Bookkeeper: Payroll, Reconciliation & Reporting

We are Happy Brain Education, a Melbourne-based education charity (a registered Public Benevolent Institution). We are looking for an experienced, detail-precise bookkeeper to take care of our payroll, reconciliation, and finance reporting, working closely with our CEO and our accountant. Accuracy, reliability, and discretion matter most in this role. You will handle sensitive payroll and financial information, so we need someone trustworthy, careful, and consistent. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES: - Processing payroll accurately and on time (Australian payroll, run through Xero) - Bank and account reconciliation - Preparing regular finance reports for our CEO and board - Keeping our books clean and up to date for our accountant MUST-HAVES: - Proven Australian payroll experience, including Single Touch Payroll (STP), superannuation, and PAYG - Strong Xero proficiency (this is our accounting system) - Solid bookkeeping and reconciliation experience - Excellent accuracy and attention to detail (errors in payroll and finance are costly) - Discretion and trustworthiness with confidential financial and staff information - Fluent written English and clear, prompt communication STRONGLY PREFERRED: - Experience with Australian nonprofit or charity bookkeeping - Familiarity with the SCHADS award - BAS and GST experience TOOLS WE USE: Xero, Google Workspace, Slack. LOGISTICS: - Ongoing, light hours that follow our pay and reporting cycle (roughly a few hours per pay run, plus monthly reconciliation and reporting) - Some overlap with Melbourne business hours (AEST/AEDT) for pay-run deadlines - Start: as soon as we find the right person TO APPLY (please read carefully): 1. Start your proposal with the word WOMBAT so we know you read to the end. Applications without it will not be reviewed. 2. In two or three sentences, describe your Australian payroll experience: which systems you have used, how many staff you have run payroll for, and your familiarity with STP and super. 3. Confirm your Xero experience and how many years you have used it.