Financial accountants control the financial management systems of a business. Their role in a company is to extract and interpret information from financial records, advise on strategic direction, advise managers on daily financial decisions of a company, advise the board of directors, control the working capital of a business, ensuring that information with regard to debtors, creditors and stocks is maintained.
The exact duties that a financial accountant may be required to perform, would depend on the professional’s area of speciality. For example, a financial accountant may choose to specialise in internal auditing, management, public accounting or government accounting.
Regardless of the area of speciality, the primary responsibility of a financial accountant is to provide their client with financial guidance. This may include assisting with budgeting and developing financial plans, but may also include monitoring budgets and taking care of taxes on behalf of the client.
Employment opportunities for accountants are excellent. The demand for their skills usually exceeds the availability of qualified people in the job market, so the financial rewards are generally substantially more attractive than in most other careers.
Employment options include: