St Mary’s College (Wellington)
Accounts Officer Kaituhi Kaute
Accounts officers are responsible for monitoring and managing financial accounts for their organisation.
Accounts officers may do some or all of the following:
- arrange payment of bills and accounts
- issue customer invoices
- follow up outstanding payments
- process and keep records of financial transactions
- account reconciliation
- handle general accounts queries
- provide support to a wider financial or accounting team.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for accounts officers includes:
- accounting
- financial processing
- payroll
- office administration.
Personal Qualities
Accounts officers need to be:
- able to adapt to new processes and systems
- accurate, with high attention to detail
- good at communicating
- proactive and show initiative
- well organised and have strong time management skills.
Skills
Accounts officers need to have:
- an understanding of basic accounting principles
- basic maths skills
- knowledge of computer and accounting software.
Conditions
Accounts officers:
- usually work regular hours, but may work weekends or evenings to meet deadlines
- work in offices, but may travel to visit clients.
Subject Recommendations
There are no specific secondary education requirements to become an accounts officer. However, NCEA Level 3 maths, accounting and digital technologies are useful.
Related Subjects
Accounts Officers can earn around $48K-$82K per year.
Pay rates for accounts officers vary depending on the type of work they do.
- Accounts officers usually earn between minimum wage and $61,000 a year.
- Accounts payable officers usually earn between $48,000 and $80,000.
- Accounts receivable officers usually earn between $51,000 and $77,000.
- Bookkeepers usually earn between $56,000 and $82,000.
Source: Hays, 'FY 2020/21 Salary Guide', 2020.
Accounts officers may progress into payroll work or study to become an accountant.
Accounts officers may specialise in:
- accounts payable - organising the payment of invoices for an organisation
- accounts receivable - collecting and recording payments that come into an organisation.
Years Of Training
There are no specific requirements to become an accounts officer as you gain skills on the job. However, a business or accounting qualification may be useful.
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