Senior Bookkeeper

Women's Legal Service NSW

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE – SENIOR BOOKKEEPER

Join our feminist, values-driven organisation as Senior Bookkeeper, ensuring financial integrity to support women’s safety, economic security, and systemic change across NSW.

We are expanding the capacity of our organisation and are seeking a Senior Bookkeeper with expertise in financial management, compliance, and payroll, and a commitment to our work.

As a Senior Bookkeeper, you will ensure the integrity of our financial systems, provide accurate and timely reporting, and support the financial sustainability of the organisation. You will bring strong expertise in bookkeeping, payroll processing, and managing multi-source funding compliance.

Your work will be high-quality, detail-focused, and aligned with Australian Accounting Standards, ATO and superannuation requirements, and the unique needs of the not-for-profit sector. You must have experience with Xero.

In this role, you will work closely with the Management Accountant to deliver end-to-end bookkeeping services, reconcile accounts, prepare reports, and support the annual audit process. You will also liaise with senior staff to ensure budgets are monitored and funding requirements are met.

This is a unique opportunity to work in a collaborative, supportive environment where your work contributes to systemic change for women across legal, social justice, and community sectors.

If you're organised, values-driven, and committed to making the law more accessible and equitable for all women, then this is the role for you.

YOUR ROLE IN THE TEAM

Key Responsibilities include

Manage day-to-day bookkeeping functions, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank reconciliations, and general ledger maintenance.

Process and reconcile payroll in accordance with industrial instruments and statutory requirements.

Monitor multiple funding sources and ensure compliance with relevant reporting obligations.

Maintain accurate financial records in Xero and ensure data integrity.

Prepare month-end and year-end reports in collaboration with the Management Accountant.

Assist with budgeting, cash flow forecasting, and financial modelling.

Support the preparation of documents for the annual audit.

Provide financial information and support to managers for program monitoring and decision-making.

Ensure compliance with Australian Accounting Standards, ATO regulations, and superannuation obligations.

Contribute to continuous improvement of financial processes and systems.

You’ll be joining an organisation that values lived experience, intersectional feminism, and strong, respectful relationships with community. As a Senior Bookkeeper, your work will ensure the financial strength of the organisation, enabling us to provide vital legal and advocacy services to women experiencing disadvantage. By maintaining high standards of financial governance, you will help us deliver on our mission of building a safer, more equitable future for women across NSW.

About us

Women’s Legal Service NSW advocates for an end to gender-based violence and for gender equity in Australia. As a state-wide specialist women’s legal service, we assist women and non-binary people across NSW to obtain legal advice and representation from our client centred, trauma informed, culturally safe, holistic legal practice to address women’s safety and economic security.

We use our experience gained from working with over one hundred thousand women and our expertise in a feminist analysis of social issues and the law to determine where we can make the most meaningful and impactful interventions that make positive change structurally and systemically. We have invested in the development of our specialist expertise to advocate for structural changes in legislation and policy through law reform and through the provision of education and training to our colleagues in the legal profession, the community services sector, and the community.

We advise and represent women in a range of practice areas including discrimination, employment, sexual harassment, family law, domestic/family and sexual violence, and compensation and victims support for victims of crime.

workplace of choice

Women’s Legal promotes gender equality by creating a workplace of choice for women that is:

Safe. We have clear and effective policies on sexism, discrimination, harassment, bullying and abuse.

Diverse. We acknowledge, encourage and respect diversity and lived experience.

Culturally Safe. We acknowledge and respond to the need for cultural safety for First Nations staff.

Flexible. We support flexible work arrangements that accommodate caring responsibilities, disability or health needs, and study commitments.

Supported. We practise trauma-informed care that recognises the impact of vicarious trauma. Staff have access to debriefing as needed and are supported through regular external professional debriefing supervision.

Focussed on Career Growth, Leadership and Training. We support staff to build careers in social justice by offering structured opportunities for professional development in legal practice, leadership, training delivery, and contributing to strategic organisational development, equipping you for roles within the legal assistance and advocacy sectors.

Senior Bookkeeper - Salary range 2025-2026

Women’s Legal seeks to close the gender pay gap by providing job and economic security with an Enterprise Agreement that pays above Award and provides generous leave provisions. You have the option to salary package which can add up to $15,900 in tax-free pay annually.

Grade 4 $89,634.26 to $100,335.84 per annum and salary packaging.

The position is based in our office at Lidcombe. It is expected you will mainly work from the office but there is some flexibility to work from home.

Women’s Legal considers being a woman is a genuine occupational qualification for this position under s. 31 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Selection criteria must be addressed for you to be considered for an interview.

Essential criteria

1. Commitment to Social Justice and Gender Equity. Demonstrated understanding of, and commitment to, social justice issues for women, particularly First Nations women, and women experiencing deep and persistent disadvantage (social, economic and cultural) and lack of access to legal services.

2. Qualifications. In bookkeeping, or at least 3 years practical experience in a similar or financial administration role.

3. Knowledge of Accounting Standards and Compliance. Sound knowledge of Australian Accounting Standards, financial regulations applicable to Not-for-profit

4. Technical & Systems Proficiency. Proficiency in accounting software (Xero) and Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel.

organisations, Superannuation and ATO compliance requirements.

5. Payroll Processing Experience. Experience working with payroll processing and reconciliation.

6. Funding Source and Compliance Management. Ability to manage multiple funding sources and compliance requirements.

7. Attention to Detail. High level of accuracy and attention to detail.

8. Time Management and Organisational Skills. Excellent time management and organisational skills.

9. Communication and Interpersonal Skills. Strong verbal and written communication skills.

10. Teamwork and Autonomy. Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively in a team.

Additional criteria

11. Pre-Employment Screening. Satisfactory Police Check.

12. Willingness to Travel. Ability to travel in line with work commitments.

13. Professional Development. Willingness to undertake training to maintain up-to-date knowledge of accounting standards, payroll legislation, and Not-for-profit compliance requirements.

Desirable criteria

14. Sector Experience. Experience in the not-for-profit or community legal sector.

15. Familiarity with government grants reporting and acquittal processes.

16. Knowledge of salary packaging agreements.

Selection criteria listed above must be addressed for your application to be considered.

For enquiries about the position please contact Kim Ly, Management Accountant, at [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Bookkeeper

A position description is attached.