Home » CV examples » Accounting » Chief Accountant CV example
 

Chief Accountant CV example

Interview-winning CV examples, templates & guide
   

CV news features
CV news features

The accounting department plays a vital role in any business and employers need to know you’ve got the experience to accurately oversee their finances.

As the chief accountant, you’re responsible for verifying the work of your team, which means you first have to verify you have the leadership and accounting skills to do so.

The best way to do this is with a carefully crafted application. Find out how to create this using our detailed guide and chief accountant example CV below.

 

 

Chief Accountant CV example

Chief Accountant CV 1

Chief Accountant CV 2

 

Unsure of what your Chief Accountant CV should look like?

Have a look at the CV example above to get familiar with the structure, layout and format of a professional CV.

As you can see, it provides plenty of relevant information about the applicant but is still very easy to read, and brief – which will please busy recruiters and hiring managers.

 

CV builder CV builder

 

Chief Accountant CV format and structure

The format and structure of your CV is important because it will determine how easy it is for recruiters and employers to read your CV.

If they can find the information they need quickly, they’ll be happy; but if they struggle, your application could be overlooked.

A simple and logical structure will always create a better reading experience than a complex structure, and with a few simple formatting tricks, you’ll be good to go.

 

How to write a CV

 

Tips for formatting your Chief Accountant CV

  • Length: Whether you’ve got one year or three decades of experience, your CV should never be more than two sides of A4. Recruiters are busy people who’re often juggling numerous roles and tasks, so they don’t have time to read lengthy applications. If you’re a recent graduate or don’t have much industry experience, one side of A4 is fine.
  • Readability: To help recruiters quickly skim through your CV, it’s important to format your section headings with bold or a different colour font and break up lengthy paragraphs into short sharp bullet points. This enables them to easily identify important information and assess your suitability.
  • Design & format: While it’s okay to add your own spin to your CV, avoid overdoing the design. If you go for something elaborate, you might end up frustrating recruiters who, above anything, value simplicity and clarity.
  • Photos: Don’t add profile photos to your CV unless you work in an industry or region which prefers to see them. Most employers in the UK will not need to see one.

 

Quick tip: Creating a professional CV style can be difficult and time-consuming when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. To create a winning CV quickly, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder and use one of their eye-catching professional CV templates.

 

CV formatting tips

 

 

CV structure

To make it easy for busy recruiters and hiring managers to digest your CV, divide the content into several key sections when writing it:

  • Contact details: Always list your contact details at the very top to avoid them being missed.
  • Profile: Start with an introductory paragraph that catches recruiters’ attention and summarises your offerings.
  • Work experience/career history: List your relevant work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your current position.
  • Education: Provide a concise summary of your education and qualifications.
  • Interests and hobbies: You can include an optional section to showcase any hobbies that demonstrate transferable skills.

Now you understand the basic layout of a CV, here’s what you should include in each section of yours.

 

Contact Details

Contact details

 

Start off your CV with a basic list of your contact details.
Here’s what you should include:

  • Mobile number
  • Email address – It’s often helpful to make a new email address, specifically for your job applications.
  • Location – Share your town or city; there’s no need for a full address.
  • LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL – Make sure the information on them is coherent with your CV, and that they’re up-to-date

Quick tip: Delete excessive details, such as your date of birth or marital status. Recruiters don’t need to know this much about you, so it’s best to save the space for your other CV sections.

 

Chief Accountant CV Profile

Recruiters and hiring managers are busy, so it’s essential to catch their attention from the get-go.

A strong introductory profile (or personal statement, for junior candidates) at the top of the CV is the first thing they’ll read, so it’s a great chance to make an impression.

It should be a short but punchy summary of your key skills, relevant experience and accomplishments.

Ultimately, it should explain why you’re a great fit for the role you’re applying for and inspire recruiters to read the rest of your CV.

 

CV profile

 

How to write a good CV profile:

  • Make it short and sharp: When it comes to CV profile length, less is more, as recruiters are often time-strapped. Aim for around of 3-5 persuasive lines.
  • Tailor it: No matter how much time you put into your CV profile, it won’t impress if it’s irrelevant to the role you’re applying for. Before you start writing, make a list of the skills, knowledge and experience your target employer is looking for. Then, make sure to mention them in your CV profile and throughout the rest of your application.
  • Don’t add an objective: You only have a small space for your CV profile, so avoid writing down your career goals or objectives. If you think these will help your application, incorporate them into your cover letter instead.
  • Avoid generic phrases: Cheesy clichès and generic phrases won’t impress recruiters, who read the same statements several times per day. Impress them with your skill-set, experience and accomplishments instead!

 

Example CV profile for Chief Accountant

Experienced and knowledgeable Chief Accountant with a varied 30-year career in commercial accounting and internal audit for fashion retail industry leaders. Chartered Accountant with a master’s in finance management from UCL and a proven track record in developing and implementing efficient accounting systems to optimise the integrity of financial data. Adept at effectively managing and mentoring a team of accountants to ensure consistent delivery of financial compliance and reporting for multi-billion-pound companies.

 

What to include in your Chief Accountant CV profile?

