Cardiff Accountancy Recruitment

Accountancy Capital recruits qualified finance professionals for employers in Cardiff and across South Wales. Most of our work is in the commercial private sector and private equity-backed businesses: Financial Controllers, Finance Managers, management accountants, financial accountants and FP&A professionals, generally at £50,000 and above. We fill permanent roles, interim assignments and part-time or fractional positions.

We do not have an office in Cardiff. We recruit across the UK from our offices in London and the West Midlands, and meet Welsh employers at their premises or by video call. Our candidate work is direct: we approach qualified finance professionals across Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and the wider M4 corridor rather than relying on job board advertising alone.

This page covers the Cardiff finance market, current pay benchmarks, how the Cardiff and Bristol markets interact, interim and fractional options, and how a search works. For other cities, see all the locations we cover.

Cardiff Finance Salary Benchmarks

The table shows typical base salary ranges for permanent roles in Cardiff and South Wales, with Bristol and London for comparison. Ranges vary with the size and ownership of the business, the scope of the role and the candidate’s qualification.

Cardiff salaries typically sit somewhat below Bristol and well below London for comparable roles, reflecting the lower cost of living and the smaller number of large employers. Private equity-backed businesses in Cardiff usually pay closer to national PE market rates than to the general regional rate. For national benchmarks by role, see our Financial Controller salary guide, Finance Manager salary guide and all salary guides.

The Cardiff Qualified Finance Market

Financial and professional services

Cardiff has a substantial financial services employer base. Admiral Group and Principality Building Society are headquartered in the city, Legal & General has a significant Cardiff presence, and the development around Central Square has brought more professional services and technology businesses into the city centre. These employers create demand for finance professionals with regulatory reporting experience and, increasingly, for FP&A and commercial finance specialists. Our FCA-regulated firm recruitment page covers those roles in more detail.

Public sector and public bodies

The Welsh Government, Cardiff Council, the NHS in Wales and UK government bodies such as Companies House, which is headquartered in Cardiff, employ a large community of qualified accountants. Public sector roles often come with defined benefit pensions and pay towards the lower end of the commercial range. Our focus is the commercial private sector, but that public sector community is an important source of candidates for private employers, particularly for roles where controls and governance matter.

Manufacturing, logistics and commercial businesses

South Wales has a strong manufacturing and commercial base along the M4, from aerospace and engineering around Newport to food production, logistics and distribution across the Vale of Glamorgan and the valleys. CIMA-qualified Financial Controllers and Finance Managers with operational finance experience, covering stock, costing, margin and working capital, are in consistent demand from this cluster.

Cardiff and Bristol: One Candidate Market

The Cardiff and Bristol finance markets are connected by the M4 and the rail line, and many senior finance professionals in both cities consider roles in either. A Cardiff-based Financial Controller who commutes to Bristol for the right role is common. So is a Bristol candidate who takes a Cardiff role where the business, the culture or the shorter commute justifies a modest difference in salary.

For Cardiff employers this matters in two ways. Your salary needs to be credible against Bristol for the strongest candidates. And for specialist roles, such as a Financial Controller with private equity reporting experience or a group consolidation specialist, searching across the corridor rather than Cardiff alone produces a much stronger shortlist. See our Bristol accountancy recruitment page for that market.

Hybrid working has also brought London-trained finance professionals to South Wales, many with Big Four training and private equity experience, who work for London employers part of the week. That has strengthened the senior end of the Cardiff candidate pool and made the best Cardiff roles more competitive for candidates.

Interim and Fractional Finance in Cardiff

We place Interim Financial Controllers, Interim Finance Managers and Interim Finance Directors across Cardiff and South Wales for departures, parental leave, year-ends, audits and systems projects. Typical day rates are around £315–£475 for an Interim Financial Controller and £460–£720 for an Interim Finance Director. The pool of immediately available senior interims based in Cardiff is smaller than in Bristol or the larger English cities, so an interim brief needs to go to market promptly, and we draw on Bristol and South West candidates where needed. See Interim Financial Controller recruitment and interim accountancy recruitment.

For growing businesses that need qualified oversight one or two days a week, a fractional Financial Controller is often a better fit than a full-time hire. Where an interim or fractional professional works through their own company, the off-payroll working (IR35) rules need to be considered at the start.

South Wales Coverage

Our Cardiff work extends across South Wales: Newport, Cwmbran and Pontypool to the east; Bridgend, the Vale of Glamorgan and Swansea to the west; and the valleys to the north. For employers outside the city centre we search across every commutable location rather than limiting the search to Cardiff-based professionals, which matters for roles that need specific sector or systems experience.

Accountancy Capital is one of the five specialist firms of FD Capital Group. Where a South Wales business needs a Finance Director, CFO or non-executive alongside a Financial Controller or Finance Manager hire, the group can cover the full finance team, so the board-level and operational searches run in step rather than separately.

How a Cardiff Search Works

• Brief. We talk through the role, the team, the systems, the salary and your timetable, and agree terms in writing before any work starts.
• Search. We approach candidates directly across Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and the wider corridor, alongside targeted advertising where it helps.
• Shortlist. Every candidate is interviewed against your brief before you see a CV. Permanent shortlists typically follow within one to two weeks; interim candidates within days.
• Interviews and offer. We arrange interviews, pass on feedback, manage the offer and stay in touch through notice and the first weeks in the role.

In a close-knit market like Cardiff, an employer’s reputation travels quickly among finance professionals. Honest communication with candidates, prompt feedback and a fair offer process make a measurable difference to who applies next time.

Registering as a Cardiff Finance Candidate

Qualified and part-qualified finance professionals in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and across South Wales can register with us in confidence. We will only put you forward after talking a role through with you. Professional bodies such as the ICAEW and ACCA have active member networks in Wales that are worth using alongside a recruiter. Our guide to writing an accountancy CV and the candidate hub are good places to start, and you can browse current finance jobs.

Cardiff Accountancy Recruitment: Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can you produce a Cardiff shortlist?

For a permanent Financial Controller, typically within one to two weeks. For an interim brief, within days.

Do you cover Newport, Swansea and the valleys?

Yes. We cover the whole of South Wales, including Newport, Cwmbran, Pontypool, Bridgend, Swansea and the valleys.

Can you find PE-experienced Financial Controllers in Cardiff?

The pool based specifically in Cardiff is smaller than in Bristol or London, so for PE-backed businesses we usually extend the search along the M4 corridor to Newport, Bridgend and Bristol.

Do you have an office in Cardiff?

No. We recruit from London and the West Midlands and meet Welsh clients at their premises or by video call.

What does it cost?

It depends on the type of hire. We agree the fee in writing before any search starts.