Financial Times seeks an accounting correspondent

The Financial Times has an opening for an accountancy correspondent to join the London newsroom.

The role of accountancy correspondent has grown in scope and profile in recent years as financial reporting has come under ever-greater scrutiny. False accounting has been a major factor in a string of corporate scandals, including the collapses of Wirecard and NMC Health. Audit reform has been demanded by a series of independent reviews, and shake up of the industry is under way. Insolvency processes have come under the spotlight, too, as businesses struggle amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

So this job involves covering not only the Big Four accountancy firms and their smaller competitors but also the regulatory bodies that are starting to hold them to account, as well as the investors and politicians demanding higher standards.

These are the key duties of the role:

• Lead coverage of the global accountancy sector as the industry’s main players are forced to restructure in response to high profile auditing scandals and calls for reform

• Bring in high-profile scoops about the Big Four – Deloitte, PwC, KPMG and EY – and their mid-tier rivals, on issues such as: work won and lost, behaviour and culture, financial performance, strategic changes, industry themes, regulatory intervention

• Report on changes to accounting and financial reporting regulation, government scrutiny of the sector, and industry lobbying efforts

• Break news on regulatory sanctions and legal actions involving accountancy firms; analyse the consequences; investigate errors, misconduct and wrongdoing

• Be the first to report on the roles of accountancy firms in corporate administrations and insolvencies

• Analyse the changing business models of accountancy groups and their positions in wider society including financial markets

• Ability to work across all FT platforms including video and audio, and engage with our audience through social media

• Weekend shifts are required as part of the team rotation.

To apply, go here.