finance assistant

Some typical responsibilities of a finance assistant include:

• supporting senior staff: your job is to support the finance manager and senior accountants with their duties. You help them prepare accounting reports and assist with budgeting and strategic planning. Sometimes, your duties involve scheduling meetings with investors on behalf of finance managers.
• carrying out clerical and administrative tasks: your role involves routine clerical and administrative tasks. For instance, you will file financial documents and photocopy or organise files for your superiors. You also collect and record financial data into spreadsheets and accounting software. It is crucial to keep all the information up-to-date for proper financial reporting.
• preparing financial reports: as a finance assistant, you utilise accounting principles and techniques to prepare the company's financial statement. You prepare the reports under the supervision of senior managers, and your job involves basic bookkeeping duties like the preparation of receipts and vouchers and recording them into accounting software. Your job is to perform accounting computations and identify discrepancies before generating the financial statements. You also check for the accuracy of financial records during the reporting stages.
• assisting with audit: as a finance assistant, you are involved in regular audits, and you ensure the company's accounting system is compliant with the financial policy and regulations. You handle inquiries on the company's fiscal policies and procedures. If you work under an internal auditor, you review financial statements for accuracy and transparency.
• preparing budgets: your role involves helping the finance team with budget planning and preparation. For instance, you prepare a list of company expenses and revenue sources discussed in meetings and make the necessary estimates.

A finance assistant works in various business sectors and industries. Whether it's a construction company or a manufacturing unit, you can find a finance assistant position in any industry. Often, the work setting is indoor office environments in well-maintained offices with temperature control and good lighting to provide a comfortable work environment. As a finance assistant, you are likely to work from a small cubicle or workstation while senior finance roles have separate offices.

Depending on the industry you work for, your colleagues may include accountants, accounts assistant post, finance managers or branch managers. You are also likely to work in close proximity to credit managers and sales managers, as well as other specialists like auditors, financial analysts, mortgage brokers and product managers.

You can commit to a full-time or part-time work schedule as a finance assistant. Full-time schedules are typically between 35 to 40 hours a week. Most roles are the standard 9 to 5 work routines, but you can find flexible work arrangements. Working overtime hours and weekends is rare except during busy periods like audit and tax seasons. Travel is minimal unless you work for a company that provides services to various clients.

A finance assistant role is a great way to join the finance industry. The entry-level position provides exciting learning opportunities that often lead to better roles. You can become an accountant or a chartered accountant with additional training and certification before moving to a finance manager position. If you follow the auditing path, you can become a junior auditor with additional experience.

Finding your finance assistant job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:

• a wide variety of training and development opportunities
• an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
• a range of opportunities in your area
• get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
• temporary and permanent contracts

Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a finance assistant is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!

A finance assistant supports senior finance or accounting managers by taking up clerical and administrative roles. The job involves financial reporting and other roles assigned by senior finance officers. 

A finance assistant keeps the account receivables and payables up-to-date. They also assist with strategic planning and budget preparation in a company. 

A finance assistant earns an average salary of $45,000 annually. The salary can be higher or lower depending on the complexity of the role and the experience level required. The compensation package can also include bonuses and profit sharing.

A finance assistant doesn't need a degree, but a diploma or degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field improves your chances of securing a job. Certifications and training from accounting bodies also improve your job prospects.

Depending on the organisational structure, a finance assistant can climb up the ladder to become an accountant or finance manager. 

Finding a job near you as a finance assistant is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.