APS5 - Asset Accountant, Financial Management

Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts; Canberra; Hybrid; AUD 89,000 - 97,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working opportunities

Leave entitlements and career support

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts – Canberra ACT is seeking an Asset Accountant at APS5 level. The role supports the Financial Accounting Team, managing asset registers and delivering monthly and annual financial reporting.

You will work in a diverse asset portfolio, including property and infrastructure. The position offers hybrid work arrangements, with opportunities across Canberra and Adelaide, and a pathway to

Qualifications

• Experience in financial accounting and asset management within a government context.
• Knowledge of Australian Government financial reporting requirements.
• Ability to analyse complex accounting issues and provide practical solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Stakeholder engagement across finance and business areas.
• Delivery with attention to deadlines and accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Maintain department asset register including additions, disposals and transfers.
• Assist month-end and year-end close with reconciliations and workpapers.
• Support preparation of annual financial statements and audit requirements.
• Coordinate asset stocktakes, valuations and impairment assessments.
• Provide accounting advice on asset recognition, capitalisation and depreciation.
• Develop position papers and documentation for technical accounting matters.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to improve asset accounting processes.

Skills

Financial accounting

Asset accounting

Financial reporting

Analytical skills

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Attention to detail

Job description

Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts – Canberra ACT

$89,225 - $96,829 a year

Full time, Permanent

Hybrid

2d ago , from Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

Title:

Classification(s):

Employment Type:

Ongoing, Full Time

Business Division:

Finance, Strategy, Budget & Research

Branch / Section:

Location:

We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our roles support flexible work arrangements including the opportunity to work from one of our departmental offices and hybrid (mixture of office and home-based work).

This role is located in Canberra and Adelaide.

A merit pool may be formed and used to fill future similar vacancies in these locations and other locations within the same metropolitan area.

Security Clearance:

Baseline Vetting

Job Reference No:

48309

Contact Officer:

Closing Date:

11.59pm AEDT, Sunday 29 November 2026

We actively seek to reflect the diversity of the Australian community in our workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderpeople, people with disability and/or who are neurodivergent, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including people of all genders and gender identities. We uphold gender equality as a core organisational value. If you’re interested in the role but feel uncertain, we still encourage you to apply if you feel your passions, transferable skills and valuable experience align with this position.

APS5 – Asset Accountant, Financial Management

Title:

APS5 – Asset Accountant, Financial Management

Classification(s):

APS Level 5

Employment Type:

Ongoing, Full Time

Salary:

$89,225- $96,829per annum plus 15.4% superannuation

Business Division:

Finance, Strategy, Budget & Research

Branch / Section:

Financial Management, Financial Accounting

Location:

We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our roles support flexible work arrangements including the opportunity to work from one of our departmental offices and hybrid (mixture of office and home-based work).

This role is located in Canberra and Adelaide.

A merit pool may be formed and used to fill future similar vacancies in these locations and other locations within the same metropolitan area.

Security Clearance:

Baseline Vetting

Job Reference No:

48309

Contact Officer:

Closing Date:

11.59pm AEDT, Sunday 29 November 2026

We actively seek to reflect the diversity of the Australian community in our workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderpeople, people with disability and/or who are neurodivergent, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including people of all genders and gender identities. We uphold gender equality as a core organisational value. If you’re interested in the role but feel uncertain, we still encourage you to apply if you feel your passions, transferable skills and valuable experience align with this position.

The opportunity we have available

The Finance, Strategy, Budget & Research Division is seeking to fill an Asset Accountant (APS 5) position in the Financial Accounting Team.

The Financial Accounting Team supports the department to meet its statutory financial reporting obligations, including monthly reporting to the Department of Finance and preparation of the department's annual financial statements. The team is also responsible for the department's asset accounting function, including maintaining the asset register, coordinating asset stocktakes, valuations and impairment assessments, and providing technical accounting advice on asset-related matters.

This is a varied role providing exposure to a diverse and complex asset portfolio, including property, infrastructure, plant and equipment, artwork, heritage and cultural assets, intangible assets and assets supporting the delivery of essential services in Australia's non-self-governing territories.

