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Chartered certified accountant : Salary and conditions

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  1. Job description
  2. Salary and conditions
  3. Entry requirements
  4. Training
  5. Career development
  6. Employers and vacancy …
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ACCA, the global body for professional accountants, offers a future that is diverse, challenging and full of opportunity. The ACCA qualification is an established route to professional status, and globally you will be in demand for your finance and accounting knowledge.

Logo: ACCA

  • Starting salaries vary considerably depending on location, size of firm, qualifications of the trainee and the sector.
  • Starting salaries can range between £15,000 and £25,000, increasing to £28,000 - £45,000 on gaining the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)  qualification.
  • Salaries at senior level/with experience (e.g. after 10-15 years in the role) also vary but typically are between £40,000 and £100,000 plus.
  • Salaries for graduate schemes can vary depending on the sector they are linked to. For example, starting salaries for the financial sector are between £18,000 and £25,000, for the corporate sector are between £18,000 to £22,000, for the public sector between £15,000 and £26,000 and for the practice sector £18,000 and £27,000.
  • Employees often receive a bonus, either as a fixed-sum or based on personal and/or company performance. These bonuses can sometimes reach significant levels, but are, like other benefits, dependent on salary and employer discretion.
  • Salaries tend to be higher in London, especially in the City.
  •  Salaries are generally higher for chartered certified accountants working in banks and insurance companies.
  • Some organisations can offer additional benefits, such as profit-sharing schemes, private health insurance, pensions, car allowances and bonuses.
  • It is important to consider the package of training, leave and pay offered by employers because studying to gain the ACCA qualification whilst working can be challenging.
  • ACCA publishes some salary surveys for different countries on its website.
  • Chartered certified accountants usually work between the hours of 9am - 5pm, 35 - 40 hours a week. However, longer hours and work at the weekends can be common at peak times, such as when meeting strict client deadlines, at month end or at the end of the financial year.
  • The work is mainly office-based, though there is a huge variety of working environments. Chartered certified accountants may carry out audits at clients' premises, which may involve travelling and time spent away from home. Time away from home can sometimes be significant, up to a few weeks at a time.
  • Flexible working is becoming more common in this profession, but is dependent on the organisation. Part-time work and job sharing are also available.
  • An ongoing part of a chartered certified accountant's work is keeping up to date with technical developments and changes in legislation.
  • Due to the high-profile nature of the work, dress code is usually formal.
  • Depending upon the organisation, chartered certified accountants can work as part of a larger team.
  • International positions and secondments are possible. With the increase in multinational corporations and pan-global business, overseas travel is becoming a common element in many corporate sectors.
  • Women are represented well in this profession with ACCA reporting that half of its students are female.
 
AGCAS
Written by Natalie Sermon, University of Wolverhampton
Date: 
March 2011
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