Accountant
Job facts
- Trainees can start on as much as £27,000 a year
- Accountants aim to maximise profitability and efficiency
- To qualify as an accountant, trainees study for professional exams
Accountants in the logistics industry work with financial and management information. Their main aim is to maximise profitability and efficiency. In larger companies they may specialise in one product area or business division. Smaller companies require accountants to cover a wider range of work. Typical tasks can include analysing profit margins and creating financial forecasts, monitoring expenses and overseeing payroll and stock management.
Accountants normally work weekdays from 9.00am to 5.00pm, but may have to work extra hours at busy times. Flexible working hours, part-time work and job sharing are possible. This is generally an office-based job, although time may be spent visiting other sites within their organisation.
Salaries range from between £17,000 to £27,000 a year for a trainee up to well over £100,000 a year for some Accountants in senior positions.
An Accountant should:
- be good with figures and have good computer skills
- work well as part of a team
- have a logical and analytical approach
- understand all aspects of the business they work for
Many enter accountancy with a degree. Any degree subject is acceptable, although subjects such as accounting and finance, business studies, management studies, maths, economics and law are helpful. Some enter with A levels or equivalent. Others start at a technician level and progress to professional accountancy training.
To qualify as an Accountant, trainees study for professional exams and complete practical work-based training. They study for qualifications awarded by an accountancy body, often the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) or the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
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