11 Out-of-the-Box Career Options for Certified Management Accountants

If you’re a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), you are in an excellent position to pursue a number of interesting and non-traditional career options. The CMA credential is globally recognized and respected, making it the perfect choice for those who want to expand their horizons beyond traditional accounting and finance roles.

Here, we’ll explore 11 out-of-the-box career options for Certified Management Accountants.

As a management accountant, you have the expertise and experience to help businesses use their resources more efficiently. By providing strategic advice to management teams, you can help them make better decisions and ensure they are getting the most out of their investments.

One of the benefits of being a consultant is flexibility. You can work on a freelance basis or join an established consultancy firm and specialize in management accounting services.

Risk management is an important area for management accountants to consider. Financial risk managers assess, monitor, and manage the risks associated with a company’s investments. You’ll need to be a skilled negotiator and have a good understanding of financial markets.

If you choose this career, be prepared to work in traditional corporate environments, such as banks and insurance companies.

Management accountants are well-positioned to take on data analyst roles, as they understand the complexities of accounting and know how to evaluate financial information. Data analysts collect and interpret large amounts of data from different sources. They generate insights and help management teams make informed decisions.

You’ll do well as a data analyst if you have strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Financial advisors help individuals and businesses make sound decisions about their money management. It’s one of the best jobs in accounting. As a management accountant, you would be in a great position to advise people on how to maximize their investments and manage their finances.

You’ll need excellent interpersonal skills for this role. You will also need to be aware of the latest financial trends and understand the different types of investments available.

These days, more and more companies are hiring management accountants to ensure their operations remain compliant with industry regulations. Compliance specialists keep up-to-date on changing regulations and help management teams create policies that adhere to them.

A management accountant is an expert in their field, so there’s no better person to teach accounting principles. Companies sometimes hire management accountants as corporate trainers to help their staff learn the fundamentals.

In this Certified Management Accountant job, being able to communicate effectively and connect with others is just as important as having technical knowledge.

Writing is another great way to use your management accounting skills. Working as a financial writer means you’ll produce content for websites and publications about financial topics. You may also create materials for corporate training programs.

Financial writers often have the ability to work from home as independent contractors. They may have limited contact with colleagues, making the position a perfect fit for management accountants who prefer to work autonomously.

Controllers oversee the accounting operations for a company. A controller’s responsibilities often include managing budgets and providing guidance for the company’s financial decisions. As a CMA, your attention to detail and communication skills will be key in this role.

Financial modeling is the process of creating a mathematical representation of a company’s finances. This is a skill that management accountants often excel at as they’re comfortable working with numerical data.

Financial modelers are in charge of creating accurate and reliable models that reflect the current reality as well as predict future trends.

If you are interested in investing, then becoming an investment manager could be an option for you. You’ll be responsible for researching and analyzing potential investments and making decisions on how to allocate the company’s funds.

Managing investments might appeal to you if you have an entrepreneurial spirit and enjoy taking risks.

Technology is having a major impact on management accounting. Companies often need consultants to help them navigate the ever-changing tech landscape and make sure their accounting systems are up-to-date and secure.

As a management accountant, you can offer valuable advice on which technology solutions will be most beneficial for businesses. You should have extensive knowledge of technology trends, including management accounting systems and current security protocols.

No, you don’t need to be certified to pursue any of the above management accountant jobs. However, companies often prefer candidates who have earned professional certifications. Having the CMA certification can demonstrate your knowledge and commitment to management accounting and may open up more opportunities for you.

By studying for the CMA exam with Gleim, you will have access to our comprehensive preparation materials and dedicated support. Our team of experts can help you to achieve your management accounting goals.