Qualifications and Experiences for Corporate Accountants in HI5020

This assignment, completed for the HI5020 Corporate Accounting unit at Holmes Institute, investigates the qualifications and experiences sought by employers for corporate accountant positions. The student collected and analyzed 30 job advertisements from various online portals across Australia, identifying key roles, responsibilities, and required personal attributes. The analysis covers job titles, industry breakdowns of hiring organizations, and required academic and professional qualifications, including CPA/CA certifications. The assignment also examines how the identified roles and responsibilities relate to topics covered in the HI5020 unit, highlighting any gaps or additional topics not covered in the course. Through this analysis, the student critically evaluates the skills, experience, and attributes needed to become a corporate accountant, reflecting on how the course has prepared them for these roles. The assignment includes detailed lists of job titles, required personal attributes, and key responsibilities as found in the job advertisements. The student has also included a list of the organizations that posted the advertisements and their industry breakdowns. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive overview of the skills and knowledge required for success in corporate accounting roles, providing a practical application of the concepts learned in the course and providing a good example of a well-researched assignment with clear organization and detailed information.

ABSTRACT:
This task helps with the knowledge by the businesses or firms seeking corporate
accountants of the eligibility and expertise specification. It demonstrates information
of what a business publishes to reach such candidates in their ads. Firms are
located throughout Australia and distinct types of employment draw distinct types of
wages depending on the expertise of the prospective applicant or whether he is a
newbie. It has been attempted to give as much depth as it could be done to every
small detail and this task should clarify the concept of what expertise and
competence is needed for each type of work.

Contents
ABSTRACT:..................................................................................................................1
Introduction:..................................................................................................................3
“How many job advertisements you have collected in total? How many job
advertisements you have collected from each sources?”.........................................4
“List the name of the organisations posting the job advertisements and show the
industry breakdown of the organisations posting the job advertisements.”..............5
“List all the job titles mentioned in the advertisements that you have collected.”.....7
“List all the personal attributes required from a corporate accountant that has been
mentioned in the job advertisements that you have collected.”................................9
“List all the key roles, tasks, responsibilities of a corporate accountant that have
been listed in the advertisements that you have collected and analysed.”............11
“List all the academic and professional qualifications of a corporate accountant that
have been listed in the advertisements that you have collected.”..........................13
“Based on the key roles, tasks, responsibilities identified from your collected job
advertisements, how those key roles, tasks or responsibilities are related to the
topics that you have learned in your MPA unit HI5020 Corporate Accounting.”....14
“What additional topics, attributes or learning outcomes are missing from your
MPA unit HI5020 Corporate Accounting that are listed on the job advertisement?”
.................................................................................................................................16
“Critically examine the skills, experience and attributes needed to become a
corporate accountant. Also critically evaluate how the topics that you have learned
in your MPA unit HI5020 Corporate Accounting have helped you in gaining the
skills, experience and attributes needed to become a corporate accountant.”......17
Conclusion:.................................................................................................................17
Reference:..................................................................................................................18
ANNEXURE OF THE JOBS SEARCHED..................................................................19

Introduction:
Accountants maintain monetary records and may concentrate on one or many areas
of accounting and finance. Corporate accountants concentrate on business
accounting and maintain an organization’s financial records to confirm compliancy
with laws, rules and also the organization’s policies (Ifac.org, 2019). Much of the
work of corporate accountants is employed internally to assist executives build
financial decisions for the organization. These professionals are stated as
management accountants. Corporate accounting relates to measuring, tracking and
interpreting vast amounts of economic info concerning a private corporation (a legal
entity or a joint stock entity). It actually implicates to factoring for bigger firms instead
of lower-scale small businesses or collaborations where the paperwork of account
criteria and requests appear to be less stringent. This is because companies have an
obligation to provide the wider populace and legislative organs with economic data,
while smaller companies do not have this obligation.
Any utilization of dual entry accounting structure is a main element of corporate
accounting, as compared to maintaining private accounts, in which each transfer that
happens will retain a note in two or more accounts.
Corporate Accounting is a unique accounting arm that functions with
 the accounting for companies ,
 preparation of their final accounts and cash flow statements,
 analysis and interpretation of companies’ financial results and
 Accounting for specific events like amalgamation, absorption,
preparation of consolidated balance sheets (Pcg-services.com, 2019).
“How many job advertisements you have collected in total? How many job
advertisements you have collected from each sources?”
As per the instructions at least 30 advertisements published over various job sites for
“‘corporate accountant’, ‘corporate and management accountant’ ‘senior
accountant’, ‘tax accountant’, ‘corporate financial accountant’ ‘corporate
financial and management accountant’, ‘accountant corporate finance’, ‘senior
financial accountant’ ‘senior accountant: tax and corporate reporting’”
respectively have been collected. Online job portals were used for finding the

