Here’s a sample resume we recently produced for a Accounting Manager in Singapore.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- About the Accounting Manager Role
- What Hiring Managers Look For In Accounting Manager Resumes
- Accounting Manager Job Opportunities
- Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter
Accounting Manager CV [Full Sample]
Here’s a full Accounting Manager resume sample, which we wrote for a client recently.
CA
- Well-rounded accounting professional with 12 years of experience in driving full range of accounting operations, including preparation of corporate financial statements and consolidating accounts in several globally-recognised multinational and listed organizations, including XXXXX and XXXXX (Note: I’ve removed the actual organisations’ names for confidentiality reasons. You can tweak this phrasing to fit your own context.)
- Extensive practical and theoretical experience in all major accounting functions, including AP/AR, GL preparation, financial reporting, audit management, and financial controls.
- Recognised subject-matter expert in compliance and regulatory affairs, with strong understanding of prevailing reporting standards e.g. US GAAP, IFRS, SFRS, SOX. Trusted advisor to senior management on corporate compliance-related issues, providing insights on company-wide policymaking process.
- Effective in implementing new accounting procedures and utilising financial software to streamline accounting operations, having built and introduced interactive dashboards and financial models across multiple divisions.
- Excellent interpersonal skills towards building relationships at all organisational levels. Proactive manager, team builder and tactical planner with ability to attract and secure high-performance teams.
- Supervise team of 4 accountants and finance officers to oversee AP, AR, & GL functions for leading FMCG MNC with annual revenue of USD$100 million and presence in 20 countries. Oversee all credit control issues and AR for portfolio of 3 key brands worth USD$30 million collectively.
- Responsible for identifying areas for process improvement and proposing new streamline processes for accounting team’s financial reporting to ensure compliance with IFRS/US GAAP and corporate requirements.
- Coordinate with internal and external auditors and liaise closely with tax consultants for year-end transfer pricing adjustment for goods from US and Europe.
- Analyse regulatory requirements and monitor compliance of accounting procedures and practices. Ensure all accounting deadlines are met.
- Mentor and guide junior team members, developing their personal and professional competencies, and sharing industry best practices.
- Conceptualised and implemented new credit controls and revenue recognition compliance through review and improvement of workflow processes. This resulted in compliance with corporate finance policies which didn’t exist earlier–integral to company’s goals.
- Spearheaded installation of QuickBooks accounting software to provide improved transparency of accounts, increasing team productivity/efficiency and enhancing management of company cash flows.
- Successfully reduced month-end closing from 90 days to 25 days through automation and streamlined process.
- Instrumental in reducing overdue accounts (>90 days) by 50% through persistent following up and reduction of credit limits of errant customers.
- Directed daily operations of financial and accounting unit, partnered Senior Finance Manager and auditors to ensure statutory audit and FRS compliance.
- Performed full spectrum of financial management duties, including financial analysis, audit, and inter-company reconciliation of subsidiary accounts; drafted timely financial reports and other relevant correspondence.
- Drafted and presented financial statements to senior management as part of annual report preparation exercise.
- Spearheaded implementation of Oracle HFM Consolidation System and incorporation of Notes to Accounts format into standard operating procedures, successfully reducing subsidiary reporting lapses and eliminating human error by 100%.
- Devised and developed application to automate timeline production in place of manual procedure, successfully improving efficiency and productivity of business functions by 80%.
- Managed daily maintenance of invoices, including processing, verification, and reconciliation of accounts.
- Conducted analysis of financial and management reports to ensure compliance with accounting standards.
- Liaised closely with local customers to collect unpaid monies; established contact with clients to handle order settlements and invoicing queries.
- Chartered Accountant (CA) | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) | Singapore | 2006
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) | Edinburgh Business School | Heriot | Watt University | 2004
- Bachelor of Science (Hons) | Accounting & Finance | Singapore University | Singapore | 2002
- Technical Skills: BPC | Hyperion HFM | SAP | CODA | Cognos System | Microsoft Dynamics NAV | Fast Accounting Software | Microsoft Office Suite | iSAS | Bloomberg | VBA | SQL | SPSS | Python
- Nationality: Singaporean
- Languages: Fluent in English, Bahasa Melayu and Mandarin
- Availability: 2 months’ notice
References available upon request
About the Accounting Manager Role
Accountancy is a discipline which is becoming increasingly popular nowadays. Amidst challenging job market conditions, it’s seen as an ‘iron rice bowl’ – every company needs someone to keep the books, and while the basic bookkeeping may be automated away, high-level accounting and financial management entails a lot of subjective decision making which computers can’t easily handle. Just look at the grades needed to even get in the door in our local universities now: nearly straight ‘A’s!
