Role Profile – Level 2 – Accounts or Finance Assistant
An Accounts or finance assistant is an integral part of the team responsible for maintaining an efficient and accurate finance function within a business. The Accounts or finance assistant is responsible for assisting the team of accountants with junior accounting duties. These can vary massively depending on the team structure and size of business. An Accounts or finance assistant’s work could include basic bookkeeping activities, working with sales and purchase ledgers, running calculations to ensure that records and payments are correct, recording of cash and data entry. Accounts or finance assistant can work in almost any sector. Potential employers include corporate businesses, sole traders, partnerships, Public sector, not-for-profit organisations and educational institutions. Accounts or finance assistant may work in-house for an organisation or they might work for an accountancy firm, bookkeeping practice, Shared Service provider, self-employed or on behalf of several different clients.
Entry Requirements
Individual employers set the selection criteria, but this is likely to include 5 GCSEs, including Math’s and English. Apprentices without English or Math’s at Level 2 must achieve this prior to taking the end point assessment.
Role Profile – Level 3 – Assistant Accountant
An Assistant Accountant provides support to internal and external customers and will work predominately either as an assistant accountant within practice or alternatively within the finance function of an organisation. Part of their role will involve assisting in the day to day financial activities such as data entry to month end management accounts and/or year-end financial statements. In addition the Assistant Accountant may find themselves involved in regulatory financial requirements such as the completion of VAT returns or assisting in the preparation of tax computations.
Job titles might include: Assistant Accountant, Trainee Accounting Technician, Accounts Clerk, Cashier Finance Assistant, Purchase Ledger Clerk and Sales Ledger Clerk.
Entry Requirements
Individual employers set the selection criteria, but this is likely to include 5 GCSEs, including Maths and English, although some employers will accept other relevant qualifications and experience, including a relevant Level 2 qualification in Accountancy. Apprentices without English or Maths at Level 2 must achieve this prior to taking the end point assessment.
Role Profile – Level 4 – Professional accounting or taxation technician
Individuals in the role of a Professional accounting or tax technician will have responsibility for creating, and/or verifying and reviewing, accurate and timely financial information within the organisation in which they are employed or on behalf of another organisation. This will be performed in order to meet relevant ethical, professional and legal standards, and will utilise the individual’s knowledge of the business systems and processes, as well as standard accounting and tax practices. This role may exist in an accounting practice, a professional services company, HMRC or the accounting function of a business or other organisation.
Examples of roles as a Professional accounting or tax technician include, but are not limited to, Assistant auditor, Assistant management accountant, Assistant financial accountant, Accounts payable and expenses supervisor, Commercial analyst, Payroll manager, Senior bookkeeper, Senior financial officer, Tax investigations officer, Personal tax assistant and Business tax assistant.
Entry Requirements
This occupation covers two areas of specialism, accounting and tax. A successful apprentice will have met the core requirements common to both areas and one of the two technical knowledge option requirements. A competent Professional accounting or tax technician, on completion of the apprenticeship standard, will meet the following requirements.
Individual employers will identify entry requirements in terms of previous qualifications, training or other criteria. Most candidates will have Level 2 math’s and English (equivalent to GCSE grade C or above), ideally as part of 5 GCSE A-C grades or other comparable qualifications. Learners should ideally hold a level 3 Accountancy qualification.