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Career advice · Updated October 2026

How to Write an Accountant CV in Kenya: Qualifications, Systems and Results

Accounting jobs in Kenya draw large numbers of qualified applicants, so the CVs that get shortlisted are the ones that make three things obvious straight away: your professional qualification, the systems you can work in, and the size and type of books you have handled. This guide covers what finance managers and recruiters in Kenya look for in an accountant CV, from accounts assistant to senior accountant. The free CV builder will put it into a clean, ATS-friendly PDF.

Qualifications Come First

Most accounting adverts in Kenya ask for CPA(K), the Certified Public Accountant qualification examined by KASNEB, alongside a degree in commerce, accounting or finance. Many also ask for membership of ICPAK, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya, and senior roles often require you to be in good standing. Write your status precisely: “CPA(K), ICPAK member number 12345”, or “CPA Section 5 (pending results)”. Vague phrases such as “CPA student” make recruiters assume the lowest level.

A Strong Accountant CV Structure

  1. Name, phone, email, town and your professional qualification in the headline.
  2. Profile: years of experience, sector, and your main areas such as reporting, tax, payables or audit.
  3. Experience: latest role first, with the company, sector, your title and dates.
  4. Professional qualifications: CPA(K), ACCA or CFA level, with year passed.
  5. Education: degree, institution and class.
  6. Systems and skills: accounting software, ERP, Excel level and tax systems.
  7. Referees: three, including a finance manager or auditor you reported to.

Name the Systems You Have Used

Employers want to know you can start without long training. List the accounting packages and ERPs you have actually used, for example QuickBooks, Sage, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Odoo or Oracle, and say how you used them. Describe your Excel level with examples such as pivot tables, lookups or financial models. If you have prepared and filed returns on KRA iTax, including PAYE, VAT or withholding tax, say which ones. Tax experience is one of the most requested skills in Kenyan accounting adverts.

Use Numbers That Show Scale

Finance hiring managers think in figures, so give them some. Good examples: “Prepared monthly management accounts for a company with KES 400 million annual turnover”, “Cleared a six-month bank reconciliation backlog across four accounts”, “Cut month-end close from ten days to six”, or “Managed payables for 120 suppliers”. Only use numbers you can explain in an interview, and keep confidential client details out.

Audit and Compliance Experience

If you have supported an external audit, prepared audit schedules, worked with internal controls or handled a KRA review, include it. These show you can be trusted with sensitive work. For NGO roles, mention donor reporting and grant budgets; for banks and Saccos, regulatory returns.

Entry-Level Accountants

Graduates and those still completing CPA should put the qualification progress first, followed by internships, attachment and any bookkeeping for small businesses or churches. A one-page CV is fine. Many first roles are titled accounts assistant or finance intern, so use those words in your profile.

Know the Pay Before You Apply

When you get an offer, check what you will actually take home with our net salary calculator, and read salary negotiation tips for Kenya before you reply.

Build Your Accountant CV

Open the free CV and cover letter builder, put your CPA(K) and ICPAK status in the headline, and list your systems in the skills section. Download the PDF and apply for current accounting and finance jobs. For a matching letter, see how to write a cover letter in Kenya.