Job Description
At Dexterous, we have a challenging role for an experienced Finance Manager/Financial Controller. This is not your traditional role and we are a fast-growing, innovative and tech-driven business supporting a growing number of clients. If you are excited about where the future of our space is heading then Dexterous is the place for you!
Purpose of Role
The Team Leader (Bookkeeping and Accounting) is responsible for managing and leading a team of junior, intermediate and senior Accountants and Bookkeepers to deliver high quality, accurate and best practice accounting support to our clients.
This is performed through delivering high levels of Dexterous customer service primarily through providing leadership, support and guidance to direct reports, working closely with the clients, Client Managers and CFOs to effectively manage client deliverables, ensuring their satisfaction and expectations are being met.
Position Environment
Supervisory position
Requires experience and expertise as a Chartered Accountant (CA) or Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA)
Ability to guide and monitor other team members
Ability to work autonomously and with limited supervision
Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities
Technical Expertise
- Overseeing the preparation of financial statements, including profit and loss
- Ensure client compliance with superannuation requirements, including taxation and regulatory issues and superannuation guarantee.
- Be comfortable managing the following reconciliations:
- Workers’ compensation
- Balance sheet reconciliations and journals
- Cash flow
- Payroll tax
- GST
- FBT
- End of month journals (including, but not limited to prepayments, accruals, depreciation, terminations, deferred revenue)
- Access and research information, including the use of electronic sources, legislation, accounting standards and awards as required for best practice completion of client work and resolution of issues.
- Position as a subject matter expert and actively participate in knowledge sharing across the business.
Client Management
- Build rapport and client confidence through maintaining an effective working relationship through understanding the needs and financial/business objectives of the business and key individuals (focus within first three months of new client engagement).
- Operate as the primary contact for the client, managing the client relationship throughout the year (communicating on a regular basis) to discuss their progress and agree on timeframes for the completion of their accounts.
- Oversee the delivery and completion of client tasks (directly and indirectly) to ensure they are performed effectively and accurately.
- Ensure queries are responded to in a timely manner.
- Provide support and guidance to team members when faced with client challenges.
- Escalate client issues to Client Delivery Manager where appropriate.
- Review and approve invoicing to clients.
- Actively identify opportunities for additional scope of work with existing clients.
Leadership and Management
- Provide leadership, support and day to day instruction to team members to enable them to complete the work assigned to them within the assigned deadline and productivity target.
- Monitor the team’s utilisation and ensure appropriate (and proactive) allocation of resources across clients.
- Undertake and manage formal and informal performance and development of direct reports through regular two-way feedback, coaching, support and guidance.
- Identify and support training needs and career development opportunities within the team.
- Regularly liaise internally with CFO Advisory team and Client Managers to share feedback on client team performance, collaborate and trouble shoot client resourcing requirements and challenges and share decision making on necessary changes.
- Create a high-performing and highly engaged team through the establishment of an effective operating rhythm and regular communication.
- Observance of internal processes and policies and continually educating their direct report reports of said policies during team huddles and coaching sessions.
Process and continuous improvement
- Regularly and actively assess for opportunities for process improvements (both internally and for clients).
- Support the team to identify areas for improvement and use critical thinking for process improvements.
- Actively participate in continuous improvement projects (both Dexterous and clients), supporting the delivery of projects on time, budget within scope and according to desired outcomes.
Quality Assurance
- Ensure process documentation is written for all client processes and tasks are completed accordingly.
- Ensure timely updating of key systems for all client deliverables. E.g. daily timesheets in XPM, regular reconciliation of accounts.
- Communicate internally and externally and undertake reviews to ensure team members follow standard processes and procedures.
- Maintain accurate and up to date information on the appropriate client (and internal) platforms and systems.
- Report breakdowns, non-conformance or weaknesses in the issues register and offer suggestions for improvement (for management to review).
- Ensure time is accurately recorded in a timely manner.
Key Performance Indicators
Client and relationship management
- Quarterly feedback from clients indicates a satisfaction rate of 80%
- Client work is completed by the required deadline and client queries are responded to within 48 hours
- Profitability target of 60% per client
- Maintain personal client utilisation target of 50% and ensure utilisation of staff is on target per role
Leadership and Management
- Provide leadership, support and day to day instruction to team members to enable them to complete the work assigned to them within the assigned deadline and productivity target.
- Monitor the team’s utilisation and ensure appropriate (and proactive) allocation of resources across clients.
- Undertake and manage formal and informal performance and development of direct reports through regular two-way feedback, coaching, support and guidance.
- Identify and support training needs and career development opportunities within the team.
- Regularly liaise internally with CFO Advisory team and Client Managers to share feedback on client team performance, collaborate and trouble shoot client resourcing requirements and challenges and share decision making on necessary changes.
- Create a high-performing and highly engaged team through the establishment of an effective operating rhythm and regular communication.
- Observance of internal processes and policies and continually educating their direct report reports of said policies during team huddles and coaching sessions.
Process and continuous improvement
- Lead 1 new process improvement project each quarter (with intended savings target achieved)
- Every six months, explore at least one opportunity for new technology implementation
Quality Assurance
- All Asana processes are actively managed and completed on time
- All clients have up to date process documentation
- Ensure systems and processes are in place for continuity of client and operational deliverables
- All tasks are completed and managed within the required deadline
Stakeholders
Internal
- Leadership team
- Client Management Team
- Global Team
External
- Clients
- Governing Bodies
- Regulators
- Professional Bodies
- Australian Taxation Office
Minimum Criteria
Skills
- Leadership capability
- Critical thinking and problem-solving ability
- Intuitive thinker
- Time management skills and ability to multi-task
- Planning and organisational skills
- Strong internal and external relationship building skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
Experience
- 7+ years working experience
- CA or CPA qualified (preferred)
- Previous management/leadership experience
- Proven track record with adoption of new technologies
- Experience using Xero
- Experience in accounting practices, bookkeeping, tax, BAS/GST/FBT
- Experience managing multiple clients (preferred)