Assistant Accountant | Wellington City

Job Description

Job Title: Assistant Accountant

Role type: Full time, permanent

Location: Wellington

Salary range: General Salary Range G: $66,331 to $77,226 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

Join our supportive Financial Accounting team and gain experience in financial accounting and external reporting. Bring your aspiration to be a fully qualified chartered accountant to learn and grow your career.

This is a great opportunity for someone starting out in financial accounting and wanting to build a solid foundation in a supportive, professional environment.

In this role, you'll gain hands-on experience with key financial processes such as:

• Accounting systems
• Accounts payable and receivable
• Fixed asset management
• Cash reconciliations

Your day-to-day tasks will include:

• Performing daily reconciliations
• Preparing GST, WHT, and other statutory returns
• Posting month-end journals
• Completing balance sheet reconciliations

You'll also help maintain the fixed asset register under the guidance of a financial accountant and get exposure to monthly reporting to the Treasury. This role offers valuable insight into how financial functions work together in a large government finance team, with support from experienced financial accountants and the team leader.

The role offers strong career development potential, including opportunities to collaborate with other teams and, where appropriate, gain experience in areas such as management accounting and project accounting. This is a great stepping stone for someone working toward a professional accounting qualification and seeking long-term growth in the finance sector.

About You - Mōu

You will have an accounting degree, some experience working in a finance team, and are looking for an opportunity to develop your career.

You are proactive, enjoy the details, and are able to build strong and effective working relationships with an assortment of stakeholders. You will have the ability to translate technical accounting knowledge into everyday language.

By working with us you will get experience in public sector accounting and exposure to a broad range of activities that the Ministry oversees. Your role also fills a critical position within the team and will ensure you develop awareness of internal controls and their significance.

Finance has many areas to explore with this role giving you the opportunity to learn more of the finance world and gain experience for a broader skillset.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A tertiary qualification and are currently working toward membership of a professional accounting body
• A good understanding of accounting principles and practices
• Experience in gathering, organising, and communicating financial information
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience and working knowledge of a FMIS. Technology/Finance One experience would be an advantage.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

Join our open learning environment. The Wellington based team is small but highly specialised in external financial reporting. The team plays a critical role in managing MPI's financial risks.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) partners with New Zealand's food and fibre sector to be the world's most sustainable provider of high-value food and primary products.

Benefits of working at MPI - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua

• Career development and internal opportunities across the branch and organisation

• Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames
• Additional MPI leave days

Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?
We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whanau and hāpori.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua a great place to work for all.

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values, your interest, and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes, and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

To view the position description and/or apply online, please click “APPLY FOR THIS JOB” or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Applications close at 11.59pm 8 June 2025.

If you have any questions about the role, please email Sophie.Hallett@mpi.govt.nz 

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