Accounting technician

Accounting technicians manage a variety of accounting tasks for a business, including bookkeeping, invoices, budgets and tax returns

You could be part of a large team, or you could be the only financially trained member of staff in a small enterprise.

Accounting technicians are employed in industry, commerce and the public sector. Most people in this job start their careers in a finance support role.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will depend on the level of qualifications you have, your experience and the route your career takes. You may be involved in a range of tasks including gathering, checking and analysing financial information.

As a trainee accounting technician, you will typically need to:

• assist in the preparation of financial accounts and other administrative tasks
• deal with basic bookkeeping
• process and pay purchase invoices
• record receipts and payments
• prepare and check monthly and year-end accounts
• complete and submit basic tax returns, including self-assessment and VAT
• handle company expenses and assist with payroll systems and software that pay wages and salaries
• complete bank reconciliations
• use computerised accounting systems and software
• help in information gathering and preparing financial information
• liaise with other team members and senior managers.

With experience, you could move into a senior role, taking on supervisor responsibilities and more complex tasks, such as:

• preparing and monitoring financial reports
• preparing forecasts of income and expenditure
• planning and budget control
• ensuring pension regulatory compliance
• measuring performance and identifying risks
• making recommendations for improvement
• supervising junior staff
• helping qualified accountants with accounts inspections (audits).

Salary

• Salaries for trainee accounting technicians range from £18,000 to £22,000.
• Once qualified and with experience, you could earn up to £35,000. Senior roles may be in excess of this.

Additional benefits may include a pension, health insurance and bonuses.

Salaries vary depending on a range of factors including the sector you're employed in, the type of employer you work for, your location, experience and professional qualifications.

According to the biennial AAT Member Salary Survey (2023), salaries are highest in London and the South East. The lowest salaries are found in the North East and Wales. Results also show that there is an increase in salary as members progress through the AAT membership levels.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Accounting technicians usually work standard office hours. Busy periods may occur when processing end of month accounts and at the beginning and end of the financial year.

Part-time work and career breaks are usually possible, as well as temporary and short-term contracts. There may be opportunities for hybrid working.

What to expect

• The role is mainly office based with much of your work taking place at a computer, using financial software packages or spreadsheet applications.
• Jobs are available throughout the UK and internationally. Self-employment is possible for experienced accounting technicians.
• Travel within a working day is more common if you're self-employed and need to visit clients. You won't usually have to stay away from home overnight.
• Overseas work is possible as the qualifications accounting technicians obtain through the AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) and other accountancy bodies are recognised globally.

Qualifications

You don't need a degree to become an accounting technician. Employers typically look for up to five GCSEs, including English and maths. Some may ask for A-levels in areas such as maths or business studies.

Although there's no set entry route, many people train while on the job via part-time study or distance learning.

The AAT offers three accounting qualifications, delivered by AAT-approved training providers, each of which takes between six to 18 months to complete:

• Level 2 Certificate in Accounting - provides a grounding in the basics
• Level 3 Diploma in Accounting - covers higher-level accounting tasks
• Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting - covers complex accounting tasks to qualify for senior finance roles.

There are no specific minimum entry requirements to train with the AAT, although a good level of literacy and numeracy is essential.

The AAT has designed Skillcheck, a useful tool to help you decide which level of the core AAT accounting qualifications may be suitable for you.

Many people study AAT qualifications as part of an apprenticeship programme. Apprenticeships combine paid work experience with study for a qualification.

Level 4 accounting technician apprenticeships are also provided by other accountancy bodies such as:

• ACCA - offers a range of Foundations in Accountancy qualifications, including the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Qualification
• ICAEW - Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship. An entry-level programme into accounting that includes the ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (ICAEW CFAB)
• AICPA & CIMA - Level 4 CIMA Professional Accounting Technician Apprenticeship. Leads to the Certificate in Business Accounting alongside the Level 4 Apprenticeship.

