Senior Accountant

Purpose Accounting; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Wellbeing leave

Birthday leave

Study support

Professional development funding

Generous paid leave

Job summary

Purpose Accounting is seeking a Senior Accountant to support nonprofits with high-quality accounting services in a hybrid Sydney role. The position reports to a Practice Lead and covers client-facing work plus internal collaboration on non-client tasks.

You will review month-end close, interpret Australian Accounting Standards, advise on complex transactions, prepare client reports and dashboards, lead audit prep, and mentor junior staff while driving process improvements.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in accounting roles with progressive responsibility.
• Strong understanding of Australian Accounting Standards in non-profit sector.
• Accurate, efficient and digitally confident with new tools.
• Ability to build positive client relationships and work autonomously.
• Proactive with proven prioritisation and deadline delivery.

Responsibilities

• Review month-end accounting performed by client staff to ensure correct application of standards and compliance with legislation.
• Advise clients on interpretation of Australian Accounting Standards.
• Provide accounting advice for complex transactions.
• Prepare P&L analyses and contribute to budgeting and reforecasting.
• Draft monthly reports for clients including dashboards and commentary.
• Lead audit preparation and liaise with clients during audits.
• Lead implementation projects for accounting/financial systems.
• Provide training and coaching to junior accountants.
• Promote best-practice and process improvements across the practice.
• Prioritise work independently to meet client deadlines.

Skills

Accounting expertise

Australian Accounting Standards

Non-profit sector experience

Client relationship skills

Leadership & mentoring

Education

Relevant university degree

Industry certification

Tools

Xero

Job description

Hybrid working- WFH 4 days, with 1 day per week in our Chippendale office

About the role

Purpose Accounting is seeking a Senior Accountant to support the business in providing high-quality accounting services to clients. The role will report to a Practice Lead and comprise a mix of client-facing work and collaboration internally with service team members on non-client-facing work. The role is full time (38 hours per week), in Sydney.

Key responsibilities

• Review month-end financial accounting performed by client Finance Officers to ensure accurate application of Australian Accounting Standards and compliance with legislation including Superannuation, PAYG Instalment, GST (BAS) and Portable Long Service Leave
• Advise clients on the interpretation of Australian Accounting Standards
• Provide accounting advice to clients for complex transactions
• Prepare analysis for clients on P&L performance against budget and contribute to budgeting and reforecasting processes
• Draft monthly management and Board reports for client-organisations, including dashboards, key reports and commentary
• Lead audit preparation and audit liaison processes with clients
• Lead implementation projects for accounting and financial management systems
• Provide training and coaching to Purpose Assistant Accountants
• Demonstrate best-practice and influence process improvement across the practice
• Independently prioritise work according to client requirements, operating under pressure to meet deadlines

About you

• Previous experience in an accounting role (10+ years)
• Relevant university and industry qualification
• Strong understanding of Australian Accounting Standards and their application in the non-profit sector
• Accurate and efficient
• Digitally confident and quick to embrace new tools
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to maintain positive client relationships
• Proactive, highly self-motivated and comfortable working autonomously
• Strong ability to prioritise work, operate under pressure and deliver against deadlines
• Legal right to work in Australia

• Hybrid working- WFH 4 days, with 1 day per week in our Chippendale office
• Personal wellbeing and cultural leave (an additional 9 days annually, offered to full-time permanent staff after initial probation period)
• Birthday leave (1 day annually)
• Additional leave days for study support
• Financial support for studies related to professional development
• Generous paid leave provisions, above statutory minimums

About us

Purpose Accounting is a management accounting company serving the non-profit sector in Australia. We have been in business for over 12 years, with 25 staff. Our focus is to bring together financial management with strategy and culture, to increase our clients' social impact and financial health. We support a range of client-organisations across the non-profit sector in Australia, typically with turnover between $1 million and $15 million. All our ongoing client organisations use Xero along with best-in-class add-ons in the Xero ecosystem. We work to a very flexible, hybrid arrangement. After an initial training period, one day per week is in the Sydney office (close to Central Station), and the remainder of the week is work-from-home. We also have team members working in Tasmania and Victoria. We have a great team culture which is based around learning and connection. Purpose Accounting is an equal opportunity employer and we promote diversity of thought, culture and background.