Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Finance Assistant

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

FinanceAccountingAdministrative Support

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a highly motivated and meticulous Finance Assistant to join our growing finance department. In this pivotal role, you will provide essential support to the finance team, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of our accounting functions. You will be responsible for a wide range of tasks, from managing day-to-day transactions in accounts payable and receivable to assisting with month-end closing procedures and financial reporting. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver with a strong foundation in accounting principles and an unwavering commitment to accuracy. This position offers a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills and grow within a supportive and forward-thinking organization.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Accounts Payable/Receivable Clerk
  • Administrative Assistant (with finance duties)
  • Recent Graduate in Finance or Accounting

Advancement To:

  • Staff Accountant
  • Financial Analyst
  • Senior Finance Assistant or Junior Accountant

Lateral Moves:

  • Payroll Administrator
  • Procurement Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the end-to-end accounts payable process, including receiving, verifying, coding, and processing a high volume of vendor invoices for payment.
  • Execute the full accounts receivable cycle, from generating and issuing accurate customer invoices to actively monitoring and collecting outstanding payments.
  • Perform daily bank reconciliations and credit card statement reconciliations, meticulously investigating and resolving any discrepancies identified.
  • Prepare and post journal entries to the general ledger with appropriate supporting documentation to ensure an accurate audit trail.
  • Assist the finance team with month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing procedures, including balance sheet reconciliations and accrual preparations.
  • Process and audit employee expense reports, ensuring strict compliance with company travel and expense policies before submitting for reimbursement.
  • Maintain the fixed asset register, including recording acquisitions and disposals, and calculating monthly depreciation expenses.
  • Support the preparation of key financial statements and management reports, such as the Profit & Loss statement, Balance Sheet, and cash flow analysis.
  • Act as a primary point of contact for vendor and client inquiries, professionally addressing questions regarding invoices, payments, and account status.
  • Maintain highly organized and accurate financial records and documentation, both in digital and physical filing systems, in line with company policy.
  • Assist in gathering necessary documentation and providing support during internal and external audit processes.
  • Monitor and manage company credit card transactions, ensuring all charges are properly coded and accounted for.
  • Support the budgeting and forecasting process by collecting, consolidating, and analyzing financial data from various departments.
  • Liaise with the payroll department to ensure accurate processing of payroll-related financial data and assist with employee queries.
  • Generate and distribute aged debtor and creditor reports to management, providing commentary on key accounts.
  • Ensure all financial activities and record-keeping are compliant with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and internal controls.
  • Perform daily cash management duties, including monitoring bank account balances and reporting on daily cash positions.
  • Assist with the preparation and filing of tax documents, such as VAT, sales tax, and other statutory returns.
  • Verify and maintain the vendor master file, ensuring all information, including payment terms and banking details, is accurate and up-to-date.
  • Actively participate in finance department projects aimed at process improvement, automation, and enhancing operational efficiency.
  • Reconcile intercompany balances and transactions to ensure financial accuracy across different business entities.
  • Create and maintain detailed financial spreadsheets and models to track key performance indicators and support data-driven decision-making.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to provide insights to management.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by ensuring financial data integrity.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for financial systems.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data and finance teams for system improvement projects.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced MS Excel Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to use complex formulas, PivotTables, VLOOKUPs, and data modeling to analyze financial data effectively.
  • Accounting Software Expertise: Hands-on experience with accounting systems such as SAP, Oracle NetSuite, QuickBooks, or Xero.
  • Fundamental Accounting Principles: Strong understanding of core accounting concepts, including GAAP or IFRS, debits/credits, and the structure of financial statements.
  • AP/AR Cycle Management: Proven knowledge of the complete accounts payable and accounts receivable workflows.
  • Financial Reconciliation: Skilled in performing complex bank, credit card, and general ledger account reconciliations with a high degree of accuracy.
  • Data Entry & Accuracy: Exceptional speed and accuracy in data entry and the ability to maintain meticulous records.
  • Financial Reporting: Experience in assisting with the preparation of standard financial reports for management review.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional Attention to Detail: A meticulous and precise approach to all tasks, ensuring the highest level of accuracy in financial data.
  • Organizational & Time Management: Superior ability to manage multiple priorities, meet tight deadlines, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
  • Effective Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for clear and professional interaction with internal teams, vendors, and clients.
  • Problem-Solving Acumen: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify issues, investigate root causes, and propose viable solutions.
  • Integrity & Discretion: A high level of personal integrity and the ability to handle confidential financial information with utmost discretion.
  • Collaborative Team Player: Ability to work effectively as part of a team, contributing positively to the department's goals and culture.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate's Degree in a relevant field or a High School Diploma combined with significant, directly related work experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1-3 years of proven experience in a dedicated finance, bookkeeping, or accounting assistant role.

Preferred:

  • Prior experience within a fast-paced corporate or high-growth company environment is highly advantageous.
  • Direct experience with ERP systems like SAP or Oracle is a significant plus.
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