A Consultant provide services to a client that wishes to resolve specific problems, introduce new systems and processes and manage the changes necessary to do so. Consultants may specialise in specific areas, such as financial systems, or Tax or VAT.

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Consultants are skilled practitioners who are brought into companies or organisations to solve specific problems, provide analysis and advice and to manage change.

Many financial consultants are fully qualified accountants with experience of working for the Big 4 accountancy and professional services firms. They provide outsourced business and financial expertise for companies requiring independent assessments of problematic business issues or assistance with strategic or structural change programmes.

Although the role of a consultant is extremely varied, some typical duties include:

• Researching and compiling reports.
• Assessing business risks, proposing solutions and implementing changes.
• Working closely with business functions to gain a full understanding of areas requiring improvement.
• Stakeholder management.
• Process analysis and improvement.
• Project design and management.
• Managing business change.
• Identifying, reporting upon and maximising the business benefits of change.

Qualifications

Within the financial sector, many consultants are qualified accountants. However, consultants must equally have proven stakeholder and client management skills, the ability to quickly understand how a business or organisation works and to identify strengths and weaknesses and the gravitas to engage with senior business managers in order to offer advice and influence key decision making.

Salary Snapshot

Recent salaries advertised on TopFinancialJobs (November 2009) include:

• £70-80,000 per annum for a Business Controls Consultant reporting to the audit committee of a leading brokerage in London.
• £61-70,000 per annum for a qualified (JIEB) Operational Excellence Consultant working for one of the world's largest consulting, technology and outsourcing providers in London.
• £61-70,000 per annum for a qualified (ACA) Consultant working for a risk management consultancy in London.
• £36-40,000 per annum for a qualified (ACA, ACCA or equivalent) Senior Business Consultant working for an independent firm in the City of London.

Are you a consultant? Would you like to contribute to our "Day in the Life of..." series? Email us at info@topfinancialjobs.co.uk for more details.