abovementioned job designations. They are as follows – Seek, Jora, indeed and
others. In total, 30 ads were collected. Entire country of Australia has been tried to
be covered in the entire search. Almost all of the specifics of every job will be
addressed in the following sections.
“List the name of the organisations posting the job advertisements and
show the industry breakdown of the organisations posting the job
advertisements.”
The name of the organizations posting the job advertisement and their industry
breakdown of the organizations posting the job advertisements are as follows:
 BAE Systems- BAE systems are an aerospace company. They are British
Multinational Company which deals with defense, security and aerospace. It
operates worldwide with its headquarters located in London. Their office which is
looking for a Corporate Accountant is in Streaky Bay, SA (BAE Systems |
International, 2019).
 Lawson Elliott- It is an employment agency based in Sydney, Australia. They are
into hiring Accounting & Finance professionals and also have offices in
Parramatta, Brisbane and Melbourne (Lawsonelliott.com.au, 2019).
 AESOP Corporate- They started in 1987 and have headquarters in Melbourne.
They also have offices and stores in rest of the world. They are into body care
products (Aesop.com, 2019).
 NSW Business Chamber- NSW Business Chamber is NSW's peak business
organization providing businesses with information, advice, products and
services. The organization has a membership of over 20,200 and 119 Chambers
of Commerce in NSW and the ACT. As the name suggests, it is located in North
Sydney, New South Wales (Nswbusinesschamber.com.au, 2019).

 Reo Group- It is a finance and accountant specialist recruitment agency based in
Sydney. They are expert in the field of Management consulting and executive
searches (CBD, 2019). Their offer is 90 000 to 100 000 Aus $.
 BDO- It was founded in the year 1975. It is an expert in Audit, Tax & Advisory
field. They believe in the motto of “relationships, resources, and responsiveness”.
They are located in Cairns, Queensland (Bdo.com.au, 2019).
 Broad Construction- “Broad Construction is a trusted managing contractor within
the Australian building industry, delivering new build, fit-out and refurbishment
projects. More than 25 years of consistent delivery by Broad has prompted
sustainable growth and diversification, with our projects spanning capital cities
and major regional areas. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of international
construction company, CPB Contractors, Broad is part of the CIMIC Group.”
 AXR- This Company specializes in executive searches, selection and contract
recruitment for commerce, industry and chartered/professional services. They are
located in Sydney, New South Wales and are offering 100 000 to 110 000 Aus $
a year.
 HAYS- “Hays are the leading global specialist recruiting group. They are the
expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the
market leader in Asia Pacific and the UK and one of the market leaders in
Continental Europe and Latin America. They operate across the private and
public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary
assignments.”
Other companies which have posted job advertisements but details have not been
discussed above are as follows – Michael Page, Spatial Corp, RAC WA, Zurich
Insurance group, Law in Order, Mater, Moore Stephens (WA) Pty Ltd., PaperCut
Software, Link Group, Serco Group, Corporate Services, Clenergy, Queensland
University of Technology, Crawford and Company, Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Pepper Group, Mighty Hive, Powerstaff Consulting, BGIS, Bunzl, Sedgman Limited,
Minjar Gold, Kone, Suncorp Group, WiseTech Global, PwC, and others.

