A management accountants’ main job is to prepare financial forecasts, carry out departmental audits and analyse the company’s financial performance. They hold an integral position within the finance department of an organisation and are central to its decision-making process.
A well-crafted CV will show a potential employer you can do all of the above tasks and much more. The problem is that getting one of these well paid positions means having to stand out from other qualified candidates, which is a difficult task in today’s super competitive jobs market.
If you’re in this position, don’t panic. This resource page is here to help you write a CV that shows you can ensure that a company’s profit, cash and growth are maximised through effective management and accounting.
Areas to focus on in a Key management accountant CV
Although the duties of a Management Accountant will vary depending on the nature of a business, there are some core responsibilities that are always the same. These are the one you must include in your CV.
Further cement yourself as a contender by stressing those experiences, skills and qualifications that have been explicitly listed in the vacancy’s job description.
As this role is about advising other on finance-related decisions, your CV has to show your ability to make the right accounting related calls. Do this by giving examples of your previous successes and achievements. Concentrate on showing you past history of getting things right.
Below is a list of a few key skills that will make you come across as an experienced management accountant who can provide the company and its staff with a high quality financial service that meets its operational needs.
Report writing
Putting together and presenting financial reports that give senior managers an insights into an organisation’s performance.
Analytical thinking
Having the ability to analyse financial information and develop critical insights from it. These can help you make decisions and find solutions to problems by looking through data to find patterns, trends and solutions.
Communicating financial information
Describe your ability to communicate clearly and concisely in writing to board and executive management level.
Responsibility
Show you are willing to take on extra responsibility and are prepared to deputise for other senior finance managers at meetings during their absence.
Relationship management
Having the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with colleagues is essential for this role. Making sure that your team feel valued will go a long way towards getting the most out of them.
How to write a Management Accountant CV
You’ve got to write one that in the first instance passes an electronic guard dog known as an Applicant Tracking System. Do this by including industry specific keywords and having a layout that makes it easy for the reader to spot your strongest points, such as being able to resolve complex accounting problems.
Tips on writing your CV:
Target the job
Always keep your target job in sight when writing your CV.
For a role like this, show that you’re a self-motivated individual, who can work in an organised and structured manner to analyse financial information.
Mention your ability to:
- Resolve accounting issues and discrepancies as they arise.
- Immerse yourself in the detail of the management accounting.
- Establish effective communication channels to inform senior managers and directors on all aspects of a company’s finance.
- Implementing accounting changes that result in cost savings and efficiencies.
- Use the latest accounting software and MS Excel.
- Ensure compliance with all financial regulations
- Make sure company spending is in line with budgets.
- Estimate future revenues and expenses.
Describe your experience of:
- Being responsible for the day-to-day operations of an organisation’s financial activities.
- Preparing and consolidating financial reporting across the business.
- Assisting the Finance Director with production of forecasts & budgets.
- Preparing and executing monthly payroll and payroll reconciliations.
- Working in a corporate governance capacity.
- Preparing quarterly balance sheet reports along with related commentary.
Contact information
In this section, which resides at the top of your CV, give your, name, address, email, phone number and LinkedIn profile.
If a hiring manager is interested in you, this is where they go to when they want to reach. They’ll contact you for two reasons, either to ask for more information or to invite you to an interview.
Personal details to give:
First and last name
City (no need to give full postal address)
Phone Number
Email Address
LinkedIn (if you have one)
Personal summary for a management accountant
Below you contact details sits your personal summary which is an introduction to your job application. It’s where you have a direct ‘conversation’ with the hiring manager.
Done correctly it can set a positive tone for your CV and encourage the reader to continue reading it.
Use it as an opportunity to market yourself as a fully qualified applicant who is able to deal with the demands of the. Ensure that who you say here is consistent with the rest of your CV.
Make it count by showing you’re a highly qualified candidate who is well-suited for the demands of this position. Ensure that whatever information you put in here is consistent with what you’ve written in the rest of your CV.
Personal summary example
“Maxine is a detail-oriented management accountant with outstanding analytical and maths skills.
As per your requirements she has over 10 years experience of ensuring a company’s financial management procedures are effective, efficient and compliant with appropriate financial statutory and regulatory requirements.
On a personal level she has the ambition to grow and develop as the company does.
At this stage of her career, she wants to join a company that has a workplace culture which is inclusive, diverse, human and connected.”
Work experience section
A work experience section is a direct portal to your past employment that can open the door to your future career. It’s here that you show in detail what you’ve accomplished while working on your previous job. If an employer likes what they see here, there’s a very good chance you’ll be shortlisted.
It’s a core section of your job application and its power to influence the employer should not be underestimated. Therefore, try to make this section as relevant as possible to the job you are applying for.
Work experience example
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT – Start Date – Present Employers name – Location Responsible for the company’s financial management and reporting, as well as providing insights that will support the directors decision-making processes.
Duties;
- Working within, and managing, a finance and accounting team of 15 staff members.
- Overseeing key aspects of the company’s financial operations such as bookkeeping and payroll.
- Meeting with budget holders to discuss income and expenditure variances.
- Providing managers with timely, accurate and relevant information.
- Assisting with the year-end accounts process including audit and tax.
Management accountant Skills
Management accountants must have a good combination of both accounting and management skills. Possessing a wide selection of these is a plus for any job seeker.
Focus on those key skills that are listed as required in the vacancies job description. If you have these, then include them. To help you in this endeavour, below are a list of the most common ones that recruiters judge as ‘must haves’.
Skills to mention in your CV:
Financial management
Project costing
Margin analysis
Cash flow forecasting
Balance sheets
Financial reports
Billing reconciliation
Revenue assurance
Relationship management
Examples of skills to include:
- Analysing a company’s financial performance and making longer term forecasts.
- Leading, managing, guiding and motivating a team.
- Ability to work effectively and sensitively as part of a team to achieve success.
- Managing the review, development and improvement of existing financial controls.
- Recommending ways of cutting costs.
- Contributing to a culture of continuous improvement by constantly reviewing processes to discover how to make them more effective.
- Ability to handle and process large amounts of financial data quickly and accurately.
- Can successfully manage multiple projects at the same time.
Education
Academic achievements can further validate your expertise and suitability for a role.
To become a management accountant, candidates must have certain professional qualifications, many of which are associated with the Chartered Institute of Management Accounting (CIMA).
In the education section list your recognised professional accounting qualifications such as ACA, ACCA and CIMA.
Example of layout:
University name Degree details Study Dates
College name Qualifications Study Dates
School name Subjects / Grades Study Dates