Accounts Officer

Inspired Education is the leading global group of premium schools, with a portfolio of 126 premium private schools in 28 countries spanning 6 continents which utilise proven educational practices from every corner of the globe, ensuring over 95,000 students receive a world-class learning experience from Kindergarten to Year 13.

Founded in 2013 by Nadim M. Nsouli, Inspired is backed by investors such as Stonepeak, GIC, TA Associates, and the Oppenheimer and Mansour family offices. The Group is experiencing 20% per annum growth through acquisition, greenfield site expansion, and the development of existing schools within its portfolio. In 2023, Inspired was recognised by Beauhurst as one of the UK's top 10 highest-value private companies.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Accounts Officer plays a critical role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity and timeliness of financial processing and reporting for ACG Parnell and the attached Early Childhood Center. The position manages end to end accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledger maintenance, month end journal preparation, fixed asset updates and balance sheet reconciliations.

Working closely with the Principal and the Head of Finance NZ, the Accounts Officer provides timely financial insights, identifies issues early, and supports informed financial decision making. The role is accountable for maintaining high standards of financial control, contributing to process improvement, and delivering excellent service to parents, suppliers and internal teams.

This is a full time, permanent position based at ACG Parnell (Central Auckland),

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage end to end accounts receivable including JDE contract billing, student account maintenance and debtor follow up. Process accounts payable, maintain accurate coding and approvals, prepare payment runs and manage AP accruals.
• Prepare month end journals including accruals, prepayments, depreciation and coding corrections.
• Complete balance sheet reconciliations and resolve timing differences to ensure accurate monthly results.
• Maintain the fixed asset register, capitalise qualifying items and monitor repairs and maintenance spend.
• Support budgeting and forecasting by preparing income and cost analysis for the Principal and Head of Finance.
• Assist with regional and global finance initiatives, accounting controls and compliance activities.
• Drive process improvement by identifying workflow enhancements and supporting automation initiatives.
• Provide customer service to parents and suppliers and offer finance support across other schools and ECE centres.
• Provide backup to the finance team and administration team as required.
• Assist with other tasks and projects as required.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE

• Experience, Skills & Knowledge
• End-to-end AR/AP experience, ideally in contract-based billing, including ERP systems (e.g. JDE) and managing contract or enrolment changes.
• Strong accounting knowledge: accruals, prepayments, revenue recognition, balance sheet reconciliations, and fixed assets.
• Proven ability to support month-end close, including preparing journals with high accuracy and attention to detail.
• Advanced Excel skills (lookups, pivots, reconciliations) and experience supporting budgeting/forecasting, variance analysis, and financial reporting.
• Strong stakeholder communication, ownership of financial processes, proactive issue resolution, and continuous improvement mindset. 3-5 years similar New Zealand accounts experience required for this position.
• Fluency in Mandarin would be highly beneficial for this role.
• Personal Attributes
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently while making informed decisions with minimal supervision.
• High integrity, professionalism, and discretion when handling sensitive financial information.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across all stakeholder levels.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail, able to manage competing priorities and meet tight deadlines.
• Resilient, collaborative, and improvement-focused, committed to continuous learning and process enhancement.
• SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT:Inspired Education Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment.
• Safer recruitment practices and pre-employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.
• Visit our careers site for more information; https://jobs.inspirededu.com