I’ve seen a lot of accountants looking for new jobs recently. Unlike other industries, they’re not coming to me because they can’t land a job. They’re coming to me because they want to land a more senior position at a better company. This is great news! At the most basic level, this entails a different strategy – I tend to spend a lot more time with these clients to get every single achievement and project they’ve worked on in the past. To stand out, those are a must. This is especially the case in industries dominated by high-flyers, where performance is very easy to measure objectively.
Many accountants and accounting professionals look really impressive when it comes to account handling and auditing of finances of big brands and large corporations. However, they seem to be quite challenged when it comes to presenting their skills and achievements in their resumes. These candidates can do a lot better than what they already have written in their CVs. It’s so important to showcase your contributions – your CV is a marketing tool, and must thus show your best side. If you’d like more in-depth reading, check out my Ultimate Guide to CV Writing – I go into far greater detail on each section of the CV there, and break down how you should write each part and how to combine them to achieve an effective resume.
If you are one of those professionals who need help crafting a well-written CV, here’s my guide on how to write an accounting resume!
CV Template and Formatting
I thought I’d touch a bit on this first. Nowadays, we’re seeing a lot of fancy templates and infographic-style CVs. On one hand, this helps you to stand out a bit, but on the other hand, the nature of the industry means that these funky designs aren’t looked favourably upon! Accounting is an industry rich in tradition with a very long history. It’s also notably professional and formal. As such, stick with a simple yet professional template like the one I’ve used.
Key Pointers Hiring Managers Look For in Accounting Resumes
- Your strong experience in financial, compliance, and/or controlling functions within SMEs and large corporations
- You being comfortable and confident in doing budget planning, forecast, and preparation
- Deep understanding of the financial market and trends in Singapore
- Proven expertise in using accounting and financial systems
Additional Accounting Resume Writing Tips
- Accounting is quite a broad field of knowledge that covers many different kinds of functions and responsibilities. It is always best to specify your area of specialization and tailor your CV according to this, in order to put a focus on your profile — rather than being a “jack of all trades” who may confuse hiring managers. You can do this in your executive summary and job title.
- Don’t forget to mention accounting certifications or licences you were able to acquire to help improve your resume and boost your career. These certifications could be things like CA/CPA, CFA, CISA, CMA, etc. They’re very nice bonuses to include on any accountant’s CV. Even if you’re still taking the qualification (i.e. you don’t have the paper in your hand yet) you can still list the certification on your CV – just put “In Progress (Est completion: X)” – this shows that you’re trying to improve yourself which is great :).
Accounting Job Opportunities
- Join LinkedIn groups or follow companies you wish to work for to keep abreast with new job openings.
- Alternatively, you can reach out to these headhunters in Singapore to learn about any vacancies they may be trying to fill out.
Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter
- Create a winning cover letter and send it along your resume. The cover letter will serve as an introduction about yourself and is a great venue to answer the question “Why should we hire you?”
- Be active on social media, particularly on LinkedIn. Make sure to create a strong online profile that represents you and you professional experiences. Here’s our comprehensive guide on writing a great LinkedIn profile.
Before You Go… Common Questions about Accounting Resumes
What should be on an accounting resume?
On your accountant resume, you should include a short introduction followed by an executive summary or resume objective highlighting your best features. Then, break down your professional and educational experience, along with the skills that you’ve acquired from them too. Finally, wrap things up with an additional section at the bottom covering any volunteer work you’ve done, and include the references for the hiring manager to contact.
What are the best skills for an accountant?
Knowledge of accounting practices in the country you’re residing in is the most important thing for an accountant. Along with this, soft skills like communication and critical thinking are important too.
What are the roles of accounting?
In simple terms, the role of an accountant is to manage the finances of a company. But, the description can often be a lot broader than that, as it often involves managing transactions, budgeting and forecasting, reconciling accounts and more.
Be sure to download this resume sample, which uses our tested-and-proven resume writing techniques, as a guide for your own CV. Best part is, this sample is available for free 🙂
And before you start sending out applications, send us your resume for a free CV feedback analysis from our team. We’ll review your CV in detail, share personalised feedback on its strengths and weaknesses, and show you how you can improve it.
3800+
Resumes analysed
350+