“List all the job titles mentioned in the advertisements that you have
collected.”
All the job titles mentioned in the job portal sites are mentioned below-
a. Senior accountant
b. Tax Accountant
c. Corporate Financial Accountant.
d. Corporate Financial & Management Accountant.
e. Accountant Corporate Finance

f. Senior Financial Accountant.
g. Senior Accountant: Tax & Corporate Reporting.
h. Corporate Financial Control Accountant.
i. Corporate Restructure Accountant.
j. Assistant Accountant.
k. Senior Financial Accountant.
l. Asset Accountant.
m. Financial Accountant
n. Corporate Accountant.
o. Forensic Accountant.
p. Senior Tax Accountant.
q. Senior Corporate Reporting Accountant.
r. Project Accountant.
s. Fund Accountant.
t. Senior Commercial Analyst.
u. Management Accountant.
v. Accountant Treasure, Banking & Tax.
w. Budget Analyst, Finance Resource Management and others.
There are numerous other job titles too on job portals other than the ones already
mentioned.

“List all the personal attributes required from a corporate accountant that
has been mentioned in the job advertisements that you have collected.”
All the personal attributes required from a corporate accountant that has been
mentioned in the job advertisements are as follows-
1. Crawford and Company- “Professional and positive outlook, excellent
attention to detail and Strong organizational skills.” (Indeed.com, 2019)
2. JustCo- “The ideal candidate:
 Is ready to get hands-on with all aspects of the daily finance needs
 Has exceptional organisational and multitasking skills
 Has strong analytical, interpersonal and communication skills
 Has strong attention to details
 Will thrive in a fast-paced environment”
3. Law in Order- “We are looking for an accounting professional with a track
record of success in meeting accounting deadlines and contributing to the
success of a business. You will be a strong communicator and an analytical
thinker. You will also possess: Minimum 3 years' experience in a similar role,
ideally CA/CPA qualified: Relevant tertiary qualifications in accounting,
Extensive knowledge of Accounting Standards and Regulations, various
legislation's, and management accounting techniques, Demonstrated high
level of organizational skills and ability to work to deadlines and under
pressure”
4. Mater-“ To be successful in this role you have demonstrated success in a
similar role within a large and complex organization coupled with the below:
Use of Cognitive Reporting and Analysis tools or equivalent, Development of
complex excel models, Strong interpersonal skills and ability work across
multiple levels within the organization”
5. PaperCut Software- “Experience as a CPA or CA certified finance
professional, Consolidation experience, preferably across entities with
different functional currencies, Experience implementing process
improvements, meeting financial goals and developing strong financial
controls, Treasury management experience, FX hedging experience
regarded, Working knowledge of the AIFRS or IFRS, Experience managing
workloads within a team, Systems savvy – capable to utilize systems and
technology to be efficient (e.g. advanced MS Excel).” (Software, 2019)
6. ME Bank- “You are ambitious, a go-getter who can think quickly on your feet,
bring initiative and process improvements, and really make this role your own.

You can work autonomously as well as adding value to the team and your
communication skills are second to none – you can easily and comfortably
pitch your ideas to the team and beyond. Ideally you’re a technically strong
CA/CPA with your solid financial accounting and tax experience; you can
effectively build relationships and are great at managing conflicting priorities,
while managing a fast paced workload with ease and grace. And lastly to put
you ahead of the rest, knowledge of AASB 9, AASB 7 and AASB 13 would be
a massive plus.”
7. Collins food limited- “As the successful applicant you will ideally possess the
following skills and experience: Tertiary qualifications in Accounting &
Finance, Commerce or similar, Demonstrated experience working in a similar
Financial Accounting / Fixed Assets environment, Demonstrated experience
in a commercial environment, High attention to detail, Strong organizational,
time and project management skills, Strong interpersonal and communication
skills, Self-motivated, Advance MS skills, specifically within Excel, Experience
with JD Edwards also preferred, but not required.”
There are other companies too with somewhat similar personal traits but details
cannot be provided due to word restrictions.
“List all the key roles, tasks, responsibilities of a corporate accountant that
have been listed in the advertisements that you have collected and
analysed.”
All the key roles, tasks, responsibilities of a corporate accountant that have been
listed in the advertisements of few more selected companies has been collected and
analyzed are as follows-
a. HorizonOne Recruitment- “Assisting with the development of budgets and
forecasts for business units, Providing month end results analysis against
budgets and forecasts for business areas, Month end closing procedures,
Balance sheet reconciliations, Assisting with Treasury duties as well as year-
end audit assistance, Stakeholder engagement with the Executive and
Division Heads”

