What are the Role and Duties of the Management Accountant?

Management Accountant is an officer who is entrusted with the Management Accounting function of an organization. He plays a significant role in the decision-making process of an organization. The organizational position of Management Accountant varies from concern to concern depending upon the pattern of the management system. He may be an executive in some concern, while a member of the Board of Directors in case of some other concern. However, he occupies a key position in the organization. In large concerns, he is responsible for the installation, development and efficient functioning of the management accounting system. He designs the framework of the financial and cost control reports that provide with the most useful data at the most appropriate time. Also Learned, Cost Accounting, What are the Role and Duties of the Management Accountant?

Learn, Explain What are the Role and Duties of the Management Accountant?

The Management Accountant sometimes describing as Chief Intelligence Officer because apart from top management, no one in the organization perhaps knows more about various functions of the organization than him. Tandon has explained the position of Management Accountant as follows: “The management accountant is exactly like the spokes in a wheel, connecting the rim of the wheel and the hub receiving the information. He processes the information and then returns the processed information back to where it came from”.

#Role of Management Accountant:

Management Accountant otherwise calls Controller, is considering to be a part of the management team since he has the responsibility for collecting vital information. Both from within and outside the company. The functions of the controller have been laid down by the Controller’s Institute of America.

These functions are:

• To establish, coordinate and administer, as an integral part of management, an adequate plan for the control of operations. Such a plan would provide, to the extent required in the business cost standards, expense budgets, sales forecasts, profit planning, and program for capital investment and financing. Together with the necessary procedures to effectuate the plan.
• To compare performance with operating plan and standards and to report and interpret the results of the operation to all levels of management, and to the owners of the business. This function includes the formulation and administration of accounting policy and the compilations of statistical records and special reposts as required.
• To consult withal segments of management responsible for policy or action conserving any phase of the operations of the business. As, it relates to the attainment of the objective, and the effectiveness of policies, organization structures, procedures.
• The administer tax policies and procedures.
• To supervise and coordinate the preparation of reports to Government agencies.
• The assured fiscal protection for the assets of the business through adequate internal; control and proper insurance coverage.
• To continuously appraise economic and social forces and government influences, and interpret their effect upon business.

#Duties and Responsibilities of Management Accountant:

The primary duty of Management Accountant is to help management in taking correct policy-decisions and improving the efficiency of operations. He performs a staff function and also has line authority over the accountants. If the management accountant feels that a decision likely to take by the management based on the information tendered by him shall be detrimental to the interest of the concern. He should point out this fact to the concerned management, of course, with tact, patience, firmness, and politeness. On the other hand, if the decision was taken happens to be the wrong one on account of inaccuracy. Biased and fabricated data furnished by the management accountant. He shall be held responsible for the wrong decision takes by the management.

Controllers Institute of America has defined the following duties of Management Accountant or controller:

• The installation and interpretation of all accounting records of the Corporative.
• The preparation and interpretation of the financial statements and reports of the corporation.
• Continuous audit of all accounts and records of the corporation wherever located.
• The compilation of costs of distribution.
• The compilation of production costs.
• The taking and costing of all physical inventories.
• The preparation and filing of tax returns and to the supervision of all matters relating to taxes.
• Preparation and interpretation of all statistical records and reports of the corporation.
• The preparation as budget director, in conjunction with other officers and department heads, of an annual budget covering all activities of the corporation of submission to the Board of Directors prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. The authority of the Controller, with respect to the veto of commitments of expenditures not authorized by the budget, shall, from time to time, fix by the board of Directors.

Continuously;

• The ascertainment currently that the properties of the corporation are properly and adequately insured.
• The initiation, preparation, and issuance of standard practices relating to all accounting. Matters and procedures and the coordination of the system throughout the corporation including clerical and office methods, records, reports, and procedures.
• The maintenance of adequate records of authorizing appropriations and determination. That all sums expend pursuant there into properly accounts for.
• The ascertainment currently that financial transactions cover by minutes of the Board of Directors and/ or the Executive committee are properly executing and recording.
• The maintenance of adequate records of all contracts and leases.
• The approval for payment(and/or countersigning ) of all Cheques, promissory notes and other negotiable instruments of the corporation. Which have to sign by the treasurer or such other officers as shall have to authorize by the by-laws of the corporation or from time to time designated by the Board of Directors.
• The examination of all warrants for the withdrawal of securities from the vaults of the corporation and the determination. That such withdrawals are made in conformity with the by-laws and /or regulations establishing from time by the Board of Directors.
• The preparation or approval of the regulations or standard practices. Required to assure compliance with orders or regulations issued by duly constituted governmental agencies.