THE SYDNEY ACCOUNTING

SALARY REPORT - 2017

richardlloyd.com.au
CONTENTS

Introduction 2

The Gender Gap 3

Understanding the Generations 7

Median Salaries by Location 9

Bigger Workforce, Bigger Salaries 10

Support Salaries Index 11

Mid-level / Junior Management Salaries Index 12

Senior Management
Salaries Index 14

Closing Thoughts 16
FOREWORD

Every day, Accounting professionals ask us for salary advice. As a result, we have compiled
this salary report to assist you in understanding what is happening with remuneration in the
Sydney job market right now. In order to create a specialist resource tailored specifically to the
Accounting industry, we surveyed over 2,000 professionals in Sydney to give you an accurate
understanding not just around salaries, but also how those respondents are feeling in their roles.

The results provided us with great insights into the sector; for example, the most worrying
concern is the gender pay gap. With so many women in the Accounting industry, we all need
to improve our commitment to a level playing field going forward.

Employers should also be aware of the current and ever-growing generational shift, ensuring
that they are keeping hold of talented Millennials and taking care of the dedicated Baby Boomers
who have served their businesses for so long.

Our research shows some discontent amongst the more senior members of the workforce,
especially those who play supporting roles in the business. Its a timely reminder that while
new skills and capabilities are the order of the day in a rapidly changing industry, ensuring
your long-term employees are engaged and motivated is vital for transferring knowledge and
safeguarding your organisations stability.

Gathering and compiling this data has been an exciting journey and were delighted that we
now get to share our insights with you. Read on and enjoy the first ever Richard Lloyd Sydney
Accounting Salary Report.

David Landau Geoff Balmer

Founding Director Founding Director
INTRODUCTION
Last September, we launched our Sydney Accounting salary survey tool. Open to commercial Accounting professionals, the
aim was to create Sydneys most comprehensive Accounting specific salary report. Over 2,000 Accounting professionals
from across the greater Sydney area completed the online survey, and the result is this: the first ever Richard Lloyd Sydney
Accounting Salary Report.

This report is a compilation of salary and market information. Our survey looked at job titles, base salary, experience, tenure,
bonus and benefits, location, career motivators and willingness to move. This gave us a snapshot of what the Sydney
Accounting sector looks like; who inhabits it, where they work, and how much theyre being paid.

The report details our insights into Accounting salaries, broken down by location, role level (including specific salary
breakdowns), an examination of bonuses and benefits and analysis of sector trends. Salaries were further dissected by
generation, company size and gender. Respondents also gave us an indication of their priorities at work; in terms of what
they look for in a role, how willing they are to move and what part salary plays in their decision.

For the purposes of the report, our results have been split into three distinct role levels; Accounting Support, Mid-level/Junior
Management and Senior Management. This ensures that comparisons between datasets are fair and accurate, especially when
looking at the wider workforce trends that our research has uncovered.

2
 THE GENDER GAP
Over the past 20 years, pay disparity between men and women in the workforce has been researched in detail, highly
publicised and debated. The consensus is that across all industries and sectors, women are consistently paid less than men,
even when accounting for all measurable factors due to conscious and unconscious bias. Though there is much debate about
why this gap still exists (and for some, why it doesnt), the Australian government most recently reported a nationwide
difference of 16.03% in November 2016[1]. New South Wales has a slightly better record than many other major centres in
Australia, with a marginally smaller gap of 15.63%[2].

Historically, the Financial Services sector has been one of the worst offenders when it comes to the observed gender pay gap.
The governments November 2016 report showed that the national gap in full-time adult, ordinary time earnings between
men and women in the Financial and Insurance Services sector was 30.83%[3], nearly double the national average.

Our results show that, although the Sydney Accounting sector is some way ahead of the national average, there is still an
obvious gulf between men and women at most levels.

