Senior Accountant

About The Back Room

We exist to free our clients' time so they can focus on what they do best — growing their business. We deliver smart, efficient solutions that liberate teams from the everyday admin, and we hold ourselves to the same standard. Time is the ultimate currency, and we treat it like it.

About the Client
Our client is a chartered accounting firm based in Tauranga, New Zealand, with a stated aim of helping people build better businesses. Their services include financial accounting, tax compliance, management accounting, coaching, and business planning and forecasting. They are growing their existing offshore team to support their senior accounting function. This role exists to take ownership of a client portfolio and lift the quality of the firm’s financial statements, tax returns, and management reporting, while guiding the junior team.

The Role
As a Senior Accountant, you’ll manage a portfolio of New Zealand clients and take responsibility for the preparation and review of their financial statements, tax returns, and management reports, in line with NZ accounting standards and IRD requirements. You’ll be the reviewer other team members rely on, catching errors before they reach the client, and providing practical insights on performance and cash flow. Success in the first 6–12 months looks like running your portfolio with confidence, hitting compliance deadlines consistently, and becoming a trusted source of technical guidance for the junior and intermediate accountants around you.

What You'll Do

• Financial Reporting and Accounting

  • Prepare and review annual financial statements and special-purpose financial reports for a range of New Zealand entities.

  • Prepare and review financial accounts for companies, partnerships, trusts, sole traders, and other business structures.

  • Perform month-end and year-end accounting activities, including reconciliations, accruals, prepayments, and adjustments.

  • Review general ledgers, trial balances, fixed asset registers, and depreciation schedules.

  • Identify accounting discrepancies and ensure financial records are accurate and complete.

  • Apply relevant New Zealand accounting standards and reporting requirements.

• Tax Compliance

  • Prepare and review New Zealand income tax returns for companies, trusts, partnerships, and individuals.

  • Prepare and review GST returns in accordance with IRD requirements.

  • Assist with provisional tax calculations, terminal tax obligations, and tax planning.

  • Understand and apply relevant New Zealand tax legislation and compliance requirements.

  • Respond to IRD queries and assist with tax-related correspondence.

  • Monitor filing deadlines and ensure compliance obligations are completed on time.

• Client and Portfolio Management

  • Manage a portfolio of clients and maintain strong professional relationships.

  • Communicate with clients to obtain information, clarify transactions, and resolve accounting queries.

  • Identify potential risks, unusual transactions, and opportunities to improve clients’ financial processes.

  • Provide meaningful insights into financial performance, cash flow, and business operations.

  • Coordinate client deliverables and ensure work is completed accurately and within agreed deadlines.

• Escalate complex accounting, tax, and compliance matters to managers or partners when necessary.

• Review and Quality Assurance

  • Review work prepared by intermediate and junior accountants for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.

  • Identify errors, omissions, and inconsistencies in financial statements, tax returns, and supporting schedules.

  • Provide constructive feedback and ensure review points are resolved appropriately.

  • Maintain consistent workpaper documentation and follow internal quality control procedures.

  • Apply professional judgement when reviewing accounting treatments and identifying issues requiring further investigation.

• Team Leadership and Mentoring

  • Provide technical guidance and support to junior and intermediate accountants.

  • Allocate or coordinate work and monitor progress against deadlines, where required.Support staff development through coaching, feedback, and knowledge sharing.

  • Help improve accounting processes, documentation, and team productivity.

  • Promote a collaborative environment focused on accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Accounting Systems and Technology

  • Work with accounting and practice management software such as Xero, MYOB, and relevant tax or compliance platforms.

  • Use Microsoft Excel for financial analysis, reconciliations, reporting, and data validation.

  • Identify opportunities to streamline accounting workflows and improve efficiency through automation and technology.

• Key Skills and Competencies

  • Strong technical accounting and tax knowledge.

  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

  • High attention to detail and commitment to quality.

  • Ability to manage multiple clients and competing deadlines.

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.

  • Confidence in reviewing work and providing constructive feedback.

  • Good organisational skills and the ability to work independently.

  • Sound judgement, initiative, and a strong sense of accountability.

  • Ability to build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • Accuracy and quality of financial statements and tax returns.

  • Timely completion of client deliverables and compliance deadlines.

  • Number and significance of review points and recurring errors.

  • Productivity and effective management of assigned workloads.

  • Client satisfaction and responsiveness.

  • Quality of guidance and support provided to junior team members.

  • Compliance with internal procedures and documentation standards.

  • Contribution to process improvements and team efficiency.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.

• CPA, CA, or equivalent professional accounting qualification preferred.

• Typically 4–6+ years of relevant accounting experience, ideally within a public practice or business advisory environment.

• Demonstrated experience preparing and reviewing financial statements and tax returns.

• Practical knowledge of New Zealand tax compliance, including GST and income tax.

• Experience working with New Zealand clients and accounting requirements is highly desirable.

• Experience reviewing work and mentoring junior accounting staff.

• Strong working knowledge of Xero and Microsoft Excel.

Why This Role

You’ll be a senior voice in an established Tauranga firm that’s built around helping local businesses grow, with the chance to shape how its offshore team works. It’s a role with real ownership, and room to grow your influence through reviewing, mentoring, and improving how the team works.

This role is open to Philippine citizens currently based in the Philippines.

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