heavy industry in Wales has declined over the years, the country is still home to a number of manufacturing and steelmaking facilities. Indeed, the Port Talbot Steel Works produces around five million tonnes of steel every year. There are also two oil refineries in Milford Haven, as well as a Ford engine factory in Bridgend.
Agriculture and food production are another element to the Welsh economy, while forestry and fishing are small but thriving industries in the region.
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Looking for a senior accountant?
If your company needs someone in its accountancy department with real clout, and there don’t seem to be the opportunities internally, it could be time to draft in some top talent with the help of Cast UK. We recruit at senior, managerial and executive levels, and have a long list of senior accountants to pick from. Call us on 0333 121 3345 to speak with a consultant.
If you’ve been in the accountancy game long enough to be considered for a senior role (or are there already), Cast UK can put you in touch with businesses including accountancy firms who are looking for people like you. Please register with us by following the link below.
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