MEDIAN SALARY BY
GENDER AND ROLE LEVEL

WOMEN MEN

Although the median base salary for both men and women is comparable for Support level roles, this is also the only level
at which women respondents are in the majority (67.23%) and by some distance. At the other levels, there is a larger gap
observed between men and women in terms of average salary, although it is lower than the national industry average of
16.03%. Our research shows that women in Mid-level roles are paid 13.21% less than their male peers, whilst at the Senior
Management level, where only 27.02% of respondents are women, the gap is 14.37%.

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 6302.0 - Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Nov 2016, Table A
2 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 6302.0 - Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Nov 2016, Table 11A
3 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 6302.0 - Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Nov 2016, Tables 10A and 10D
3
AVERAGE PROFILE OF MEN AND WOMEN BY ROLE LEVEL

SUPPORT
WOMEN MEN
HOURS 36-40 Hours 36-40 Hours
EXPERIENCE 5 Years 5 Years
TENURE (CURRENT ROLE) 1-2 Years 1-2 Years

EDUCATION Undergraduate/Bachelor Degree Undergraduate/Bachelor Degree

QUALIFICATION None Held None Held

MID-LEVEL/JUNIOR MANAGEMENT
WOMEN MEN
HOURS 36-40 Hours 36-40 Hours

EXPERIENCE 10 Years 10 Years

TENURE (CURRENT ROLE) 1-2 Years 1-2 Years

EDUCATION Bachelor Honours Degree Bachelor Honours Degree

QUALIFICATION CPA Qualified CPA Qualified

SENIOR MANAGEMENT
WOMEN MEN
HOURS 36-40 Hours 41-50 Hours

EXPERIENCE 20 Years 20 Years

TENURE (CURRENT ROLE) 1-2 Years 3-5 Years

EDUCATION Masters Degree Bachelor Honours Degree

QUALIFICATION CPA Qualified CPA Qualified

When examining other variables like number of hours worked, years of industry experience, tenure and education, it remains
clear that the only significant differentiator is gender. The exception to this is at the Senior Management level, where there
is a difference in terms of the number of hours worked, as well as tenure. However, when comparing like-for-like men and
women, we can see that the gap still persists.

Senior Management Women

3-5 years tenure, working 41-50 hours per week, CPA/CA Qualified and at least holding a Bachelor Honours Degree
Median Salary: $150,000

Senior Management Men

3-5 years tenure, working 41-50 hours per week, CPA/CA Qualified and at least holding a Bachelor Honours Degree
Median Salary: $164,000

Although this 8.54% difference between the median salary for men and women is significantly lower than the national
average, it is still a concerning gap especially when that 8.54% equates to $14,000 more per year. However, base salary
aside, monetary bonuses and non-financial benefits are significant attractors within the Accounting sector, and can often
make up a large portion of the remuneration package. So, does the dollar value of these make up for the gender gap? The
answer, unfortunately, is no.

4
GENDER GAP: BONUSES AND BENEFITS
For the purposes of our research, average bonuses (monetary rewards) that were additional to base salary, and benefits
(non-monetary) that were additional to base salary (by dollar value), were measured by mean rather than median. This is
because responses to these questions were far more varied than base salary data, and we found that a statistical mean was
a more accurate representation of what we see in the market on a daily basis.

WOMEN MEN

$5,670.62 $8,503.67 $1,818.99 $2,381.42

33.32% 23.62%
0 0
BONUS GAP BENEFITS GAP

$17,925.37 $21,082.87

14.98%

0
BONUS GAP

Despite women making up the majority of the workforce at the Support level, the results reveal that men at this level earn
almost twice as much in bonuses as women. Although high bonus and benefit numbers arent to be expected at the Support
level, this is still a significant gap. This trend continues at all levels, as women consistently make less in bonuses and benefits
than men, with the bonus gap decreasing and the benefits gap increasing as women make their way up the career ladder.
Interestingly, whilst salary is still considered important to women, our research shows that women are looking for less money
than men when looking to move.

5
HAPPINESS METRICS BY GENDER
We asked our respondents to tell us how much of a pay increase they would be looking for in their next role, as well as a
number of other questions around happiness in the workplace, on a scale of 1 (negative) to 5 (positive).