b. Link Group- “Preparation and review of general and special purpose accounts
for retail and wholesale managed investment funds across 100 entities (funds
and corporate entities) to ensure timely delivery of financial reports using
OneSource accounts preparation software, Liaising with auditors, clients and
internal parties - update timetables, answering audit and client queries with
assistance from the team, processing audit and client changes and assisting
with preparation / finalisation of the accounts, Assisting with preparation /
review of daily, weekly and monthly unit prices if required, Assisting with
preparation and review of distributable income calculations and BAS for
managed investment funds if required, Training and providing feedback to
staff.”
c. Robert Half Australia- “Reporting to the Group Financial Reporting Manager,
you will assume a key role in the finance function with a dual focus on
financial reporting and analysis, including business improvement projects and
integration of business acquisitions.”
d. KONE- “KONE Australia is looking for a Senior Corporate Reporting
Accountant to join the team based in Mascot. Supporting the Financial
Controller and team, this role has the end to end oversight for the delivery of
both internal financial reporting submission as well as external statutory and
tax filings by coordinating and reviewing periodic reporting activities.”
e. Bunzl- “You will work with a recently formed, open and transformative team
within a fast-paced environment, where you will work collaboratively and take
proactive ownership of your area. The size of our business combined with our
flat and collaborative organizational structure will give you access to a wealth
of knowledge and experience through our senior leadership team and highly
talented team members.”
f. AESOP Corporate- “We are seeking a proactive and diligent individual for the
position of Group Reporting Accountant. This full time position will report to
the Group Reporting Manager, and is based in Collingwood. In this position
you will be primarily responsible for the collation and preparation activities
associated with the monthly/quarterly/annual management reporting and
annual statutory reporting obligations for the Aesop Group. This includes, but
is not limited to, preparation of the monthly management report and
consolidation schedule, review of subsidiary reporting and compilation of
board reporting analysis. You will also play a key role alongside the Group
Reporting Manager in the implementation of a number of companywide
initiatives, including the design and roll out of finance related system process
improvement initiatives.”
g. Pepper Group – “We are seeking a Financial Accountant to assist us in
ensuring accurate and timely accounting of Pepper’s Group business. The
successful candidate will take ownership of key account reconciliations and
perform all operational activities to support the AU Head Office, namely:
accounts payable, expense management, accruals, prepayments and other
related activities. The role will perform these activities across Pepper Group’s
corporate entities.” (Pepper.com.au, 2019)
h. NSW Business Chamber – “We are seeking an enthusiastic, experienced
Systems Accountant to work within our Corporate Services team. Reporting to
the Senior Commercial Analyst, Corporate Services your primary role will be
to administer, maintain, and continually improve the TechnologyOne (T1)

Financial System, including user support, system admin service, reporting and
budgets.”
i. Mighty Hive – “We're seeking a Financial Accountant to join the corporate
team. This busy, hands-on role will be a key part of the regional Finance team
and offers a range of responsibilities including managing the day-to-day
financial operations, month end accounting and compliance. This is a full-time
position and you'll enjoy being part of a collaborative, supportive and results
driven team that thrives in a dynamic and fast paced environment.”
(Glassdoor.com, 2019)
j. Catenon- “Assisting the Finance Controller you will prepare variance analysis
of actual vs. budget vs. forecast for corporate business unit expenditure,
conduct monthly meetings, prepare annual budgets, assist with monthly board
reporting, monthly consolidation of entities and prepare balance sheet and
P&L statements.” (Catenon.com, 2019)

“List all the academic and professional qualifications of a corporate
accountant that have been listed in the advertisements that you have
collected.”
All the academic and professional qualification required by a corporate accountant
that been listed can be generalised as follows-
As per the thorough viewing at large number of advertisements posted by interested
companies seeking corporate accountant, it can be concluded that the key
requirements are: “Tertiary qualification in Accounting (or working towards);
Completed CPA, CA or ICA preferable (or working towards); At least 2 years in an
accounting or finance role within the resources industry; Strong commercial acumen
coupled with experience in a large organization, preferably within the resources
industry; Sound knowledge of accounting practices, modelling methodologies, and
regulatory reporting standards; Advanced Microsoft Office skills (Excel, PowerPoint