You have decided you need a bookkeeper. The next step is writing a job description that attracts the right person. This guide gives you a ready-to-use template, explains what to include, what to pay, and what to watch out for. It also covers a question worth considering before you post: whether hiring is actually the best move for your business right now.
Copy and adapt this for your business.
Location: [Your suburb/city, e.g. Sydney CBD / Remote / Hybrid]
Employment Type: [Full-time / Part-time / Casual] -- [Hours per week]
Reports to: [Business Owner / Finance Manager / Operations Manager]
Salary Range: $55,000 to $75,000 depending on experience (full-time equivalent)
[Two to three sentences about your business. Include what you do, how many employees you have, and your growth stage. Bookkeepers want to know the size and complexity of the business they are walking into.]
We are looking for an experienced bookkeeper to manage our day-to-day financial operations. You will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, processing transactions, and ensuring our business stays compliant with ATO obligations. This role is hands-on and suited to someone who takes ownership of their work and communicates proactively.
Adjust responsibilities based on your size. A business with 5 employees needs less payroll complexity than one with 40. Remove payroll tax references if you are below your state threshold. Add inventory management if you carry stock. Add job costing if you run a project-based business.
Be honest about the reporting line. If the bookkeeper reports directly to you (the owner), say so. This tells candidates they will need to be self-directed and comfortable working without finance team peers. If they report to a finance manager, the expectations are different.
Specify your software clearly. Xero and MYOB dominate the Australian market. A Xero-proficient bookkeeper is not automatically competent in MYOB and vice versa. If you use specific add-ons like Dext, Employment Hero, or Deputy, list them. Candidates who already know your stack will be productive faster.
Include hours and flexibility. Part-time bookkeeping roles (15 to 25 hours per week) are common for businesses under $2M in revenue. Be explicit about days and hours. Many experienced bookkeepers manage multiple clients and need to plan their week.
Bookkeeper salaries in Australia vary by experience, location, and whether BAS agent registration is required.
Full-time (38 hours per week):
Part-time rates are typically pro-rated from full-time equivalents. Contract bookkeepers charge $40 to $70 per hour depending on experience and location.
Fully loaded cost adds 30% to 40% on top of salary for super, leave, payroll tax (if applicable), workers comp, equipment, and management time. A $65,000 bookkeeper costs approximately $85,000 to $91,000 per year. Check the exact number using our employee cost calculator.
For a deeper dive into bookkeeper pricing across different models, read our 2026 bookkeeper cost guide.
Expecting strategic advice. A bookkeeper records what has happened. They do not analyse whether your pricing is right, your margins are healthy, or your cash flow will sustain your next hire. If you need that, you need a finance manager or fractional CFO on top of your bookkeeper.
Underestimating onboarding time. Even an experienced bookkeeper needs 4 to 8 weeks to understand your chart of accounts, learn your processes, build supplier and customer relationships, and get comfortable with your specific compliance requirements.
Hiring full-time when you need part-time. A business processing 150 transactions per month does not need 38 hours per week of bookkeeping. You end up paying for idle time or the bookkeeper absorbs tasks outside their skill set (like management reporting) with mediocre results.
Ignoring the coverage problem. A single bookkeeper means your finance function stops when they are on leave, sick, or resign. Read our piece on building a finance team without hiring a finance team for alternatives.
Not checking BAS agent requirements. If your bookkeeper will lodge BAS on your behalf, they must be a registered BAS agent or work under the supervision of a registered BAS agent or tax agent. This is a legal requirement under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009.
Hiring a bookkeeper makes sense when:
Consider outsourcing instead when:
The cost comparison is often decisive. A full-time bookkeeper at $65,000 salary costs $85,000 to $91,000 fully loaded. An outsourced bookkeeping service covering similar scope typically runs $24,000 to $48,000 per year, with built-in coverage and often senior review included.
Use our hire vs outsource calculator to see the comparison for your specific situation.
Does a bookkeeper need to be a BAS agent?
Only if they are lodging BAS on your behalf independently. If they work under the supervision of a registered BAS agent, tax agent, or chartered accountant, they do not need their own registration. If you are unsure, check the Tax Practitioners Board register.
Should I hire a bookkeeper or an accountant?
Different roles for different purposes. A bookkeeper handles day-to-day transaction processing and BAS preparation. An accountant handles tax returns, tax planning, and compliance advice. Most SMEs need both. Read our comparison in bookkeeper vs accountant.
How many hours of bookkeeping does my business need?
As a rough guide: businesses with fewer than 100 transactions per month typically need 5 to 10 hours per week. Those with 100 to 300 transactions need 10 to 20 hours. Above 300 transactions, full-time or near-full-time is common. Payroll complexity (number of employees, award interpretation) adds to this.
Can I use a bookkeeper from the Philippines?
Yes, many Australian businesses use offshore bookkeepers. The cost savings are significant ($15,000 to $25,000 AUD per year for full-time). However, you need local supervision for BAS lodgement (BAS agent requirement), and timezone overlap, Australian compliance knowledge, and communication quality need careful management. Read our guide on offshore finance staff.
What software should my bookkeeper know?
Xero dominates the Australian SME market with over 50% market share. If you use Xero, hire for Xero experience specifically. MYOB is the second most common. Beyond the core accounting platform, familiarity with payroll add-ons (Employment Hero, KeyPay), receipt scanning (Dext, HubDoc), and payment platforms (Pinch, GoCardless) is valuable.
What if my bookkeeper quits?
This is the single biggest risk of the single-hire model. If your bookkeeper leaves, you face 6 to 12 weeks of recruitment, plus onboarding time, during which BAS deadlines, payroll, and supplier payments still need to happen. Having documented processes, system access credentials stored securely, and a backup plan (even if that is an outsourced provider on standby) is essential.
Scale Suite is a Sydney-based provider of outsourced finance teams and fractional CFO services for Australian SMEs. We deliver weekly bookkeeping, payroll, BAS/IAS lodgement, cashflow reporting, management accounts, and strategic fractional CFO oversight - all as a fully embedded team that works inside your business.
CA-qualified, Xero Certified, and registered BAS Agents, we replace fragmented bookkeepers and once-a-year accountants with one responsive finance function at a fraction of the cost of full-time hires. We serve growing businesses across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, with packages starting from $1,500 per month and no lock-in contracts.
Learn more about our embedded finance model at scalesuite.com.au/services/finance
Scale Suite is a Sydney-based provider of outsourced finance and HR services for Australian SMEs. We deliver bookkeeping, financial reporting, payroll processing, fractional CFO support, recruitment, employee onboarding, people and culture support, and fractional HR oversight, all as a fully embedded team that works inside your business.
Employment Hero Gold Partner, CA-qualified, and Xero Certified, we replace fragmented finance and HR processes with one responsive, senior-level function at a fraction of the cost of full-time hires. We serve growing businesses across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, with packages starting from $1,500 per month and no lock-in contracts.
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