Senior Australian Tax Accountant / Reviewer & Team Leader

Capita Business Advisors and Tax Consultants is an established Australian accounting, taxation and business advisory practice expanding our Philippines-based team.
We are seeking a highly capable Senior Australian Tax Accountant / Reviewer & Team Leader with strong Australian public-practice experience.
This is a hands-on senior role. You will be expected to prepare work personally when required, review work completed by accountants and bookkeepers, follow up clients and staff, improve processes and work closely with the Principal Accountant in Australia.

Key Responsibilities

- Prepare and review financial statements and Australian income tax returns for companies, trusts, partnerships and individuals across a broad range of business sectors.
- Apply strong practical knowledge of Australian tax, including CGT, Division 7A, trust distributions, GST/BAS/IAS, depreciation and director/shareholder loan accounts.
- Prepare and review general purpose and special purpose financial reports, with sound knowledge of applicable Australian Accounting Standards.
- Review bookkeeping, balance-sheet reconciliations, payroll, superannuation, GST accounts and supporting workpapers.
- Personally undertake bookkeeping and reconciliation work where required, including transactions from eBay, Amazon, Alibaba, Stripe, PayPal, Uber Eats, DoorDash and other e-commerce, merchant and payment platforms.
- Review work prepared by accountants and bookkeepers, identify errors, provide clear review notes and follow corrections through to completion.
- Delegate work appropriately, monitor progress and follow up staff located in Australia and overseas regarding deadlines, outstanding tasks and review points.
- Follow up clients for outstanding information and communicate professionally regarding accounting, taxation and reporting matters.
- Prepare and review monthly and quarterly management accounts, cash flow forecasts, budgets, rolling forecasts, actual-versus-budget reports and variance analysis for business clients.
- Analyse business performance, identify unusual movements and provide meaningful explanations of financial results, cash flow and key performance trends.
- Mentor and support accountants and bookkeepers and contribute to improvements in workpapers, workflows, reconciliations, review procedures and quality control.
- Use AI and modern accounting technology responsibly to improve efficiency, analysis, documentation and workflow while maintaining professional judgement and confidentiality.
- Work closely with the Principal Accountant on technical matters, complex files, client issues, workflow management and practice development.
- Assist with the future development of our Philippines operation, including team growth, onboarding, systems implementation and potential office establishment.
- Be willing to undertake occasional international business travel, including to Australia, where reasonably required for meetings, training, planning or other business purposes.

What We Are Looking For

- Minimum 5 years of verifiable Australian public-practice experience.
- Accounting or related degree; CPA or CA equivalent highly regarded.
- Strong hands-on Australian taxation knowledge.
- Experience preparing and reviewing company, trust, partnership and individual tax returns.
- Sound knowledge of AASB reporting requirements and financial statement preparation.
- Genuine experience reviewing accounting, bookkeeping and tax work prepared by other staff.
- Strong hands-on proficiency with Xero, Xero Tax, Xero Practice Manager (XPM) and MYOB.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience with management reporting, budgets, cash flow forecasting and variance analysis.
- Strong written and spoken English with confidence communicating directly with Australian clients.
- Ability to delegate, follow up staff and clients, manage deadlines and take ownership of work through to completion.
- Practical, hands-on attitude and willingness to step into bookkeeping, reconciliation, accounting or tax preparation where required.

Working Arrangement & Growth

The role will initially be remote and based in the Philippines.
As our Philippines operation grows, we may develop an office-based or hybrid team structure. The successful candidate may also take on broader leadership and operational responsibilities over time, with remuneration reviewed accordingly.

Recruitment Process
Shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a practical Australian accounting and tax assessment before the final interview.
The assessment may include reviewing bookkeeping, reconciliations, financial statements, tax returns and workpapers, identifying accounting or tax issues, preparing review notes and explaining what should be corrected, queried with the client or escalated to the Principal Accountant.
The purpose of the assessment is to evaluate practical ability, technical knowledge, review skills, professional judgement and attention to detail.

Direct Applicants Only

We are recruiting directly and will consider individual applicants only. Agencies, outsourcing/staffing providers, subcontractors and third-party representatives should not apply.
Applicants must apply and participate in the recruitment process personally.