MID-LEVEL/JUNIOR SENIOR
QUESTION SUPPORT
MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT

WOMEN MEN WOMEN MEN WOMEN MEN

How satisfied are you with your

2.64 2.49 3.11 3.21 3.46 3.39
current role?

How valued do you feel in your

2.75 2.74 3.29 3.42 3.78 3.63
current role?

How well does your employer support

2.53 2.65 3.09 3.16 3.42 3.13
your professional development?

How transparent is the pay structure

2.35 2.41 2.69 2.95 3.18 2.97
within your organisation?

How willing would you be to consider

3.23 3.32 3.74 3.67 3.51 3.64
a new job opportunity?

How much of a pay increase would it

$5,000 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $10,000 $20,000
take to convince you to move roles?

Our results show that at Senior Management levels, women are more satisfied in their roles and feel more valued than their
male peers. They also feel that they are better supported by their organisation when it comes to professional development
and pay transparency. As such, they are slightly less willing to move even though at the Senior Management level, women
are looking for half the amount of money to move when compared with men, suggesting perhaps that money isnt the key
motivator. At the Mid-level however, we can see a slightly different trend, with women being consistently less happy across
the board than men are in similar roles, therefore making them more willing to consider new opportunities.

One potential reason for this could be the often-cited idea that its more challenging for women to progress into senior roles
without seeing other women already in these positions. At the Mid-level, the proportion of women decreases significantly,
before almost being cut in half at Senior Management level. By seeing less women in senior positions, compared to men, the
role models for aspiring women are limited. Along with being paid less than their male equivalents, the lack of senior women
leaders can be disheartening and discouraging for those women wanting a career at Senior Management level.

PRIORITIES BY GENDER WOMEN MEN

Our research found that when looking for a new job, the difference in
1. Great team 1. Great team
priorities by gender are minimal. Of the top five choices cited by our
2. Work/life balance 2. Work/life balance
respondents (1 being the most important), only one differed between
3. Progression 3. Challenge
genders - showing that creating an inclusive workplace that caters to
4. Location 4. Progression
these motivators should not be a significant challenge.
5. Higher salary 5. Higher salary

6
UNDERSTANDING THE GENERATIONS
The challenges posed by the multigenerational workforce continue to be a key emerging topic in the employment sector,
and the Sydney Accounting market is no different, with three generations having a strong presence in the sector: Baby
Boomers (50+ years old), Generation X-ers (35-49 years old) and Millennials (21-34 years old).

From our research, its clear that Generation Z

hasnt yet fully integrated into the workforce (which
is understandable), with only a few respondents 9.24%

identifying themselves as part of this demographic.

Generation X are the most populous generation based
on the total number of respondents (46.96%), however 55.46% 34.87%

Millennials make up the majority of both the Support

(55.46%) and Mid-level (47.39%) segments.

The statistics indicate that there is a shift of sorts taking

place in the Sydney Accounting market. As expected,
we can see that Baby Boomers are moving out of the
workforce, making up just 10.62% of the full dataset,
whilst Millennials are quickly starting to dominate
the non-executive levels of the sector. Furthermore,
Generation X is completing their ascent to the top
6.69%
of the ladder, displacing Baby Boomers at the Senior
Management level, with many more likely to join them
as Baby Boomers continue to transition into retirement.
47.39% 45.65%

As far as salaries go, Generation X are the highest

paid generation but only just. On average, they
take home just 0.18% more than Baby Boomers,
with Millennials sitting 14.23% behind the Generation
X-ers. As youd expect, much of this is tied to
longevity, with the number of years of industry
experience essentially doubling with each generation.

Tenure, however, is a slightly different proposition.

Interestingly, there isnt much difference in terms of how 13.71%
23.79%
it is affected by generation, or what impact it has on
role levels. With most respondents hovering between
the 1-2 year and 3-5 year marks, this suggests that the
Sydney Accounting sector is currently a good place to 62.50%

be if youre a candidate a buoyant market with many

opportunities available to you at different organisations
if you want to progress your career.

