What Trips Accountants Up in the Public Sector — and How to Work Safely Inside It
The public sector works very differently from private business, and misunderstanding it creates serious risk. This session helps accountants understand how the public sector operates, where the pressure points are, and how to work safely without being exposed to audit findings, investigations, or blame.
What will set you apart
By completing this course you will gain the following competencies
- By attending this event, delegates will learn:
- Delegates will learn how the public sector environment really works, why decisions are made the way they are, and where accountants are most exposed. This allows them to navigate public-sector work with confidence, avoid common traps, and protect their professional reputation.
Event breakdown
- Why public sector work is high-risk for accountants
- How the public sector environment differs from private business
- Where accountability and oversight really sit
- Common mistakes accountants make in public-sector roles
- How pressure and poor processes create exposure
- Working safely with officials and oversight bodies
- Practical steps to protect yourself and your reputation
Description
Many accountants struggle in the public sector not because they lack technical skill, but because they misunderstand the environment they are working in. Different rules, slower processes, political pressure, and multiple layers of accountability change how decisions are made and how risk arises.
This session focuses on the real public sector context accountants operate in, not theory or policy language. It explains how governance, oversight, and accountability work in practice, and why public-sector work carries higher personal and professional risk.
The session is practical and realistic. Delegates will learn where things usually go wrong, how audit and oversight bodies think, and how to protect themselves when working with officials, managers, and structures under pressure. The aim is to help accountants work confidently and safely in the public sector environment.
Presenters
Eszter Rapanos — Eszter Rapanos is a Chartered Accountant (SA) with extensive experience in auditing, quality assurance and the public sector. She began her career at the Auditor-General South Africa and has worked on projects involving organisations such as the European Union, World Bank, GIZ and KfW. She has also held senior roles in audit, training and quality control within accounting firms. At CIBA, Eszter leads quality assurance and public sector initiatives, drawing on her strong technical, regulatory and professional experience.
You will earn a certificate
On successful completion you will receive a certificate for 2 CPD units in Accounting.
Requirements
- Laptop, desktop, or mobile device with internet access
- Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox browser