Free Position Description (Accounts or Bookkeeper) Template

Purpose of the Free Position Description (Accounts or Bookkeeper) Template

A well-drafted position description is the foundation of good people management. This is especially true for roles like Accounts or Bookkeeping, which carry significant financial responsibility and require meticulous attention to detail.

Our Free Position Description (Accounts or Bookkeeper) Template provides a structured starting point for Australian businesses to clearly define the scope, responsibilities, and performance expectations for these critical roles. It helps ensure that both the employee and the organisation have a shared understanding of the job, which is essential for effective recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and succession planning.

By outlining WHS duties alongside technical and administrative tasks, you integrate safety into the fabric of every role within your organisation.

How to use the Free Position Description (Accounts or Bookkeeper) Template

This template is designed for easy customisation. Download the DOCX or PDF and adapt the content to reflect the specific needs of your business and the particular role you are defining.

You should edit key sections such as Key Responsibilities, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), required qualifications, and reporting lines. It is crucial to integrate duties relevant to your specific operational context, such as managing specific software (e.g., Xero, MYOB) or handling industry-specific financial processes.

Position descriptions form a critical component of robust WHS management systems by ensuring safety responsibilities are clearly assigned and understood by all team members.

A Note on Customisation

IMPORTANT: This is a template, not a finished document. Every workplace is unique.

You must review and customise this position description to suit your specific business, its structure, and the relevant state or territory legislation. We have included common duties for an accounts or bookkeeping role, but you are responsible for ensuring the final document accurately reflects the job you are advertising or defining.

When to use it

A Position Description for an Accounts or Bookkeeper role should be used in several key moments throughout the employment lifecycle. Its primary use is during the recruitment process to create a job advertisement and to brief candidates.

It is also an essential tool for onboarding new employees, setting clear expectations from day one. The document should be referenced during regular performance reviews to assess progress against stated objectives.

Furthermore, it should be reviewed and updated during organisational restructures or when the role's duties evolve. Regularly reviewing PDs is also a key activity during WHS compliance audits to verify that roles and responsibilities are current and clearly documented.

Who should use it

This template is designed for use by anyone responsible for managing staff or financial functions within an Australian business. This commonly includes:

• Small Business Owners: Who often manage HR functions themselves and need a reliable starting point for creating essential documentation.
• HR Managers and Professionals: To standardise role documentation across the organisation and ensure consistency.
• Finance Managers or CFOs: Who need to clearly define the roles and reporting lines within their department.
• Team Leaders and Line Managers: Who are directly responsible for overseeing the performance of an Accounts person or Bookkeeper.

While this template provides a solid foundation, some organisations may require more detailed documentation or integration with certified systems. Engaging with specialist WHS consulting can help tailor your documentation to meet complex operational or legal requirements.

Integrating Safety into an Office Role

Even in an office-based role, WHS is a critical component. This position description template includes sections for WHS responsibilities to remind employers and employees of their shared duties.

For an accounts or bookkeeping role, this can include responsibilities like maintaining an ergonomically sound workstation, participating in emergency drills, and reporting any hazards observed in the office environment. Including these duties formally reinforces that safety is everyone's responsibility, a key principle for achieving standards like ISO 45001 certification. You will find more guidance on a wide range of safety topics in our free resources library.