About the Accounting Assistant role
An Accounting Assistant supports the finance team with the daily transactional work that keeps the books current: entering invoices, processing expense reports, chasing missing receipts, preparing payments, and keeping records organized. It is usually an entry-level role, and for many people it is the first step in an accounting career.
In a small company, an Accounting Assistant often reports directly to an Accountant or the business owner and touches a bit of everything, from billing customers to reconciling the petty cash. In a larger finance team, the role tends to sit inside accounts payable or accounts receivable and focuses on volume: processing invoices accurately, matching purchase orders, and responding to vendor or customer queries.
Because this is an entry-level posting, your job description does the heavy lifting of filtering. Be explicit about the software the person will use, the transaction volumes they will handle, and how much guidance they will get. Candidates without much experience decide whether to apply based on whether the posting sounds learnable, so describe the training and the growth path, not just the tasks.
Accounting Assistant job description template
Job brief
We are looking for an Accounting Assistant to support our finance team with daily transaction processing and record keeping. Your responsibilities will include entering supplier invoices, preparing payment runs, issuing customer invoices, processing expense claims, and keeping our financial files audit-ready. To succeed in this role, you should be organized, accurate with numbers, and comfortable learning accounting software quickly. Ultimately, you will keep our books current and free up our accountants to focus on reporting and analysis.
Responsibilities
- Enter supplier invoices into the accounting system and match them to purchase orders
- Prepare weekly payment runs and get them approved on schedule
- Issue customer invoices and send payment reminders for overdue balances
- Process employee expense reports and check them against policy
- Reconcile supplier statements and resolve discrepancies with vendors
- Support bank reconciliations by collecting and organizing supporting documents
- Maintain digital and physical filing so every transaction has a traceable record
- Respond to routine queries from vendors, customers, and colleagues about invoices and payments
- Assist the accountant with month-end tasks such as accrual schedules and data checks
Requirements and skills
- Some experience in an administrative, bookkeeping, or finance support role, or a relevant internship
- Solid numeracy and a demonstrated eye for detail
- Working knowledge of Excel or Google Sheets, including basic formulas and sorting
- Familiarity with accounting software such as QuickBooks or Xero, or the aptitude to learn it fast
- Clear written communication for vendor and customer emails
- Discretion when handling salaries, banking details, and other confidential data
- Organized working style and the ability to keep up with recurring deadlines
- High school diploma required; coursework or a degree in accounting or business is a plus
Nice to have
- A bookkeeping certificate or progress toward an accounting qualification such as AAT
- Experience with high-volume invoice processing or a shared inbox workflow
- Exposure to expense management or AP automation tools
- Experience in the same industry, especially retail, hospitality, or logistics
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