The role provides an opportunity to develop strong technical financial accounting capability while working closely with business areas, external valuation specialists, the Department of Finance and the Australian National Audit Office. You will also have opportunities to contribute to improvements in asset accounting processes, controls, systems and reporting.

What you will do

As the Asset Accountant, you will undertake a broad range of financial and asset accounting activities. The work is varied and includes both business-as-usual financial accounting activities and annual reporting deliverables.

Typical duties include

• managing and maintaining the department’s asset register, including asset additions, disposals, transfers, adjustments, and other asset movements
• contributing to month-end and year-end financial close processes, including preparing reconciliations and high-quality workpapers
• contributing to the preparation of the department's annual financial statements and associated audit requirements
• coordinating the department’s asset stocktake program and working with business areas to investigate and resolve stocktake outcomes
• coordinating independent asset valuations and supporting the assessment and accounting treatment of revaluation outcomes
• coordinating impairment reviews and working with stakeholders to identify and assess potential indicators of impairment
• supporting accounting assessments for complex asset matters, including asset recognition, capitalisation, useful lives, impairment, revaluation, write-downs and disposals
• preparing clear, evidence-based accounting position papers, file notes and other technical accounting documentation
• providing practical financial and accounting advice to business areas on the management and accounting treatment of non-financial assets
• maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including business areas, external valuation specialists, the Department of Finance and the Australian National Audit Office
• supporting continuous improvement of asset accounting processes, guidance, controls and reporting, including opportunities arising from changes to finance systems and business processes.

The role offers an opportunity to work across the full asset accounting lifecycle, from initial recognition and capitalisation through to depreciation, stocktake, valuation, impairment and eventual disposal. It also provides exposure to complex accounting matters and a broad range of stakeholders across the department.

Inherent requirements for the role

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate capability consistent with the APS5 Work Level Standards, including the ability to exercise sound judgement, work with a degree of independence and contribute effectively to a professional financial environment.

The core capabilities for this role are:

• Financial and asset accounting capability – experience in financial accounting and a sound understanding of accounting for non-financial assets
• Financial reporting knowledge – knowledge of, or the ability to quickly develop knowledge of, Australian Government financial reporting requirements and relevant accounting standards
• Analytical skills and judgement – ability to analyse complex accounting issues, identify relevant information and develop practical and well-supported solutions
• Communication skills – well-developed written and verbal communication skills
• Stakeholder engagement – ability to build productive working relationships and collaborate effectively with finance and non-finance stakeholders
• Delivery and attention to detail – ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines while maintaining the quality and accuracy expected in financial reporting.

RecruitAbility

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is committed to supporting the employment and career development of people with disability. Our participation in APS RecruitAbility means we will progress an applicant with disability to a further stage in the recruitment process, where they opt into RecruitAbility and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy.

The RecruitAbility minimum requirements are listed above under 'inherent requirements for the role'.

You will be asked to indicate if you wish to opt into RecruitAbility in the application form. You must tick the 'opt in' box to participate in RecruitAbility. Simply declaring that you have a disability will not automatically include you.

We provide reasonable adjustments such as access, equipment or other practical support at relevant stages of the recruitment process. Please advise in the application form or get in touch with the contact officer if you need any adjustments made.

More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs and services for First Nations people and the broader Australian community. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their willingness to develop their cultural capability as part of the assessment process. In making it a requirement across all roles in our department, we are taking a practical step in delivering our commitments under the Our Stories on Country Agreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025-28.

As an APS5 you will be expected to:

• Consider the cultural context and implications of work area outcomes.
• Engage respectfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, building trusted relationships.
• Communicate respectfully and seeks appropriate cultural input to inform decisions.

What else can we offer?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are. We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work. Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
• Flexible working opportunities, including part time hours, home based work and job sharing.
• We offer generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full-time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and well-being. Experience personal and professional development, prioritise your health, and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.

Eligibility requirements