A corporate accountant manages the accounting department of a private corporation. In this position, you would report to the director of Finance, the CFO or the CEO of the company. It is a very comprehensive area where you have to be very knowledgeable about all the accounting activities of the company and be responsible for the accuracy of all the financial statements and documents. It is a leadership position in which you will be responsible for the training and supervision of the work of the accounting staff.
In order to become a corporate accountant, you must have a Bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting or business administration. You must also have experience working in corporate accounting, most likely working up through the ranks of the company. You will need to have a thorough knowledge of the countable cycle in the company and be able to perform all of the accounting tasks. The designation of CPA is required for this position as well, which demonstrates that you have the skills, abilities and professional ethics needed to carry out your responsibilities. Thorough knowledge of accounting principles and methods is absolutely essential.
The duties you will perform as a corporate accountant include preparing all the financial entries at the end of the month, reviewing the work of clerks in preparing bank reconciliations and banking adjustments and project the cash flow of the business on a daily basis. Since you are the person in charge of all the payable accounts, you will also be the signing authority on the checks for payment. You will have to review these carefully to check for completeness and accuracy before you release the funds. At the end of the year, it will be your responsibility to prepare all the documents for taxes, but you will also have to prepare quarterly statements throughout the year.
As corporate accountant, you will have an office staff consisting of clerks and junior accountants that report to you. You will play a major role in the recruitment process when there are vacancies that have to be filled. You will also be in charge of promotions for staff that are performing well and wish to advance in their accounting careers. Dealing with the staff requires that you have excellent interpersonal skills as well as excellent oral and written communication skills in order to establish good working relationships.
The job of corporate accountant is one of high stress where you must be able to adapt quickly to changing situations. Having good analytical and problem-solving skills is necessary for this job. You must also be meticulous in your work and be able to pay attention to details. You should also be a team player and be able to accept and respect the attitudes and ideas of others in various situations and to help solve any problems that may arise. As the person in charge, you should have the leadership skills needed to support the work of the other staff and to be able to help them develop their skills to reach their potential in the accounting industry.
