Finance Officer (Bookkeeping, Payroll and Accounts Receivable)

Who We Are:

At Hunt St, we help Australian companies hire top remote talent in the Philippines. For this role, you will be engaged directly by the client as an independent contractor. We are not an outsourcing agency. All of our roles are 100% remote so you'll be able to work from home.

Who The Client Is:

Our client is an established Australian trade-services business specialising in plumbing and related field services. They operate a busy, job-based environment where finance needs to stay closely connected to job completion, purchasing, invoicing, and customer payments.

The business is looking for a hands-on finance professional who can take ownership of day-to-day financial administration, strengthen accounts receivable and cash collection, and help ensure accurate financial information flows between their job management and accounting systems.

The Role:

As the Finance Officer, you will manage the day-to-day bookkeeping, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll processes of the business. You will work closely with the Office Manager and business owners to keep financial records accurate and up to date, ensure invoices are issued promptly, follow up overdue accounts, and identify discrepancies before they become larger issues.

This is a hands-on role rather than a purely data-entry position. You will be expected to take ownership of recurring finance processes, communicate confidently with clients and suppliers, investigate discrepancies, and contribute to practical improvements in finance workflows.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Bookkeeping and financial control

• Complete accurate and timely bank and credit-card reconciliations in Xero, investigate unmatched items, and resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain clean transaction coding, supporting records, and reconciled control accounts in line with Frankly Plumbing’s approved procedures.
• Prepare BAS data, reconciliations, and workpapers for final review and lodgement by the CEO; promptly escalate coding, GST, or source-document issues.
• Process and reconcile Stripe receipts and fees, and use Pay.com for approved payments where credit-card payment is not otherwise available and for the approved payroll workflow.
• Import and reconcile Reece supplier transactions against invoices, credits, statements, and the relevant jobs or cost categories.
• Maintain an orderly month-end checklist and supply accurate supporting information to management when required.

2. Billing, accounts receivable, and debt collection

• Prepare and issue approximately 70 deposit, progress, and final invoices per week from approved job information and agreed billing triggers.
• Review the accounts receivable ledger regularly and follow up overdue accounts by email using agreed escalation rules and a professional, firm, and respectful tone.
• Send statements, payment reminders, copies of invoices, and other finance correspondence to clients; record contact, commitments, and disputed items.
• Allocate receipts promptly, reconcile client accounts, and investigate unidentified or short payments.
• Work with the Office Manager and operational team to resolve invoice queries, missing job documentation, pricing discrepancies, variations, and disputed charges.
• Provide a concise weekly aged-receivables and collection update, including promised payment dates, disputes, risks, and items requiring management action or referral to the approved external debt-collection service.
• Refer escalated debts in accordance with the approved process. Any payment plan, settlement, credit, write-off, or departure from standard terms requires prior approval from the Office Manager or CEO.

3. Accounts payable, suppliers, and subcontractors

• Receive, verify, code, and process supplier and subcontractor invoices only after the required job match and approval checks are complete.
• Reconcile subcontractor invoices, supplier statements, and credits; follow up on missing documents and discrepancies.
• Prepare the Taxable Payments Annual Report information, reconciliations, and supporting records for final review and lodgement by the CEO.
• Maintain accurate supplier and subcontractor records and assist with scheduled payment runs under approved authority limits.

4. Payroll, superannuation, and leave

• Prepare and process weekly payroll for approximately 10 employees accurately and on time in Xero using approved timesheets, allowances, deductions, and employee changes.
• Reconcile payroll, PAYG withholding, leave balances, and payroll clearing accounts; investigate variances before final approval.
• Prepare Single Touch Payroll information and complete transmission or finalisation only within the authority and review arrangements established by Frankly Plumbing.
• Prepare superannuation contributions and payment records in line with the approved payroll calendar and current employer requirements.
• Maintain LeavePlus records and assist with the preparation of required submissions and reconciliations.
• Respond discreetly and accurately to routine employee payroll queries, escalating interpretation, entitlement, or compliance questions.

5. Simpro finance processes

• Follow and improve the Simpro workflows that connect job status, purchase orders, supplier costs, variations, deposits, and invoicing.
• Check that jobs are financially ready for invoicing: required approvals, labour/material information, and supporting documents are present and exceptions are resolved.
• Support reliable data flow and reconciliation between Simpro, Xero, and payment platforms without creating duplicate transactions.
• Document recurring Simpro finance procedures and assist the Office Manager and team to follow them consistently.

6. Process improvement, controls, and communication

• Map current billing and finance workflows, identify bottlenecks or control gaps, and recommend practical improvements for approval.
• Create and maintain clear process notes, checklists, templates, and recurring finance calendars.
• Meet regularly with the Office Manager, communicate priorities and exceptions clearly, and follow through on agreed actions.
• Protect confidential business, banking, customer, and employee information and follow all access-control and cyber-security procedures.
• Use the approved password manager and access-request process; never share passwords through email, chat, or unsecured documents.
• Operate within delegated authority: no new supplier bank detail, payment, refund, write-off, payroll change, or system-access change is actioned without the required independent verification and approval.

Requirements:

Required Skills and Qualifications:

Essential:

• Demonstrated advanced working proficiency in Xero, including bank reconciliation, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll.
• Solid experience in a bookkeeping, finance officer, or accounts role with ownership of recurring deadlines and reconciliations.
• Practical knowledge of Australian bookkeeping and payroll workflows, with the judgment to escalate matters requiring Australian tax, payroll, or employment-law interpretation.
• Proven experience with debtor follow-up and client finance correspondence by email.
• Strong reconciliation skills, accuracy, and ability to trace discrepancies to source documents.
• Clear written and spoken English and confidence in communicating with clients, suppliers, subcontractors, employees, and managers.
• High integrity, discretion, and security awareness when handling financial credentials and personal information.
• Reliable internet, a professional remote-work environment, and capacity for approximately two hours of collaboration overlap with Melbourne business hours each working day.

Highly Regarded:

• Hands-on Simpro experience, particularly job costing, purchasing, invoicing, and Xero integration workflows.
• Finance experience in plumbing, construction, field services, or another job-based trade business.
• Experience with Stripe, Pay.com, Reece supplier imports/reconciliations, LeavePlus, and contractor reporting.
• Relevant accounting or bookkeeping qualification; Australian BAS/payroll training or experience is advantageous.