UNDERSTANDING THE GENERATIONS

GENERATION AVERAGE EXPERIENCE AVERAGE TENURE

Baby Boomers (50+ Years Old) 28 3-5 Years

Generation X (35 - 49 Years Old) 12 1-2 Years

Millennials (21 - 34 Years Old) 6 1-2 Years

7
DOES HAPPINESS COME WITH AGE?
Though most happiness metrics across the generations make logical sense (Gen X-ers in Senior Management feeling most
valued, Baby Boomers being less interested in professional development) there is one trend that is less obvious. Baby
Boomers in Support functions feel the most dissatisfied and undervalued, and compared with every other segment, they are
the most willing to move.

Though this may simply be a case of being ready for retirement, it also suggests that organisations are not getting as much
as they can out of this generation. With the workforce generally ageing and Baby Boomers retiring later than previous
generations, its obvious that greater steps need to be taken to increase their engagement and to get the most out of their
skills and experience.

HAPPINESS METRICS BY GENERATION

HAPPINESS QUESTIONS
How transparent is the pay structure within your
How satisfied are you in your current role?
organisation?
How valued do you feel in your current role?
How willing would you be to consider a new job
How well does your employer support your professional
opportunity?
development?

HIGH
HAPPINESS SCALE

LOW
DEVELOPMENT

HIGH
HAPPINESS SCALE

LOW
DEVELOPMENT

HIGH
HAPPINESS SCALE

LOW
DEVELOPMENT

8
MEDIAN SALARIES BY LOCATION
Throughout this report, weve been specifically referring to the Sydney Accounting market but Sydney is a large city with
over four million people spread across a vast area. In order to paint a truly accurate picture, its essential to take a look at
each of those areas separately and look at what differentiates them from one another.

NORTH SHORE NORTHERN BEACHES

Support Salary: $55,000 Support Salary: $62,500
Mid-Level Salary: $104,000 Mid-Level Salary: $91,500
Snr Mgmt Salary: $160,000 Snr Mgmt Salary: $200,000
% of Total: 12.33% % of Total: 2.92%

HILLS DISTRICT RYDE & MACQUARIE

Support Salary: $64,000 PARK
Mid-Level Salary: $110,000 Support Salary: $59,500
Snr Mgmt Salary: $130,500 Mid-Level Salary: $109,000
% of Total: 2.11% Snr Mgmt Salary: $158,500
% of Total: 8.35%

WESTERN SYDNEY
Support Salary: $58,000 INNER WEST
Mid-Level Salary: $100,000 Support Salary: $55,000
Snr Mgmt Salary: $158,000 Mid-Level Salary: $85,000
% of Total: 10.87% Snr Mgmt Salary: $154,500
% of Total: 3.49%

SOUTH SYDNEY
Support Salary: $58,000 CBD
Mid-Level Salary: $96,000 Support Salary: $60,000
Snr Mgmt Salary: $146,000 Mid-Level Salary: $100,000
% of Total: 4.70% Snr Mgmt Salary: $168,500
% of Total: 43.23%

EASTERN SUBURBS
Support Salary: $65,000 CITY FRINGE
Mid-Level Salary: $93,000 Support Salary: $59,000
Snr Mgmt Salary: $130,000 Mid-Level Salary: $91,000
% of Total: 4.87% Snr Mgmt Salary: $161,500
% of Total: 7.14%

Something that may come as a bit of a surprise, is that the CBD is not the highest paying region in Sydney. On average, the CBD
comes in second behind the Northern Beaches, which out-pays the CBD by nearly $10,000. The biggest difference between
the two is at Senior Management level, where the Northern Beaches is $31,500 more lucrative for high level Accounting
professionals by far the highest figure from the survey. Our experience tells us this is a result of professionals on the Northern
Beaches having longer tenures due to wanting to live and work in the same beachside location, plus a shortage of alternative
job opportunities. Unsurprisingly, the CBD is home to the most Sydney Accounting professionals 43.23% of respondents
stated that they worked in the CBD.

