Assistant Accountant

On Demand HR; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 65,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Wellbeing and cultural leave

Birthday leave

Study and professional development"

Job summary

Purpose Accounting is a management accounting firm serving not-for-profit organisations across Australia. The team is Sydney-based with a hybrid work pattern, and the role of Assistant Accountant sits in a collaborative service team with senior oversight.

You will support payroll, bookkeeping, and compliance as part of our not-for-profit client portfolio. You will work with Xero and add-ons like Calxa and Power BI to deliver timely reporting, Budgets, BAS/IAS, and client queries.

Qualifications

• Bookkeeping across AP/AR and bank reconciliations.
• Payroll processing and day-to-day compliance including superannuation and STP lodgements.
• Solid understanding of accounting principles and practical application.
• Accurate and efficient, quick to learn new systems.
• Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines across client portfolios.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with clients.

Responsibilities

• Deliver client payroll and bookkeeping functions (AP/AR/bank recs).
• Complete day-to-day compliance (superannuation, STP).
• Prepare draft month-end processes for review by seniors.
• Draft BAS and IAS returns and payroll reconciliations for review.
• Support audit processes and respond to client queries.
• Assist in budget model rollovers and reporting data loading (Calxa/Power BI).
• Prepare management reports and tailor client reporting settings.

Skills

Bookkeeping

Payroll processing

Compliance knowledge (superannuation &

Tools

Xero

Calxa

Power BI

Job description

Purpose Accounting is a management accounting company serving the not-for-profit sector across Australia. For over 12 years, we have partnered with community and cause-driven organisations, bringing together financial management with strategy and culture to help our clients increase their social impact. We support around 70 client-organisations, ranging from homelessness prevention and children's education to migrant and refugee services, Aboriginal organisations, and organisations supporting children, youth and people with disability. All our clients use Xero, together with best-in-class add-ons across the Xero ecosystem.

Our team of 25 is based mostly in Sydney, working from home for the majority of the week and coming into our Chippendale office 1 day per week, with some team members working remotely interstate. The Assistant Accountant works within a service team, with input and oversight from a more senior team member. We have a close, collegiate culture with regular collaboration across the team. Purpose Accounting is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity of thought, culture and background, and to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

About Us

Purpose Accounting is a management accounting company serving the not-for-profit sector across Australia. For over 12 years, we have partnered with community and cause-driven organisations, bringing together financial management with strategy and culture to help our clients increase their social impact. We support around 70 client-organisations, ranging from homelessness prevention and children's education to migrant and refugee services, Aboriginal organisations, and organisations supporting children, youth and people with disability. All our clients use Xero, together with best-in-class add-ons across the Xero ecosystem.

Our team of 25 is based mostly in Sydney, working from home for the majority of the week and coming into our Chippendale office 1 day per week, with some team members working remotely interstate. The Assistant Accountant works within a service team, with input and oversight from a more senior team member. We have a close, collegiate culture with regular collaboration across the team. Purpose Accounting is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity of thought, culture and background, and to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

About the Role

We are currently looking for an experienced Assistant Accountant to join our team. Key duties will include:

• Delivering client payroll and bookkeeping functions, including accounts payable, accounts receivable and bank reconciliations
• Completing day-to-day compliance, including superannuation and STP lodgements
• Preparing draft month-end processes for clients, for review by senior team members
• Drafting compliance returns, including BAS, IAS, STP finalisation, portable long service leave returns and payroll reconciliations, for review
• Performing simple calculations such as backpays, and drafting research on accounting matters, for review
• Providing audit process support and attending to basic audit requirements
• Performing budget model rollovers and loading budget data into reporting systems
• Drafting management reports for clients, and modifying settings in Calxa and Power BI to make basic changes to client reporting
• Responding to basic client queries and supporting in-house finance officers at client organisations
• Managing the on-time delivery of ongoing client deliverables, and flagging concerns to senior team members

Requirements

We are seeking a candidate who:

• Has bookkeeping experience, including accounts payable, accounts receivable and bank reconciliations
• Has experience processing payroll and completing day-to-day compliance such as superannuation and STP lodgements
• Has a solid understanding of accounting principles and their practical application
• Is accurate and efficient in processing tasks, and learns new systems and technology quickly
• Has the ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines across multiple client portfolios
• Has communication and interpersonal skills, with experience responding to client queries

Highly desirable:

• Experience using Xero
• Experience working in an accounting practice environment
• Experience working in the not-for-profit sector or with not-for-profit organisations
• Experience drafting BAS and IAS returns

Benefits

• Hybrid working: 4 days a week from home and 1 day per week in our Chippendale office with your team, with up to 2 days a week in the office initially for training; laptop provided
• Personal wellbeing and cultural leave: an additional 9 days annually for full-time permanent staff (available after probation)
• Birthday leave: 1 additional day per year
• Additional leave days and financial support for study and professional development
• Close to train and bus stop, with easy street parking
• Input and oversight from experienced senior team members, with regular training and internal growth opportunities
• Purpose-driven work supporting not-for-profit organisations across Australia