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Professional accounting or taxation technician - Tax

Professional accounting or taxation technician - Tax

Level 4 - Higher Technical Occupation

Working as an accountant or bookkeeper for an accounting practice, business, organisations or HMRC.

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Summary

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.

Typical job titles include:

Accounts payable and expenses supervisor
Assistant auditor
Assistant financial accountant
Assistant management accountant
Commercial analyst
Payroll manager
Personal tax assistant and Business tax assistant
Senior bookkeeper
Senior financial officer
Tax investigations officer

Keywords:

Accountancy
Accounting
Audit
Auditing
Book Keeping
Bookkeeping
Fraud
Hmrc
Tax

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: Financial information is an outcome of an organisation’s activities in the industries and environments in which it operates. In its simplest form, financial information reflects the transactions arising from the purchase and sale of products and services. A Professional accounting or tax technician will understand the industries and environments in which an organisation operates, including customer and supplier needs, in order to create and/or validate and/or report financial information.
K2: Ethics and integrity are fundamental to the role of all finance professionals as they often independently verify financial information that affects individuals and institutions that are separate from the management of an organisation. A Professional accounting or tax technician will understand and apply the relevant ethical standards to their own behaviour and appropriately challenge the actions of others where they do not meet these standards.
K3: Accounting and tax are governed by a series of standards and regulations which must be applied where relevant. A Professional accounting or tax technician will be able to understand and apply professional standards and legal regulations to an organisation’s financial information, and to comply with the fundamental principles of integrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care and confidentiality.
K4: Financial information is created, verified and reported via a combination of systems and processes, such as accounting or tax systems, internal control systems and IT systems. An understanding of these systems and processes is fundamental to an accountant’s ability to perform their role. A professional accounting or tax technician will be able to understand and evaluate an organisation’s systems and processes and make recommendations for improvement, as appropriate. Depending on their role they may also have a basic understanding of external and internal audit’s function in giving assurance over these systems and processes.
K6: A Professional tax technician will be required to have knowledge and understanding of the core elements of personal and business taxation and accounting principles. They will be required to prepare tax calculations, prepare government forms, understand and comply with filing deadlines, and document client paperwork. Depending on their role they will also have specialist knowledge in other areas of taxation, for example business compliance, VAT, Inheritance tax, trusts and estates and corporate tax.

S1: Create and interpret information, and show how that information can be used most effectively to add value to the organisation.
S2: Effectively communicate relevant information across the organisation and to appropriate stakeholders in both written and verbal formats.
S3: Proactively manage their own development and is committed to the job and their profession.
S4: Work to tight deadlines and respond to changing priorities. Effectively plan and prioritise time and co-ordinate the input of others in order to meet both deadlines and changing priorities.
S5: Apply accounting, tax knowledge to consistently deliver high quality, accurate data and information in a timely fashion.
S6: Work effectively in a team and with others, maintaining effective, professional working relationships both internally and externally across organisations.
S7: Understand the systems and processes of the organisation sufficiently, as applicable to the role. Proficient in the IT systems applicable to the role.

B1: Willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and has the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing environment.
B2: Actively engage in the wider business, as appropriate, and look to provide information that positively contributes to influencing business decisions. Continually strive to improve own working processes and those of the organisation.
B3: Honest and principled in all of their actions and interactions. They will respect others and meet the ethical requirements of their profession.
B4: Takes responsibility. Demonstrates the drive and energy to get things done, even under pressure.
B5: Demonstrates an attitude that includes a questioning mind, being alert to conditions which may indicate possible misstatement of financial information due to error or fraud.

Occupational Progression

This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.

In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.

It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.

Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.

Technical Occupations

Levels 2-3

Higher Technical Occupations

Levels 4-5

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Levels 6-7

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