The CBD is also the most popular place for Accounting Support professionals to start their careers, with 67.64% of CBD
respondents identifying themselves as Millennials, and 11.59% of those being newcomers to the Accounting profession higher
than any other region. However, as far as salary goes, suburban locations like the Hills District or Eastern Suburbs might be
more attractive destinations for those at the outset of their careers. In order to compete for talent with inner city organisations,
were seeing companies in these areas paying higher rates than the CBD for Accounting Support professionals in order to
attract fresh talent to their business.

9
 BIGGER WORKFORCE, BIGGER SALARIES
Whilst its important to pay your people in line with company location, ensuring youre on par with other similar sized
companies is also important. Here is a breakdown of how base salaries (excluding superannuation) at different sized
companies compare across role levels.

1-20 21-200 201-2000 2000+

ROLE LEVEL
EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES

SUPPORT $60,000 $58,000 $60,000 $65,000

MID-LEVEL $75,000 $93,000 $110,000 $109,500

SENIOR MANAGEMENT $138,500 $160,000 $167,500 $170,000

As you can see from the table above, as the size of the company increases, generally speaking, so does the salary that
they offer their employees. The exception to this rule is at the Support level, where salaries are comparable across the
board.

We see the same trend when looking at salaries by the annual turnover of the company. At the Mid-level and Senior
Management levels, we see differences of 25.64% and 32.84% respectively between salaries at $0-25 million companies
and $1 billion plus companies. At the Support level, however, salaries are still consistent across the board.

This is likely due to the increased risk and responsibilities that higher level staff are expected to manage as part of their
roles. Especially in Senior Management, its not uncommon to be dealing with more than just the Accounting functions;
for example, HR, IT and Procurement can be part of a senior Accounting professionals portfolio. This is magnified in
larger companies that have higher turnovers and employ greater numbers of people. All of this means that Senior
Management roles in larger companies generally operate in a more complex business structure and are therefore more
complicated themselves, demanding higher levels of remuneration.

We can see the same trend when it comes to remuneration as a whole. Especially at the Senior Management level there
is a significant observable difference in bonuses and benefits as turnover and company size increase. The average bonus
in companies with 2,000+ employees is more than three times higher than the average bonus in companies with 1-20
people, with benefits also being nearly three times higher.

10
SYDNEY ACCOUNTING SALARIES INDEX - SUPPORT
AVERAGE PROFILE OF AN ACCOUNTING SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL

Accounting Support professionals are the most HAPPINESS METRICS

willing of our surveyed respondents to consider a
new job opportunity. They feel the least satisfied and
How satisfied are you with your current role?
valued in their role, and more than 56.72% of them
would move for less than a $5,000 increase in salary.

Considering that most of these professionals are at

the outset of their careers in Accounting, you may How valued do you feel in your current role?
need to look at ways to make this group feel more
satisfied and valued in the workplace. By taking a
long-term view to develop potential future leaders in
your organisation, it may reduce the risk of valuable
talent leaving to join a competitor in the early stages
of their career, for a fairly small increase in salary. How well does your employer support your
professional development?

SUPPORT SALARIES
MEDIAN
ROLE
BASE SALARY
Accounts Clerk $52,000 How transparent is the pay structure within your
organisation?
Accounts Payable Officer $58,000

Accounts Receivable Officer $60,000

Assistant Accountant $58,000

Billings Officer $63,500

Bookkeeper $62,000 How willing would you be to consider a new job

Credit Controller $60,000 opportunity?

