Assistant Accountant

What does a typical day in your role look like?

As a Junior Financial Accountant, my day can vary depending on the time of the month or year. On a regular basis, I manage fixed assets and leases, and support the accounts payable and receivable teams when needed. I might be posting journals to correct transactions, preparing reports and analysis, or helping managers track actual spend against budgets and forecasts.

Each month, I handle recurring tasks like GST, FBT, and other month-end journals. At certain times of the year, I focus more on supporting the senior financial accountant and financial controller with preparing consolidated financial statements for year-end, interim reporting, or joint ventures.

I also get involved in ad hoc projects, such as system upgrades or process improvements. This mix of routine and project work means no two days are the same, and I get exposure to both the operational and reporting sides of accounting.

How did you get into this role?

I first joined Seeka as an intern while completing my bachelor’s degree. I found the practical side of accounting really engaging and was impressed by the company. By the end of my internship, I was offered a part-time role that was created specifically for me. After finishing my degree, I requested a full-time position and was fortunate to become a Junior Accountant. Around that time, the team went through some restructuring, and my current role was formally established.

Did you need to study for this role, if so, what did you study?

I studied a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting at Waikato University. After graduating, I enrolled as a provisional member of CAANZ (Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand), which involves three years of mentored practical experience alongside nine papers with assignments and exams.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I think accounting is more like solving puzzles than doing maths. It’s rewarding when everything fits together. There’s a technical side where you work with numbers and rules, but communication is just as important. You need to gather the right information and present it in a way that tells a story or helps someone make a decision. I enjoy the balance and variety in the work.

What’s something unique, surprising, or fun about your role or team?

My team is incredibly friendly and supportive. We value each other’s roles and strengths, and it really feels like a team. That makes a big difference in how enjoyable and productive the work environment is.

What advice would you give someone interested in your role or career path?

Accounting isn’t as boring or rigid as people often think. It plays many roles within an organisation — not just tax or reporting. It’s a flexible and versatile skillset that can take you in lots of directions. It’s also more social than you might expect and requires creativity and leadership to solve problems. Plus, working in the field is so much more rewarding than just studying it.