Taxation Accountant

R&R Tax and Bookkeeping is a locally owned and operated accounting practice in the centre of Alice Springs. Established in 2010 and led by a registered tax agent with more than 20 years in the profession, the practice delivers accounting, bookkeeping and taxation services to individuals, sole traders, property investors, businesses and community organisations, and its client base reaches well beyond the Northern Territory to private and public enterprises across Australia in many industries. Day-to-day work spans tax returns, BAS and GST, payroll and Single Touch Payroll, accounts payable and receivable, bank reconciliations, general ledger and asset register maintenance, periodic reporting and budgets. We are a friendly team of local people with a wealth of knowledge between us, and we are now looking for a capable Taxation Accountant who wants to take ownership of a client portfolio, work across the full breadth of public practice and grow with the business. Taxation Accountant | R&R Tax and Bookkeeping | Alice Springs, NT Key Responsibilities • Prepare and lodge income tax returns for individuals, sole traders, partnerships, companies and trusts, including rental property and investment schedules, ensuring every deduction and offset the client is entitled to is claimed. • Prepare Business Activity Statements and Instalment Activity Statements from client records, reconcile GST, PAYG withholding and PAYG instalments, and lodge them by the ATO's due dates. • Advise clients on the tax and financial consequences of the way their business is set up, whether as a sole trader, partnership, company or trust, and on the tax effect of their growth plans, major decisions and everyday operations. • Compile year-end financial statements for business and organisational clients, including profit and loss statements, balance sheets and supporting schedules, from records kept in the practice or by the client. • Go through each business client's trading figures, weighing operating costs against income and outgoings to pick up trends, unusual movements and areas where money is being lost, and explain in plain terms what the numbers mean. • Set up and maintain accounting systems for clients, advising on the software best suited to their size and circumstances, whether Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks or Cashflow Manager, configuring the chart of accounts and bank feeds, and training clients and bookkeeping staff in day-to-day use. • Provide tax planning ahead of the end of each financial year, estimating each client's likely tax position and recommending legitimate strategies to manage it, such as the timing of income and expenses, asset purchases and superannuation contributions. • Review financial reports before they go out to confirm the figures are properly supported and correctly stated, and that each report satisfies the accounting standards and legislative reporting rules that apply to the client. • Prepare the financial reports, grant acquittals and periodic returns that Aboriginal corporations and community organisations must provide to their regulators and funding bodies, following the procedures particular to those organisations. • Assess the cash flow impact and financial risk of capital purchases and investment proposals, such as vehicles, equipment, premises or rental property, and advise on the most tax-effective way to proceed. • Review, strengthen and maintain the internal control procedures of client organisations, particularly the remote Aboriginal corporations the practice supports, so that transactions are properly authorised, recorded and reconciled and funds are safeguarded. • Attend to the payroll-related tax obligations of employer clients, including PAYG withholding, superannuation guarantee, Single Touch Payroll reporting and fringe benefits tax, and prepare the associated returns. • Work with banks, lenders and finance brokers on behalf of clients, preparing the financial information they ask for and helping clients put in place loan, overdraft, deposit and funds management arrangements that suit their circumstances. • Act as the client's point of contact with the ATO, responding to correspondence and review activity, arranging payment plans, lodgement deferrals and remissions, and resolving queries about assessments. • Check the bookkeeping team's work, including bank and credit card reconciliations, general ledger coding and asset registers, and correct errors before financial statements and tax returns are prepared. • Prepare monthly or quarterly management reports, budgets and cash flow forecasts for business clients who need a clearer picture of their trading position between tax returns. • Maintain complete working papers, client files and lodgement records to the standard expected of a registered tax agent practice, and manage the lodgement programme so that every due date is met. • Keep up to date with tax law, ATO rulings and accounting standards through ongoing professional development, and share relevant updates with colleagues and clients through the practice's tax newsletter and checklists. Qualifications and Experience • At least 1 year of relevant experience in taxation and accounting work, ideally in a public practice environment. • A Bachelor degree or higher qualification, preferably in accounting, commerce or a related discipline (AQF Bachelor Degree or higher). Hours and Salary Hours: 38 hours per week - Full-time Salary: $75,000 to $85,000 plus superannuation per annum Personal Attributes • Meticulous with figures, dates and detail, and takes pride in getting every lodgement right the first time. • Explains tax and accounting matters in plain, friendly language to clients from every walk of life. • Respectful and culturally aware when working with Aboriginal corporations and remote communities. • A team player who suits a friendly local office and is happy to share knowledge and help colleagues. How to Apply If this sounds like the next step in your career, we would like to hear from you. Please send your resume with a covering letter addressing the experience, qualification and attributes set out above as the first page of your application. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.