Assistant Accountant
On this page
- What's it like to be an Assistant Accountant?
- How to become an Assistant Accountant
- Latest Assistant Accountant jobs
- Top skills and experience for Assistant Accountants
- Is Assistant Accountant the right role for you?
- Assistant Accountant role reviews
What's it like to be an Assistant Accountant?
Assistant Accountants assist senior Accountants with budgeting, payments and the preparation of financial statements. They often focus on managing payroll, accounts, and the preparation of end-of-month and end-of-year financial reports. Assistant Accountants need to be detail-oriented and proficient in using Excel and accounting software.
Tasks and duties
- Preparing, processing and reconciling accounts, invoices, payments and month-end reporting, including profit and loss statements.
- Assisting with GST and BAS lodgement, as well as budgeting and forecasting reports.
- Supporting senior staff members as required and liaising with external accountants and shareholders.
How to become an Assistant Accountant
You usually need a mix of qualifications and experience to become an Assistant Accountant. This role is often a first step towards becoming a Chartered Accountant (CA), which requires a bachelor degree.
Complete an accredited qualification, such as the Bachelor of Accountancy, or a business or commerce degree majoring in accounting. This usually takes three years of full-time study.
Consider becoming a Chartered Accountant by completing the graduate certificate programme offered by Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ). Provisional membership is available to graduates of accredited degrees. Full membership is available once you have completed three years of employment in an approved workplace.
Alternatively, some Accountants choose to become a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) by completing CPA Australia’s graduate programme. This is a distance learning programme which usually takes one year.
