Accountant / Chief Accountant
Holds the company's financial truth: reliable books, on-time closings, tax and social compliance.
Why this hire matters.
Accounting is the bedrock of every financial decision you make: approximate books mean late closings that blind your steering, VAT or filing errors that cost in reassessments, and fundraise due diligence turning into an ordeal — investors judge your seriousness by the cleanliness of your accounts. Bringing the function in-house (vs an external firm) pays off as volume and complexity rise: internal accounting knows the business, closes faster and feeds controlling with fresh data. Modern tools (Pennylane, Qonto) and AI are shifting the job toward analysis and control — hire profiles comfortable with that evolution rather than data-entry executors, a task set to disappear.
Key missions.
- Keep general and auxiliary ledgers
- Deliver monthly and annual closings on time
- Handle tax filings (VAT, corporate tax)
- Oversee invoicing and collections
- Make accounting processes reliable and automated
- Prepare audits and due diligence
- Coordinate with the external accountant and payroll
Skills.
Technical skills
- French GAAP (PCG)
- Day-to-day corporate taxation
- Modern tools (Pennylane, Sage, Cegid)
- Advanced Excel
- Multi-entity closings (as relevant)
Expected qualities
- Absolute rigor
- Deadline reliability
- Discretion
- Curiosity for automation
Common stack
Salaries 2025-2026
| Level | Experience | Annual gross base |
|---|---|---|
| Junior accountant | 0-2 yrs | 30–40 k€ |
| Mid-level accountant | 2-5 yrs | 38–50 k€ |
| Senior / sole accountant | 5-8 yrs | 50–65 k€ |
| Chief accountant | 8+ yrs | 65–85 k€ |
Paris market ranges, 2025-2026.
Outside the Paris region, expect 10 to 15 % less.
Sources : Comptalents 2026 · Michael Page 2026 · Robert Half 2026
Hiring this profile.
Typical background
DCG/DSCG or accounting degree consolidated by experience, often via an accounting firm. Firm → company is the most common path.
When to hire
When the external firm no longer suffices: rising transaction volume, need for fast closings, fundraise preparation — often 30-60 people.
Career path
Senior accountant → Chief accountant → Finance manager → CFO.