Payroll - Sole Charge $83,500

Payroll Officer $66,500

11
SYDNEY ACCOUNTING SALARIES INDEX - MID-LEVEL
AVERAGE PROFILE OF A MID-LEVEL/JUNIOR MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONAL

MID-LEVEL/JUNIOR MANAGEMENT
SALARIES

MEDIAN MEDIAN
ROLE BASE ROLE BASE
SALARY SALARY
Accounts Payable Team Leader $68,000 Financial Analyst $90,000

Accounts Payable Manager $90,000 Financial Planning & Analysis Manager $161,500

Accounts Receivable Manager $90,000 Fund Accountant $73,000

Billings Manager $95,000 Management Accountant $91,000

Business Analyst $100,000 Project Accountant $88,000

Commercial Manager $140,000 Shared Services Manager $121,000

Company Accountant $75,000 Systems Accountant $106,500

Cost Accountant $77,500 Tax Accountant $70,000

Credit Manager $95,000 Tax Manager $131,000

Finance Manager $120,000 Treasury Accountant $62,500

Financial Accountant $85,000 Treasury Manager $150,000

12
One key point that both Accounting Support and Mid-level professionals have in common, is flexibility. Flexible work hours
and working from home feature prominently as benefits at both levels (working from home was a narrow fourth place for
Support professionals, with 11.34%). This could be an indication that organisations are adapting to meet employee priorities,
as work/life balance is a key differentiator for those in Mid-level roles.

Though it may sound obvious, our research shows that the benefits received by employees have a direct impact on their
happiness with certain aspects of their role. For example, the most common benefit in Mid-level/Junior Management roles
is professional membership, which is reflected in a significant increase in the feeling that their professional development
is supported and valued. As expected, Mid-level Accounting professionals are more expensive to attract than those at the
Support level; with 55.76% open to moving for a $10,000 increase in salary or less.

HAPPINESS METRICS

How satisfied are you with your current role? Do you feel valued in your current role?

How well does your employer support your How transparent is the pay structure within your
professional development? organisation?

How willing would you be to consider a new job

opportunity?

13
SYDNEY ACCOUNTING SALARIES INDEX - SENIOR MANAGEMENT
AVERAGE PROFILE OF A SENIOR MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONAL

What is clear from our Senior Management respondents, is that once Accounting professionals reach a certain level in their
career, salary becomes secondary to other attractors. When compared with the other role levels, Accounting professionals in
Senior Management arent looking for a significant pay increase to move, if any at all, with 22.47% stating they would move
for $5,000 or less.

However, our research also shows that its harder at

the top. Flexible hours arent in the top three most SENIOR MANAGEMENT SALARIES
common benefits, and working from home falls even
MEDIAN BASE
further down the list to eighth for those working at ROLE
SALARY
the Senior Management level. In addition to this,
Senior Management professionals also work more Chief Financial Officer 190,000
hours on average, clocking up 41-50 hours per week
Finance Director 180,000
in comparison to the 38-40 at Support and Mid-level.
Its unsurprising then, that work/life balance tops the
Financial Controller 144,000
list in terms of what Senior Management professionals
are looking for in their next role.

Being at the top also comes with its perks however, and we can see that Senior Management professionals are the most
satisfied in their role, feel the most valued and supported, see pay structure as the most transparent, and are the least likely
to be searching for a new role although not by much. This stands to reason of course, due to the importance of their roles
and the wider overview they have within their organisations.

14
HAPPINESS METRICS

How satisfied are you with your current job? Do you feel valued in your current role?

How transparent is the pay structure within your How well does your employer support your
organisation? professional development?

How willing would you be to consider a new job

opportunity?

CFO AND FINANCE DIRECTOR SALARIES

The CFO and FD roles have long been the pinnacle of a career in Accounting, and this is reflected by the fact they have
the highest median salaries throughout our research. Salaries for these roles regularly stretch beyond the medians listed
previously, and within this banding there are significant variations. In small to medium sized companies the range was broad
with base salaries stretching from $150,000 to $270,000. In larger businesses they started at $200,000 and we received
a number of responses from executives whose remuneration packages broke the half a million-dollar mark when including
bonuses and benefits.

