What does a Chief Accountant do?

The Chief Accountant ensures the credibility of the accounts of a company/corporation in accordance with the standards determined by management, while verifying the work provided by the accounting teams.

What are the responsibilities of a Chief Accountant?

The Chief Accountant's responsibilities are varied. First of all, he manages the organization of his accounting team by determining the structure of the organization (function, profession, legal entity) and together with his team, he defines the schedule with strict deadlines for legal or financial reasons. He is in charge of the organization during the closing of the accounts. He sets up quarterly, monthly or annual closing schedules while verifying the accuracy of the information sent to him, regarding accounting standards. In addition, the Chief Accountant is responsible for monitoring the budget and the financing plan, he is the one who sets up communication with banks in order to have regular information on the latest developments. He also participates in negotiations with banking institutions. The Chief Accountant meets with the Statutory Auditor to schedule the audit of the accounts and must present the main inventories and restatements of the closing of the accounts.

What are the skills and proficiencies required for a Chief Accountant?

Master accounting techniques (Local Gaap, statutory consolidation, payroll, etc.) Master accounting standards (IAS/IFRS, UK-US GAAP) Good knowledge of the regulations Good knowledge of IT and accounting tools (MS Office, MS Dynamics, SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, etc.) Confident with numbers Knowledge of professional Dutch and French is highly appreciated Knowledge of taxation Good analytical and synthesizing skills Good stress resistance

What background is needed to become a Chief Accountant?

A Chief Accountant has generally obtained at least a Bachelor's degree in Accounting (including management or tax courses). Many Chief Accountants have obtained a Master's degree with a financial focus (finance/accounting, management sciences, etc.) However, other degrees are possible provided that you have followed a finance/accounting specialization. The position of Chief Accountant is possible after a minimum experience of seven years.

What are the career prospects for a Chief Accountant?

The Chief Accountant may evolve into a position of Administrative and Financial Director, Financial Director or Consolidation Director. Submit your resume or request talent now and our expert recruiters will be with you shortly.Robert Half is one of the premier chief accountant staffing agencies.
Accounts Payable (AP)
Accounts Receivable (AR)
ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning
General Ledger
Microsoft Excel
Payroll
Reconciliations
Salary for Chief Accountant
4.729 € - 6.466 €
25th percentile
4.729 €
The applicant has limited or no experience in the position and is still developing their skills Demand: Low
50th percentile
5.445 €
The applicant has an average level of experience and has most of the necessary skills. Demand: Moderate
75th percentile
6.466 €
The applicant has above-average experience, has (nearly) all necessary skills, and may also have specialised qualifications. Demand: High
Related position salaries Title 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Assistant Accountant (Public) 2.299 € 2.655 € 3.063 € Accountant (Public) 2.652 € 3.119 € 3.615 € Senior Accountant (Public) 3.414 € 3.977 € 4.892 € Accounting Clerk 2.412 € 3.252 € 4.001 € AR/AP Assistant 2.820 € 3.214 € 4.179 € Assistant Accountant 2.472 € 2.812 € 3.304 € Cost Accountant 2.828 € 3.384 € 4.121 € GL Accountant 3.231 € 4.443 € 4.893 € Senior Accountant 4.173 € 4.656 € 5.213 € AR/AP Team Leader 4.655 € 5.119 € 5.774 € Accounting Manager 5.372 € 6.386 € 8.538 € Accounting Director 6.317 € 8.022 € 10.653 €
Access millions of skilled contract and permanent candidates at every level from support roles to C-suite, and quickly match with our industry-leading AI.
Robert Half Inc. All Rights Reserved. Australia - English Belgium - English Belgium - Nederlands Belgium - Français Brazil - Português Canada - English Canada - Français Chile - Español China - 中文 China - English France - Français Germany - Deutsch Hong Kong - English Ireland - English Japan - English Japan - 日本語 Luxembourg - English Netherlands - English Netherlands - Nederlands New Zealand - English Singapore - English Switzerland - Deutsch Switzerland - English Switzerland - Français United Arab Emirates - English United Kingdom - English United States - English