AU Accountant (001-1454)

​​Looking for Filipino (Philippines-based) candidates Job Role: Accountant Compensation range: $2,000-$3,000 AUD / Monthly Engagement type: Independent Contractor Agreement Work Schedule: This role is expected to align with the AU business hours (9 AM - 5 PM, Monday to Friday) for collaboration, but as a contractor, you’ll have flexibility in how you manage your time and You’ll work with your manager to balance your schedule with customer and business needs. Who We Are: At Hunt St, we help Australian companies hire top remote talent in the Philippines. For this role, you will be engaged directly by the client as an independent contractor. We are not an outsourcing agency. Who The Client Is: A dedicated, outsourced finance department for ambitious Australian businesses. We bridge the gap between basic compliance bookkeeping and high-level CFO advisory, giving business owners real-time financial clarity, bulletproof compliance, and strategic insights to scale with confidence. Our core philosophy is simple: we don’t just record history; we help shape the future. Leveraging modern cloud technology, the Xero ecosystem, and AI automation, we deliver end-to-end financial operations, from daily reconciliations and payroll to multi-entity management reporting, cash flow modelling, and fractional CFO support. Role Overview: We are looking for a tech-savvy, commercially minded Accountant to manage the full finance function across a varied portfolio of Australian SME clients. This is not a traditional, passive data-entry bookkeeping job. You will take true ownership of our clients’ balance sheets and financial workflows. You will maintain pristine day-to-day records in Xero while stepping up to provide month-end management reporting, variance analysis, rolling cash flow forecasts, and proactive business insights. Working alongside our Fractional CFOs and directly with client founders, you will be the trusted operational backbone that helps our clients make data-backed decisions. Key Responsibilities: Full-Cycle Financial Accounting & Xero Management - Manage the end-to-end accounting function for a portfolio of clients using Xero. - Oversee and perform daily transaction coding, bank reconciliations, and balance sheet reconciliations. - Manage prepayments, accruals, depreciation schedules, and journal entries. - Maintain clean charts of accounts tailored to each client’s operational and reporting needs. - Handle intercompany transactions, loan account reconciliations, and multi-entity eliminations where applicable. - Oversee Accounts Payable (bill processing, approval workflows, payment batch runs) and Accounts Receivable (invoicing, debtor monitoring, collections support). Month-End Close & Management Reporting - Lead rigorous month-end close processes to ensure client numbers are finalised within agreed turnaround times. -  Prepare comprehensive monthly management packs, including: - Profit & Loss statement - Balance Sheet - Statement of Cash Flows - Budget vs. Actual variance analysis - Key operational KPIs (gross margins, customer/job profitability) - Write clear, plain-English commentary highlighting performance drivers, cost spikes, and margin risks. Cash Flow Forecasting & Advisory Support - Build, update, and maintain rolling 12-month three-way cash flow forecasts. - Monitor working capital, identifying upcoming cash pinches and surplus funds well in advance. - Support Fintops Fractional CFOs with scenario modelling (e.g., hiring impact, pricing adjustments, capital investments). - Present recommendations, explaining the "story behind the numbers" rather than just PDF reports. Payroll, Superannuation & Compliance - Process end-to-end client payrolls in Xero Payroll, ensuring strict compliance with Australian Modern Awards, Fair Work standards, and leave accruals. - Manage Single Touch Payroll (STP Phase 2) reporting and annual finalisations. - Reconcile and submit superannuation guarantee payments Prepare and reconcile BAS/IAS working papers (GST, PAYG-W, PAYG-I) ready for BAS agent/tax agent review and lodgement. - Prepare tidy year-end workpaper files to facilitate seamless handover to external registered tax agents. Systems, Workflow Automation & Tech Adoption - Actively explore and implement modern tools, app integrations (e.g., Dext, Hubdoc, ApprovalMax, and other Xero add-ons), and automation to eliminate manual data entry. - Utilise modern AI tools to streamline financial analysis, drafting commentary, and workflow efficiency. - Continuously refine internal operating procedures, standard checklists, and reporting templates for client onboarding and ongoing delivery. Required Skills and Qualifications: Essential - Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related discipline. - Ideally professionally qualified or working towards a recognised accounting qualification. - 3–5+ years' accounting experience. - Strong experience with Xero. - Experience supporting Australian businesses. - Strong understanding of Australian accounting practices. - Experience with BAS, GST and Australian tax processes. - Strong month-end reporting experience. - Experience preparing Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet reports. - Strong Excel skills. - Experience with cash flow forecasting. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. - Excellent written and verbal English. - Ability to work independently and meet deadlines. Highly Desirable - Experience working across diverse SME sectors (e.g., professional services, e-commerce, trades & construction, SaaS, health). - Exposure to project accounting, job costing, or inventory management. - Experience with third-party reporting & forecasting tools (e.g., Fathom, Spotlight Reporting, Calxa). - Practical experience applying generative AI tools to improve accounting workflows and documentation. Personal Attributes - Commercially Minded: You look beyond the debits and credits to understand how a decision affects gross margin, cash runway, and long-term business value. - Inquisitive & Detail-Driven: You question numbers that look out of place, investigate anomalies, and never settle for "plug" balancing entries. - Autonomous & Proactive: You thrive in an environment where you are given ownership of client deliverables and proactively communicate before deadlines hit. - Clear Communicator: You translate complex accounting concepts into jargon-free, actionable insights that busy business owners appreciate. - Continuous Improver: You naturally spot friction in a workflow and seek ways to automate, standardise, or simplify it. Work Arrangement & Expectations: This is a remote role that will be set up as an independent contractor engagement. To ensure alignment and transparency, successful candidates will be expected to: - Be available for meetings and collaboration during core [AEST or PHT] business hours - Disclose any existing ongoing roles or client work - Reflect this engagement on their LinkedIn profile (clearly marked as “Independent Contractor”)