Assistant accountants are relied upon to help qualified accountants with daily duties, month end close and year-end statutory accounts. They work within the finance function and provide professional support in all areas of business accounting
Assistant accountant job description and responsibilities
Assistant accountants are tasked with supporting qualified accountants within the business finance function. They are involved in a wide array of accounting tasks, from report preparation to ledger maintenance, bank statement reconciliation and cash flow forecasting. Because theirs is a support role, assistant accountants should be reliable, pay close attention to detail and have excellent time management and organisation skills. Daily tasks include:Producing profit and loss accountsManaging accruals and repaymentsAssisting with transactional processing duties (posting and raising invoices, credit control etc.)Budgeting and forecastingPreparing internal and external reportsReconciling bank balancesPreparing monthly Management AccountsAssisting with cash flow forecastingAnswering purchase/sales ledger queriesReconciling supplier statements and paymentsHelping to prepare tax returnsAssisting with treasury activities
Assistant accountant job qualifications, skills and experience
Although a degree in accounting, finance or mathematics is useful, it is not strictly necessary. Professionals can transition into an assistant accountant role with an AAT qualification.An ACCA or CIMA part qualification is essential, with a view to actively studying towards a full qualification. Advanced Excel skills are needed for the role, and previous experience in a finance or accounting position is helpful.An assistant accountant should have some of the following soft skills:Good attention to detailExcellent communication skills (both verbal and written)Good organisation skillsAmbitious attitudeWillingness to learnAble to take direction
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