Accounting careers in financial services include roles such as financial accountant, management accountant, internal auditor or external auditor, financial reporting analyst, and risk or compliance-focussed accounting positions. These roles often involve preparing financial statements, ensuring regulatory compliance, analysing financial performance, and supporting decision-making within banks, insurance companies, and investment firms.
What is the financial services sector?
Most adults have some dealing with the financial services sector. Personal and private banking, insurance, pensions and investments are provided by an extensive range of financial institutions and organisations, which include many major names such as HSBC, Santander, Barclays and Zurich.
The financial services industry is highly competitive. As such, financial firms continue to be early adopters of emerging technologies to speed up processes and deliver better insights than the completion. Developing a career in financial services, especially for a major, global institution, is an ideal route if you're eager to future-proof your career by developing modern and tech-led skills from day one in the workplace, rather than developing more traditional or manual accounting skills.
Opportunities in financial services are extremely varied. Your role could be in-house, outsourced or in shared service accounting. You could either have broad responsibilities, or specialise in areas such as risk, audit, fund or financial product management. One skill is essential though. You must be keenly aware of the fundamental relationship between risk and return when safeguarding the assets of organisations and individuals.
Roles in this sector
Explore some of the roles you could undertake in the financial services sector, alongside study and employability tips for accountants:
Frequently asked questions
Financial services employers value strong analytical skills, attention to detail, numerical ability, and commercial awareness. Communication and stakeholder management are also important, particularly in client-facing or advisory roles. Technical skills such as Excel, financial modelling, and familiarity with data tools are increasingly in demand.
The financial services sector is highly regulated due to its impact on economies and consumers. Firms must comply with strict legal and regulatory frameworks covering capital requirements, reporting standards, risk management, and consumer protection. Regulation plays a central role in shaping day-to-day responsibilities across most finance roles.
Yes, financial services careers often offer strong international opportunities. Many global banks, insurance companies, and asset managers operate across multiple countries, allowing professionals to transfer between offices or work on international projects. Skills in accounting, risk, and finance are widely transferable across global markets.
Technology is significantly transforming financial services careers. Automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics are changing how tasks such as reporting, compliance monitoring, and financial analysis are performed. This has increased demand for digital skills alongside traditional finance knowledge.
Yes, financial services is one of the largest employers of graduates in the UK and globally. Many organisations offer structured graduate schemes in areas such as accounting, risk, compliance, audit, investment banking, and operations. These programmes provide training, professional qualification support, and rotational experience.
Entry-level roles in financial services include trainee bookkeeper, trainee accountant, trainee business analyst, compliance assistant, audit associate, and finance trainee positions. These roles typically involve data analysis, reporting, supporting senior teams, and learning industry regulations and systems.
Career progression typically moves from entry-level or graduate roles into analyst positions, then senior analyst, manager, and director-level roles. Many professionals also specialise in areas such as risk, audit, finance, or compliance, or move into strategy, leadership, or consulting roles over time.
Yes, financial services is often considered a strong long-term career sector due to its stability, structured progression paths, and continuous demand for skilled professionals. The industry also evolves with regulation and technology, offering ongoing opportunities for development and specialisation.
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