Accounts Officer role in New Zealand: -Occupational outlook -About the job -How to enter the job -Job Opportunities -Pay

1. Accounts
Officer
Occupation Outlook
Tashan Moodley

2. Accounts Officer
Occupation Outlook in New Zealand: Good
Accounts officers arrange the payment of bills and accounts for their organisation.

3. About the Job
What you will do:
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.
Skills and knowledge:
Accounts officers need to have:
• An understanding of basic accounting principles
• Basic maths skills
• Knowledge of computer and accounting software.
Working conditions:
• Usually work regular hours, but may work weekends
or evenings to meet deadlines
• Work in offices, but may travel to visit clients.
Source: https://www.careers.govt.nz/

4. How to enter the job
Personal
requirements
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.
Entry requirements
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.
Useful experience:
Useful experience for accounts officers includes:
• Accounting
• Financial processing
• Payroll
• Office administration.
Source: https://www.careers.govt.nz/

5. Job Opportunities
Accounts officers in demand
• Accounts officers are in demand due to a steady growth in business services, forecasted to be the
fastest-growing part of the job market.This growth in jobs is predicted to continue through to 2026.
• Demand is best for experienced accounts payable and receivable officers who specialise in high-
volume processing. The demand for bookkeepers is falling due to an increase in the use of online
accounting software systems.
Types of employers varied
Most accounts officers work for:
• Accounting firms
• Large and small businesses
• Government organisations
• Payroll companies
• External accounts payable businesses.
Progression and specialisations
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. Source: https://www.careers.govt.nz/

6. Pay
Pay rates for accounts officers vary depending on the type of work they
do.
• Accounts officers usually earn between $41,000 and $61,000 a year.
• Accounts payable officers usually earn between $46,000 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.

7. Alternative Titles for
Accounts Officer
• Credit Controller
• Bookkeeper
• Accounts receivable officer
• Accounts payable officer