Welcome to Accountancy Capital. In this episode, we are looking at finance and accountancy job descriptions: why a clear role specification matters, what employers should include, and how to turn a template into a practical recruitment brief.

The full collection of free job description templates is available here:

https://www.accountancycapital.co.uk/job-descriptions-accountancy/

The resource covers roles across the finance function, from Finance Directors and Financial Controllers through to Management Accountants, Financial Accountants, tax specialists, Accounts Assistants and payroll positions. Each template explains the responsibilities, qualifications, reporting line and place of the role within the wider finance team.

The templates are useful for employers preparing to recruit and for finance professionals who want to understand what a position formally involves. Accountancy Capital's day-to-day recruitment focus is qualified and senior finance appointments, typically at salaries of £50,000 and above. The wider collection is included because a senior finance appointment cannot be properly understood without considering the structure of the team around it.

why the job description matters

A job description is often treated as an administrative document: a list of duties copied from an earlier advert, with a job title and qualification requirement added at the top. That can be a costly mistake.

Before a search begins, the employer needs to be clear about the problem the appointment is intended to solve. Is month-end taking too long? Are management accounts unreliable? Is the business preparing for growth, an acquisition or external investment? Does the board need better forecasting? Is the finance team missing someone who can take ownership of controls and reporting?

The answers help determine whether the organisation needs a Finance Manager, Financial Controller, Head of Finance or FP&A specialist. These titles are not interchangeable. Their responsibilities can overlap, particularly in smaller businesses, but the level of ownership and expected contribution may be very different.

A well-written description helps the employer, recruiter and candidate work from the same understanding. It improves the quality of the shortlist, gives interviews a clear structure and reduces the risk of discovering late in the process that the business and candidate had different expectations.

leadership roles: Finance Director, Head of Finance and Financial Controller

At the top of the finance function, the Finance Director is normally responsible for finance strategy, board reporting, funding and the finance operation as a whole. Where the FD is a statutory director, the position also carries the relevant director duties. The role may include responsibility for financial planning, cash, risk, governance, investor relationships and supporting strategic decisions.

Typical London base salary guidance on the page is £95,000 to £205,000 or more. The range reflects differences in business size, complexity and seniority. A Finance Director in a smaller owner-managed company is not necessarily undertaking the same work as a group FD in a large or private equity-backed organisation.

The Head of Finance is often the senior finance lead below board level, and may be the first senior finance appointment in a growing company. The role commonly combines financial control with commercial support to the leadership team. The typical London base salary shown is £68,000 to £120,000.

The Financial Controller is generally responsible for the integrity of financial reporting and the effective operation of the finance function. Month-end close, statutory accounts, audit, financial controls, cash and team management are common elements. The role varies depending on whether there is an FD or CFO above it, the size of the team, and whether the business is owner-managed, group-based, private equity-backed or FCA-regulated. The page gives a typical London base range of £65,000 to £115,000.

These are indicative London base salaries, not guaranteed rates or national averages. Regional salaries are usually lower, and the right benchmark depends on the scope of the role and the candidate's experience.

control and management roles

The Finance Manager usually runs the day-to-day finance operation. Responsibilities can include management accounts, reconciliations, VAT, payroll oversight and managing a small team. In one business the role may be hands-on and operational; in another it may include budgeting, forecasting and regular contact with department heads. The typical London salary range shown is £55,000 to £95,000.

A Finance Business Partner works with budget holders and operational leaders. The role focuses on performance analysis, forecasting, pricing and decision support. The person needs to explain what the numbers mean, challenge assumptions constructively and help managers understand the financial impact of their decisions. The typical London range is £60,000 to £110,000.

An FP&A Manager is more specifically focused on financial planning and analysis. Budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, board reporting and ownership of the financial model are common responsibilities. The typical London range is £62,000 to £108,000.

The Management Accountant produces monthly management accounts, analyses costs, supports budgets and prepares the reporting information used in business decisions. The role may own the full monthly cycle or a defined part of it, depending on the size of the department. The typical London range is £50,000 to £85,000.

The Financial Accountant has a stronger emphasis on statutory accounts, audit files, balance sheet reconciliations, technical accounting and group reporting. The typical London range is £52,000 to £95,000.

The important point for employers is to specify the actual work. A Finance Manager who mainly supervises transactional processing is different from one expected to lead forecasting and business partnering. A Management Accountant who owns the month-end close is different from one who prepares schedules under close supervision. The job description needs to make that distinction clear.

specialist finance and accountancy positions

The resource also includes templates for specialist roles where the technical requirements can be more specific.

A Corporate Tax Manager may be responsible for corporation tax compliance, tax provisions, planning and relationships with HMRC across a company or group. A VAT Manager may oversee VAT returns, partial exemption, cross-border VAT, controls and HMRC enquiries.

A Tax Senior generally prepares returns and computations under the direction of a Tax Manager and may be studying towards CTA or ATT qualifications. The job description should identify the type of tax work, business or client exposure and level of responsibility.

Internal Audit roles focus on risk-based audit plans, testing controls and reporting findings, often to an audit committee or senior management. The scope depends on the organisation's governance structure and risk environment.

A Fund Accountant may be responsible for net asset value calculations, fund reporting, investor allocations and oversight of fund administrators. A CASS Accountant in an FCA-regulated firm may work on client money and asset reconciliations, CASS resolution packs and audit support.

A Corporate Finance Executive may contribute to transaction support, valuations, financial models and deal documentation. An FP&A Analyst may prepare forecast models, variance analysis and reporting packs under an FP&A Manager.

These roles demonstrate why a generic finance job description is rarely sufficient for a specialist appointment. The employer should describe the relevant technical environment, the work the person will own and the level of judgement expected.

transactional and payroll roles

The page also includes templates for Accounts Assistants, Bookkeepers, Purchase Ledger Clerks, Sales Ledger Clerks, Payroll Clerks and Payroll Managers.

An Accounts Assistant may process invoices and payments, maintain ledgers, complete bank reconciliations, handle expenses and support month-end. A Bookkeeper keeps records up to date, often covering ledgers, VAT returns and payroll in a smaller business.

A Purchase Ledger Clerk deals with supplier invoices, matching, payment runs and supplier statement reconciliations. A Sales Ledger Clerk may handle invoicing, cash allocation, credit control, aged debt and customer queries.

Payroll Clerks support payroll runs, RTI submissions, starters and leavers, statutory payments and auto-enrolment. A Payroll Manager has broader ownership of the process, including the team, HMRC compliance, year-end, pensions, benefits in kind and controls.

Accountancy Capital does not recruit at this transactional and entry level; its focus is qualified finance roles from around £50,000. These templates are included because employers recruiting a Financial Controller or Finance Manager often need to define the responsibilities and capability of the wider team that person will lead.

how to adapt a template to your business

Every template should be treated as a starting point, not a definitive specification. The scope of a Financial Controller role, for example, changes according to the size and ownership of the business, the experience of the finance team,