Financial accountant
Financial accountants make sure the organization's accounts are complete, accurate, and follow accounting standards and public sector reporting rules. They manage the balance sheet, prepare the annual accounts and statutory returns, manage cash and treasury, account for assets, and work with auditors. In a digital health care organization, much of the complexity comes from accounting for software, data assets, cloud arrangements, and multi-year technology contracts.
- Family
- Finance
- UK GDaD PCF role
- None: this reference defines the role
- ESCO occupations
- accountant (ISCO-08 2411); public finance accountant (ISCO-08 2411)
- On GitHub
- Role document · Role data
Levels
| Band | Role level | UK GDaD PCF level | Civil Service grades | Job evaluation points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Trainee financial accountant | — | — | 367 |
| 6 | Financial accountant | — | — | 437 |
| 7 | Senior financial accountant | — | — | 495 |
| 8a | Financial accounting manager | — | — | 578 |
| 8b | Head of financial accounts | — | — | 607 |
In a digital health care organization
- Accounting for digital spending needs judgment, for example whether software development, configuration of cloud services, or licenses can be treated as capital assets.
- The organization must account for public money to funders and oversight bodies, often against strict capital and cash limits.
- Multi-year license and support contracts create prepayments, commitments, and sometimes leases that must be accounted for correctly.
- Intangible assets, such as software the organization builds, need valuing, depreciating, and reviewing for impairment as products change.
- External audit of public bodies is thorough and public, so evidence and working papers must be of a high standard.
ESCO occupations and skills
ESCO lists the skills and knowledge that employers usually need (essential) or may need (optional) for each occupation. Use them as a checklist for development conversations.
accountant
Accountants review and analyse financial statements, budgets, financial reports, and business plans in order to check for irregularities resulting from error or fraud, and provide their clients with financial advice in matters such as financial forecasting and risk analysis. They may audit financial data, resolve insolvency cases, prepare tax returns and provide other tax-related advice in reference to current legislation.
Essential skills and knowledge (26)
Skills and competences
- analyse financial performance of a company
- attach accounting certificates to accounting transactions
- calculate tax
- check accounting records
- draft accounting procedures
- ensure compliance with accounting conventions
- explain accounting records
- follow the statutory obligations
- identify accounting errors
- interpret financial statements
- manage accounts
- perform balance sheet operations
- prepare financial statements
- prepare tax returns forms
- prepare trial accounting balances
Knowledge
Optional skills and knowledge (31)
Skills and competences
- advise on financial matters
- advise on risk management
- calculate production costs
- check the production schedule
- conduct financial audits
- consult with motion picture producer
- consult with production director
- disseminate information on tax legislation
- evaluate budgets
- exert expenditure control
- handle financial transactions
- keep track of expenses
- liaise with auditors
- manage budgets
- manage corporate bank accounts
- manage inventory
- manage payroll reports
- manage revenue
- monitor after sales records
- perform cost accounting activities
- perform dunning activities
- perform risk analysis
- prepare financial auditing reports
- resolve difficult account allocation cases
- support development of annual budget
Knowledge
public finance accountant
Public finance accountants head the treasury department of a governmental institution. They manage the institution's financial administration, expenditure and income generation, and compliance with taxation and other financial legislation. They perform administrative duties to ensure record keeping, develop plans for budget management and perform financial forecasts.
Essential skills and knowledge (12)
Skills and competences
- conduct financial audits
- control financial resources
- create a financial report
- develop account strategy
- inspect government expenditures
- inspect government incomes
- monitor financial accounts
Knowledge
Optional skills and knowledge (16)
Skills and competences
- advise on public finance
- calculate tax
- comply with legal regulations
- ensure cross-department cooperation
- handle financial transactions
- manage accounts
- manage administrative systems
- manage budgets
- manage financial risk
- manage staff
Knowledge
Contains ESCO v1.2.1 data (https://esco.ec.europa.eu/). © European Union. Reuse authorised under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.