Senior Accountant | Oamaru and Greymouth Opportunities
We’re looking for an experienced Senior Accountant to join our team, with opportunities available in Oamaru and Greymouth.
This is a client-facing role for an accountant who enjoys getting to know their clients, understanding their businesses and providing practical advice alongside high-quality accounting and compliance work. Experience with farming, rural or agribusiness clients would be particularly valuable.
About the role
As a Senior Accountant, you’ll take responsibility for managing a portfolio of clients, developing strong client relationships and providing proactive accounting and business advice.
You’ll work closely with our Partners and wider team, but will have the autonomy and responsibility to manage your client relationships and workflow.
Your responsibilities will include:
Managing a portfolio of clients and acting as a key point of contact
Building strong, trusted relationships and developing a genuine understanding of clients' businesses, goals and challenges
Providing practical accounting, tax and business advice
Identifying opportunities to proactively support clients and add value beyond annual compliance
Preparing and reviewing annual financial statements and income tax returns
Preparing management accounts, GST returns, forecasts and other financial reporting
Helping clients understand their financial performance and supporting informed business decisions
Managing client compliance requirements, workflow and deadlines
Working with clients on business planning, structuring and other advisory matters
Liaising with Inland Revenue and other external parties as required
Working collaboratively with Partners on more complex client matters
Reviewing and supporting the work of junior team members
Sharing knowledge and contributing to the development of the wider team
About you
You’ll be an experienced accountant who combines strong technical capability with the confidence to build and manage client relationships.
You understand that being a trusted adviser means more than producing accurate financial statements. You’re interested in your clients' businesses, comfortable having commercial conversations and able to translate financial information into practical advice.
Ideally, you will bring:
Several years' experience within a New Zealand accounting environment
Strong experience preparing financial statements and tax returns
A sound practical understanding of New Zealand tax and accounting requirements
Experience managing client relationships and taking ownership of a client portfolio
Experience providing accounting, business or commercial advice directly to clients
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
The confidence to discuss financial performance, opportunities and challenges with clients
Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
Clear and professional communication skills
A collaborative approach and willingness to support and develop junior team members
Confidence using modern accounting and practice-management systems
Experience working with farming, rural or agribusiness clients is desirable.
A relevant accounting qualification and CA or CPA membership, or progress towards it, would be advantageous.
Why Ashton Wheelans?
At Ashton Wheelans, you’ll have the opportunity to build genuine, long-term client relationships and be involved in the conversations that matter to their businesses, not simply complete their annual compliance work.
We’re proud to be Great Place to Work® Certified. Our people particularly value supportive and approachable colleagues, flexibility and autonomy, strong local team relationships, and a culture that is open to new ideas and innovation.
You can be based in either Oamaru or Greymouth, joining an established local accounting team while having access to the expertise and resources of the wider Ashton Wheelans business.
Get in touch
If you’re an experienced accountant who enjoys working directly with clients, wants to be involved in advisory as well as compliance, and is looking for a role where you can take genuine ownership of your client relationships, we’d like to hear from you.
Applicants must already have the legal right to work in New Zealand.