THIS senior position pays women almost a third less than men

Male Financial Directors are out-earning their female peers by almost £30,000 a year, according to an analysis by specialist recruiter Global Accounting Network.

The researchers suggest this could be in part the result of an unnecessary focus on existing salary when negotiating remuneration as professionals climb the career ladder.  As women tend to earn less overall, they are starting their salary negotiation from a lower position than their male counterparts.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the gender pay gap in the industry starts fairly small. At the chartered and qualified accountant level, where the workforce is split roughly equally in terms of gender, the pay gap sits at 5.1%. Men working in these roles receive an average annual salary of £37,250, compared to the £33,010 that women typically earn.

From our magazine

Leadership | Getting more women in the boardroom

However, the gap grows among financial managers and directors, where women account for 42% of the workforce. The pay gap here widens to 31.6% - with women earning an average of £42,674 in comparison to the £71,986 salary of their male contemporaries. The difference between the two figures equates to £29,312 a year.