As such, it has proved much more of a challenge for us to provide specific guidance around what the Sydney market is
paying at this level. A number of factors that affect this are, firstly, the size of the business. As a general rule, the larger the
business, the more responsibility, which ultimately leads to a higher salary. This is further accentuated if the business has
specific complexities or, for example is ASX listed where regulatory and investor scrutiny will mean a more technical and
compliance focused skillset is required.

Secondly, a number of CFO and FD roles will have other non-finance related oversight, such as HR, Information Technology,
Procurement, and other Operational departments, which can significantly lift the salary.

Finally, tenure within a position also plays a large part in determining remuneration. Given the scarcity of opportunities at
this level over the last decade, people are staying in their roles for longer. As CFOs and FDs are often offered above-market
pay increases each year, when they do decide to search for a new position they can find their remuneration has outstripped
Sydneys sluggish wage growth.

15
 CLOSING THOUGHTS
From the research that weve conducted into the Sydney Accounting market, several key trends and market shifts are clear.
The most significant finding is that Sydney Accounting professionals are more than happy to consider other opportunities,
especially for the right price. When asked, there was no specific segment of our audience that wouldnt consider other
opportunities, despite most being relatively happy and feeling valued in their current roles. In fact, just 5.11% of all respondents
stated that they would not be willing to consider another job opportunity. Furthermore, the salary increase that it would
require to lure these professionals into a new role isnt astronomical by any stretch. Being surrounded by a great team in a
company that supports its people and provides opportunities is of a far higher priority to most respondents.

This is something employers need to be aware of if theyre looking to retain their high performers and continue to attract top
talent. Being aware of what your people want and need, and then providing it, is key to growing your business and remaining
competitive in this rapidly changing market. Weve seen how organisations are adapting to this in one of the other key trends
uncovered from our research; the growing frequency of flexible working arrangements at all levels. Flexible working hours was
the second most commonly cited benefit amongst all respondents, which coincided with work/life balance being the second
most important priority when looking for a new role. While this shows that organisations are paying attention to what their
people want outside of just salary, there is still a significant segment (25.08%) of respondents who are looking for flexibility
in their role, but the option isnt provided to them. This is just one example of a group who may be more than happy to look
for other opportunities unless circumstances change.

Although some challenges within the Sydney Accounting market still persist, particularly with the uncertainty of the current
generational shift and the struggle against an ever-present gender pay gap, there are certainly positive signs for the future.
The CBD is still the main area of work for Sydney Accounting professionals, but as the metropolitan area increases in size,
the earning potential in these suburbs and the greater Sydney region will continue to grow and create exciting opportunities
for professionals at all levels.

Weve thoroughly enjoyed producing this first Sydney Accounting Salary Report. We hope the data and commentary in
this report has been helpful in providing you with the insights needed for you or your business to better understand the
remuneration trends in the Sydney Accounting sector. Thank you again for reading, we hope to see you again next year.

16
ABOUT RICHARD LLOYD

Sydneys Accounting Recruitment Specialists

Our mission is simple: To connect Sydneys accounting talent with outstanding job opportunities
exceeding expectations along the way.

Co-founders, Geoff Richard Balmer and David Lloyd Landau, established Richard Lloyd
Accounting Recruitment in 2008, with the vision of creating a unique recruitment agency
experience.

A recruitment agency with a difference

After identifying a gap in the market, we opened our doors and set out to establish a recruitment
agency where building long-term partnerships, with both job seekers and employers was and
would continue to be at the heart of what we do.

With our original team still in place, our specialist Sydney Accounting Recruiters have over 70
years of combined recruitment experience, having access to one of the largest networks of
accounting professionals in the region.

For us, every job brief and career goal is distinct therefore, we strive to always provide
consistent, high quality, tailored recruitment solutions for job seekers and employers.

If youre looking for a major competitive advantage when it comes to securing your next career
move or sourcing Sydneys top Accounting talent for your business, then were here to help.

17
 CONTACT RICHARD LLOYD
Level 3, 48 Hunter Street CALL US EMAIL US
Sydney NSW 2000 02 8324 5640 enquiries@richardlloyd.com.au