Public finance

Public sector chief accountant CV: example and template

This example is for chief accountants and their deputies at local government units, schools, hospitals, cultural institutions and other public sector bodies, and for company accountants who want to move into the public sector.

The head of the unit wants to know which budget you run, which reports you prepare, how you keep public finance discipline and whether you meet the requirements for a chief accountant. We show you how to describe this on your CV.

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Example CV: public sector chief accountant

All the details in this example are fictional. Treat it as a model of layout and wording, and replace the content with your own experience.

Barbara Gołębiowska

Chief accountant

Kielce +48 123 456 789 barbara.golebiowska@example.com

Professional profile

Chief accountant with 15 years of experience in public sector accounting, the last 7 at a local government cultural institution and a district hospital. I run the accounts of a unit with a budget of about PLN 85 million, prepare the financial plan, budget and financial reports and lead a team of 5. I meet the requirements of the Public Finance Act for a chief accountant.

Work experience

Chief accountant

02.2021 - present

District hospital, Kielce

  • Accounting for a unit with an annual budget of about PLN 85 million.
  • The financial plan and its changes, budget and financial reports on time.
  • Prior control of financial operations and management control in finance.
  • Leading a team of 5 accountants and dividing tasks.
  • Working with the auditor, the founding body and the regional audit chamber.

Deputy chief accountant

03.2014 - 01.2021

Local government cultural institution, Kielce

  • Posting transactions and settling grants.
  • Reports on plan execution.
  • Settling EU-funded projects.

Education

Master's degree, economics

2006 - 2011

Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce

Postgraduate studies, public sector accounting

2013 - 2014

Krakow University of Economics

Skills

  • Public sector accounting
  • Financial plan
  • Budget and financial reports
  • Public finance discipline
  • Management control
  • Leading an accounting team

Training

  • Public finance discipline training, 2025
  • Grant settlement training, 2023

Languages

  • English: B1

Additional information

  • Knowledge of accounting software for public units

I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).

How to write a public sector chief accountant CV

Professional summary

Write which units you work at, how large a budget you run and how many people are in your team. Add reports and the financial plan, because they are a public sector chief accountant's key duties. Also write that you meet the public finance rules' requirements for a chief accountant.

Senior accountant with 8 years of experience at a school and a municipal office, for the last 2 years deputy chief accountant. I prepare budget reports and settle grants. I am looking for work as a chief accountant at a public unit.

Experience: duties and achievements

Describe units, the budget, reports, audits and the team. Show timeliness and audit results, for example no findings. Add your work with supervisory bodies and grant settlements.

Weaker: Running the accounts.

Better: Accounting for a unit with an annual budget of about PLN 85 million.

Weaker: Reports.

Better: The financial plan and its changes, budget and financial reports on time.

Weaker: Control.

Better: Prior control of financial operations and management control in finance.

Skills worth listing

List public sector accounting, the financial plan, reporting, regulations and software. In your soft skills show responsibility, accuracy and leading a team.

Professional skills

  • Public sector accounting
  • Financial plan
  • Reporting
  • Public finance
  • Grants
  • Accounting software

Personal skills

  • Responsibility
  • Accuracy
  • Leading a team
  • Meeting deadlines
  • Assertiveness

Training

List studies or courses in public sector accounting and current public finance discipline training. The requirements for a chief accountant at a public unit are set out in the Polish Public Finance Act.

How to become a public sector chief accountant

People usually move into this role from senior accountant or deputy chief accountant. On your CV show the reports and areas you were already responsible for.

If you are moving from a company, add a public sector accounting course. The rules in the public sector differ from company accounting.

Tailoring your CV to the job offer

A hospital looks for a large budget and contracts with the payer, a school or cultural institution for grants and projects, and an office for a local government budget. Move to the top what the job ad is about.

The most common mistakes on a chief accountant CV

Questions and answers

What should a public sector chief accountant put on a CV?

Units, the budget, the financial plan, reports, management control, the team, audit results and training.

What are the requirements for a chief accountant at a public unit?

They are set out in the Polish Public Finance Act: education, accounting practice and no convictions for certain offences.

Can a company accountant move into the public sector?

Yes, but a public sector accounting course is worth taking, because the rules are different.

How does this job differ from a chief accountant at a company?

In the public sector the financial plan, budget reports and public finance discipline are key.

Create a chief accountant CV in the builder

In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.

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