  • Experience overview: Start with a brief summary of your relevant experience so far. How many years experience do you have? What type of companies have you worked for? What industries/sectors have you worked in? What are your specialisms?
  • Targeted skills: Make your most relevant Chief Accountant key skills clear in your profile. These should be tailored to the specific role you’re applying for – so make sure to check the job description first, and aim to match their requirements as closely as you can.
  • Important qualifications: If you have any qualifications which are highly relevant to Chief Accountant jobs, then highlight them in your profile so that employers do not miss them.

 

Quick tip: If you are finding it difficult to write an attention-grabbing CV profile, choose from hundreds of pre-written profiles across all industries, and add one to your CV with one click in our quick-and-easy CV Builder. All profiles are written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset.

 

Core skills section

Add a core skills section below your profile to draw attention to your most applicable skills and make them stand out to readers.

This should consist of 2-3 columns of bullet points that emphasise your relevant skills.

Before creating this section, review the job description and compile a list of any specific skills, specializations, or knowledge needed. Incorporate these findings into your list to portray yourself as the ideal candidate for the position.

 

Core skills section CV

 

Important skills for your Chief Accountant CV

Financial Analysis – Analysing financial statements, conducting financial forecasting, and evaluating financial performance to provide strategic insights and recommendations.

Budgeting and Forecasting – Developing and managing budgets, creating financial forecasts, and monitoring budgetary performance to ensure financial stability and support business decision-making.

Financial Reporting – Preparing accurate and timely financial reports, including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, adhering to accounting standards and regulations.

Taxation and Compliance – Utilising knowledge of tax laws and regulations, including VAT, corporate tax, and payroll tax, and ensuring compliance with tax requirements and reporting obligations.

Risk Management – Utilising knowledge of financial risks and developing risk mitigation strategies, implementing internal controls, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Team Leadership – Leading and managing a finance team, providing guidance and support, and fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.

Audit and Internal Controls – Utilising knowledge of audit processes and procedures, including internal and external audits, and ensuring effective internal controls are in place to safeguard financial integrity.

Financial Systems and Software – Utilising financial systems and software, such as ERP systems and accounting software, to manage financial data, streamline processes, and improve efficiency.

Financial Planning and Strategy – Developing financial plans and strategies aligned with business goals, identifying growth opportunities, and supporting strategic decision-making.

Stakeholder Management – Communicating financial information effectively to stakeholders, building strong relationships with internal and external parties, and providing financial insights to support business partnerships and negotiations.

 

Quick tip: Our quick-and-easy CV Builder has thousands of in-demand skills for all industries and professions, that can be added to your CV in seconds – This will save you time and ensure you get noticed by recruiters.

 

CV builder CV builder

 

Work experience

By this point, employers will be keen to know more detail about you career history.

Starting with your most recent role and working backwards, create a snappy list of any relevant roles you’ve held.

This could be freelance, voluntary, part-time or temporary jobs too. Anything that’s relevant to your target role is well-worth listing!

Work experience

Structuring each job

Your work experience section will be long, so it’s important to structure it in a way which helps recruiters to quickly and easily find the information they need.

Use the 3-step structure, shown in the below example, below to achieve this.

Role descriptions
Outline

Firstly, give the reader some context by creating a punchy summary of the job as a whole.

You should mention what the purpose or goal of your role was, what team you were part of and who you reported to.

 

Key responsibilities

Use bullet points to detail the key responsibilities of your role, highlighting hard skills, software and knowledge wherever you can.

Keep them short and sharp to make them easily digestible by readers.

 

Key achievements

Finish off by showcasing 1-3 key achievements made within the role.

This could be anything that had a positive effect on your company, clients or customers, such as saving time or money, receiving exemplary feedback or receiving an award.

 

Sample job description for Chief Accountant CV

Outline

Oversee the financial operations of a major UK fashion retail company with over 100 stores nationwide and an annual turnover of £500 million. Responsible for managing the company’s financial accounting, tax compliance, financial reporting, and budget.

Key Responsibilities

  • Manage the company’s financial operations and ensure the integrity of financial data
  • Develop and implement efficient accounting systems and procedures
  • Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for senior management
  • Monitor the company’s financial performance and prepare budget forecasts

 

Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our quick-and-easy CV Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.

 

 

Education section

Although there should be mentions of your highest and most relevant qualifications earlier on in your CV, save your exhaustive list of qualifications for the bottom.

If you’re an experienced candidate, simply include the qualifications that are highly relevant to Chief Accountant roles.

However, less experienced candidates can provide a more thorough list of qualifications, including A-Levels and GCSEs.

You can also dedicate more space to your degree, discussing relevant exams, assignments and modules in more detail, if your target employers consider them to be important.

 

Hobbies and interests

Although this is an optional section, it can be useful if your hobbies and interests will add further depth to your CV.

Interests which are related to the sector you are applying to, or which show transferable skills like leadership or teamwork, can worth listing.

On the other hand, generic hobbies like “going out with friends” won’t add any value to your application, so are best left off your CV.

 

CV builder CV builder

 

Creating a strong Chief Accountant CV requires a blend of punchy content, considered structure and format, and heavy tailoring.

By creating a punchy profile and core skills list, you’ll be able to hook recruiter’s attention and ensure your CV gets read.

Remember that research and relevance is the key to a good CV, so research your target roles before you start writing and pack your CV with relevant skills.

Best of luck with your next application!