Intermediate Accountant

About the hiring company Smart Suites is redefining hospitality in Australia. From a few Brisbane homes in 2024, we've grown to managing 100+ short-term vacation rentals across Rocklea, Sunnybank, Acacia Ridge, Carina, and Kuraby, Queensland. Guided by our core values Customer Obsession, Ownership, Curiosity, Humility, Efficiency, and Teamwork (COCHET)we use technology and automation to deliver exceptional guest experiences. Every stay we host is clean, comfortable, and personalized. Now, were expanding our offshore team in the Philippines to support our growing operations. Why Join Us - Competitive contractor rate: AUD 1,600 – AUD 2,000 all in monthly - Monthly health allowance of AUD 80, starting from your 6th month - Service Break Credits of up to 80 hours per year, accrued from your first month and available for use starting on your 6th month - Paid Australian public holidays (approximately 10 days per year) - 100% remote engagement with an Australian client - Fully remote and Flexible dayshift schedule - Exposure to AI-powered systems and international real estate practices - Supportive, team-focused culture with accountability and creativity Position Summary - The Intermediate Accountant will provide essential accounting support across both the Vargas Family Office (VFO) and Smart Suites engagements - The successful candidate will be part of a well-supported team structure — on the VFO side, they will work alongside a Junior Accountant and will be directly guided by one of the partners; on the Smart Suites side, they will operate within an established shared services team - The role covers accounting functions across up to 9 entities, comprising 3 partnerships, 3 trusts, and 3 individual accounts, all based in Australia - This is a great opportunity for a solid, well-rounded intermediate accountant who is looking to grow their multi-entity experience in a structured and supportive environment - The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, organized, and comfortable managing multiple tasks across different entity types simultaneously - The role also requires someone who is enthusiastic about leveraging AI tools and automation to work smarter and more efficiently Entity Overview - Total entities: 9 - Breakdown:- 3 Partnership entities — involving profit and loss distribution and partner allocations - 3 Trust entities — requiring trust accounting, distribution entries, and compliance with Australian trust tax obligations - 3 Individual accounts — covering personal accounting and transaction management - 7 of the 9 entities require quarterly BAS lodgement with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) - All entities are managed in Zoho Books and require independent books, reconciliations, and month-end processes - The candidate will not be working on these entities alone — a Junior Accountant will support day-to-day transactional work, and a partner will be available for guidance on complex matters Key Responsibilities VFO Accounting Support - Work alongside a Junior Accountant to manage daily and weekly transactions across 9 entities (3 partnerships, 3 trusts, and individual accounts. - Coordinate and oversee the Junior Accountant's transactional work to ensure accuracy and timeliness across all entities - Maintain accurate and up-to-date records per entity in Zoho Books to prevent backlog accumulation - Prepare and lodge quarterly Business Activity Statements (BAS) for 7 out of 9 entities in compliance with ATO requirements - Assist with year-end closing procedures including adjustment entries, profit and loss distribution, trust accounting, and partner allocations — with direct guidance available from the partner - Escalate complex accounting matters to the partner promptly and follow through on guidance provided - Support the documentation and process mapping of VFO accounting procedures Smart Suites Accounting Support - Provide support within the shared services team for Smart Suites accounting functions - Assist with Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) processing as needed - Support bank reconciliation including deposit side entries - Assist with Stripe reconciliation and direct invoicing (Airbnb, Booking.com) when required - Help prepare and post monthly journal entries and month-end closing entries - Assist in the preparation of monthly Financial Reports in coordination with the team - Support the transition to invoice automation and ensure accuracy during the cutover period Australian Compliance & Regulatory Requirements - Ensure all accounting activities are compliant with Australian Accounting Standards (AASB) - Maintain working knowledge of GST, PAYG, and BAS lodgment requirements across multiple entity types including partnerships and trusts - Stay current with ATO regulations and any updates to Australian tax and compliance obligations - Support preparation of documentation for trust distributions and partnership profit sharing in line with Australian tax requirements - Liaise with relevant parties to ensure timely and accurate compliance submissions across all entities AI & Technology Utilization - Actively use AI tools to streamline accounting workflows, reduce manual effort, and improve accuracy across all entities - Leverage AI-powered features within Zoho Books for automated reconciliation, transaction categorisation, and reporting - Use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or similar for accounting research, drafting, summarising, and workflow automation - Stay current with emerging AI tools relevant to accounting and proactively recommend adoption where beneficial - Contribute to the team's overall automation and systemization goals by identifying repetitive tasks that can be AI-assisted or fully automated General Accounting - Prepare and review reconciliation schedules across multiple accounts and entities - Assist in identifying and resolving discrepancies in a timely manner - Maintain organized and complete supporting documentation for all transactions across all entities - Ensure compliance with internal accounting policies and deadlines - Provide guidance and support to the Junior Accountant on day-to-day tasks