These can be done as standalone qualifications or as a starting point before qualifying as an accountant.

Find out more about apprenticeships.

Skills

You will need to have:

• an interest in business and finance
• a thorough, methodical and logical approach to your work
• competence in and confidence with maths
• strong interpersonal and communication skills
• excellent commercial awareness
• good IT skills, particularly in the use of spreadsheets
• problem-solving and analytical skills
• good attention to detail
• administration skills
• self-motivation and the ability to use your initiative
• the ability to work as part of a team
• the capacity to understand complex information and problem solve
• the ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines
• discretion and honesty when handling confidential information.

Work experience

Experience of working in an office, accounts or finance environment is useful, particularly if you've used spreadsheets or accounting software. This experience can include voluntary work or hobbies, such as being the treasurer for a university society.

Look out for work placement opportunities, usually advertised by the larger accountancy firms, that take place during the holidays, usually over the summer. You can also contact smaller accountancy firms direct to ask about possibilities for work placements or work shadowing.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Accounting technicians work in a variety of organisations throughout all sectors of business, industry and commerce, including:

• accounting firms
• banks and building societies
• charities
• educational institutions
• health authorities
• insurance companies
• local government
• manufacturers
• the media
• public utilities
• retail companies
• service industries.

You could work as part of a team in a large company or for a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME), where you may be the only qualified member of accounting staff.

With experience, you could become self-employed. Freelance accounting technicians provide specialist services to a range of businesses.

Look for job vacancies at:

• AAT - accounting and finance job vacancies
• Accountancy Age
• Accounting Web
• eFinancialCareers
• GAAP Web

Professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn also advertise jobs.

Professional bodies may also provide useful links to vacancy websites. Some produce monthly magazines that provide useful sector information and vacancies.

General and specialist recruitment agencies such as Robert Half and Morgan McKinley handle temporary and permanent vacancies.

Professional development

You will usually train on the job, often through part-time study or distance learning. Companies will provide training on their software packages, policies and procedures. Many employers encourage you to improve your skills and knowledge through CPD and may provide funding or time off to study.

Membership of a professional body is important and provides a range of benefits, including networking opportunities, discounts on events, access to a wide range of continuing professional development (CPD) resources, and technical and ethical support and advice.

Full membership (MAAT) of the AAT is open to those who have completed the AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting. You may also be eligible for full membership if you have other relevant qualifications or membership. This professional status shows that you have a high level of experience and are committed to ongoing CPD.

Once you are in a senior position with the expertise and professionalism needed to be a leader, you may be eligible for Fellowship of the AAT (FMAAT). You will need to have been a MAAT for a minimum of five continuous years before applying.

Once you have completed the Level 4 AAT qualification, you can choose to continue studying to become a chartered accountant. You can gain exemptions from some of the exams from all the UK chartered and certified bodies - ACCA, AICPA-CIMA, CIPFA, ICAEW and ICAS.

Bodies such as ACCA, AICPA-CIMA and ICAEW also provide Level 4 accounting technician qualifications that offer exemptions to some of their accountancy exams or a formal route into their accountancy qualification.

Career prospects

You will often start your career in a trainee role, before moving into an accounting technician position once you have acquired relevant professional qualifications and experience. From there, you can take on more complex tasks and supervisor responsibilities, before moving into a management position.

Although some accounting technicians manage to reach senior levels, many see it as a stepping stone to further professional qualifications, such as chartered accountant.

It may also be possible to move into related roles such as:

• auditor
• director of finance division
• finance controller
• internal auditor
• payroll manager
• tax analyst.

You may need to do further training or qualifications to move into some of these roles.

There is also the opportunity to work as a freelance or self-employed accounting technician. Self-employed accounting technicians provide a range of accountancy services to businesses. These tend to be in a specialist area of accounting and may include:

• advising on budgets
• advising on taxation issues and ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
• calculating end-of-year accounts
• consultancy.