IFAC, farming specialist accountants and tax advisers, filled 51 roles in 2015, 39 of which were new positions. IFAC says the big recruitment drive was due to significant growth in 2015.

“We needed extra people on board because of the demand,” says Mary Phelan, group marketing executive with the co-op.

While many of the positions filled were for accountants and trainee accountants, there was recruitment in the HR department and IFAC’s head of IT was also hired last year. Roles in ag support for farmers were also filled.

Accountants wanted

Mary says IFAC expects to fill just as many positions this year as it did in 2015.

At this very minute, IFAC has openings for accountants and the co-op is interested in meeting people to fill these positions at the Irish Farmers Journal and open eir Agri Careers Fair, which takes place in the RDS on 3 March (register for free to attend the event by clicking on the link below). While it will be May before other positions come on stream in IFAC, the co-op is keen to meet people at the Agri Careers Fair who they can interview closer to May.

IFAC is also launching a two-year trainee programme for accountants at the Agri Careers Fair. This programme will involve an induction period where graduates will be briefed, in detail, on tax and other topics to improve their personal and professional development.

84% of the roles in IFAC were in Leinster and Munster last year as this is where the majority of the IFAC offices are based. IFAC acquired four firms last year – in Callan, Cork, Lucan and Sligo – and will be filling roles in those offices. However, it is particularly looking to grow its Connacht base.

So, where is the extra business coming from that is meriting a need for so much recruitment in IFAC?

“We are gaining a lot of farming clients,” says Mary. “At the end of the day, we are farming specialists. The number of farmers we deal with has risen and continues to rise on an annual basis.”

Opportunities for tax specialists

IFAC also branched into a new area in 2015 by setting up TaxBright, which deals with small to medium enterprises in Dublin. IFAC is hoping to open a second TaxBright office in 2016, which creates opportunities for tax specialists within the business. Saying that, however, Mary says the majority of employees being taken on are for IFAC itself rather than for TaxBright.

Meet IFAC and many more at the inaugural Agri Careers Fair brought to you by the Irish Farmers Journal and open eir. The event takes place in the RDS on 3 March and if you wish to attend, register here.

Find out more about the Agri Careers Fair in our podcast:

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