Process & Documentation - Contribute to the development and maintenance of process documentation and SOPs per entity - Actively participate in transition planning and knowledge transfer activities - Identify opportunities for process improvements and automation across VFO and Smart Suites functions Entity-Specific Requirements - Maintain a clear understanding of the differences in accounting treatment across partnerships, trusts, and individual accounts - Be comfortable switching between entity contexts on a daily basis without compromising accuracy - Understand the specific compliance obligations for each entity type under Australian tax law:- Partnerships — profit and loss distribution, partner capital accounts, partnership tax returns - Trusts — trustee obligations, beneficiary distribution entries, trust tax returns - Individual accounts — personal income and expense tracking, investment accounting where applicable Note that for complex matters, the candidate will have direct access to a partner for guidance and support — they are not expected to resolve high-complexity issues independently Qualifications & Experience Education - Bachelor's degree in Accountancy, Finance, or a related field - CPA or currently pursuing CPA licensure is an advantage - Familiarity with Australian accounting and tax frameworks is strongly preferred Experience - Minimum 5 years of experience in accounting or bookkeeping - Experience handling multiple entities simultaneously is strongly preferred - Hands-on experience with Zoho Books is highly advantageous - Exposure to trust accounting, partnership accounting, or VFO/virtual accounting setups is an advantage - Experience with property management accounting (Airbnb, Booking.com, short-term rentals) is a plus - Demonstrated experience working with or implementing AI tools in an accounting context is highly regarded Technical Skills - Proficient in Zoho Books — including chart of accounts setup, bank feeds, reconciliation, reporting, and automation rules - Working knowledge of GST, BAS, PAYG, and Australian tax compliance across multiple entity types - Comfortable working with cloud-based tools and remote team environments - Experienced in using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or similar for accounting research, drafting, summarizing, and workflow automation - Ability to use AI features within accounting platforms for transaction matching, categorization, and anomaly detection - Familiarity with automation and integration tools (e.g., Zapier, Make) as applied to accounting workflows is an advantage Soft Skills - Strong attention to detail and high degree of accuracy across multiple entities simultaneously - Able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines without dropping the ball - Proactive in flagging issues and escalating to the partner or Senior Accountant when needed - Highly responsive and communicative — able to meet expected turnaround times consistently - Works well both independently and as part of a remote team - Comfortable working alongside and providing guidance to a Junior Accountant - Adaptable and willing to take on tasks outside of defined scope when needed - Curious and self-driven in learning and adopting new technologies, particularly AI tools Team Structure & Support - VFO Side: The candidate will work alongside a Junior Accountant who handles day-to-day transactional entries. A partner will be directly available for guidance on complex accounting matters, year-end decisions, and compliance questions - Smart Suites Side: The candidate will operate within an established shared services team led by a Senior Accountant, with existing team members handling primary Smart Suites responsibilities. This role provides support and backup capacity within that structure - This is a well-supported role — the candidate is not expected to work in isolation or carry the full weight of all entities independently Key Performance Indicators - Daily and weekly transactions coordinated accurately and on time across all 9 entities - BAS lodgments for 7 entities completed and submitted to the ATO by quarterly deadlines - Monthly reconciliations completed within agreed timelines across all assigned entities - Month-end close supported and completed within 5 business days - AI tools actively utilized and contributing to a measurable reduction in manual processing time - Junior Accountant's work reviewed and supported consistently - Zero instances of preventable backlogs or missed deadlines - Process documentation kept current, accessible, and reflective of current workflows per entity Working Conditions - This is a remote, full-time position - The role supports Australian-based entities and requires alignment with Australian business hours for key deadlines and communications - Flexibility required during peak periods such as month-end, quarter-end, BAS lodgment periods, and year-end close cycles - Expected to be available and responsive during core team hours Selection Process Initial Discussion /Interview 30 to 45 minutes) An initial conversation to learn about your background, experience, and professional goals. You'll also have the chance to ask questions about the engagement and the client. Technical Live Assessment with the SME (60 to 90 minutes) This stage evaluates your practical capabilities in sales outreach, lead qualification, and virtual negotiations, using real-world scenarios relevant to the scope of services. Behavioral Interview with the Client (60 minutes) Focuses on your communication style, cultural alignment, and how you build trust and relationships in a remote business environment. Pre-Engagement Steps (10 - 15 minutes) - IT Audit: To ensure compliance with technology standards and security protocols. - Reference Check: We will contact your provided professional references to verify your history and capabilities. - Meet the Founder (30 to 60 minutes): A welcoming conversation where you'll connect directly with the company's founder. This is your chance to discuss engagement terms, share your own goals, and ask any final questions. You'll also get an inside look at the company's vision, culture, and exciting growth plans for the future.