Senior Accountant

Challenger Limited is an ASX-listed investment management firm managing $123.9 billion in assets (as at 30 June 2025). Life with us is fast moving and always exciting. Together we’re driving to deliver our vision to provide our customers with financial security for a better retirement.

 

We achieve this goal by providing a work environment where people from diverse backgrounds, with a range of skills and experiences can contribute and succeed.

Senior Accountant

• This role combines end‑to‑end operational ownership of trust and fund accounting processes with hands‑on technical work across calculations, distributions, financial reporting and tax.

• The work combines technical accounting and tax knowledge with operational oversight, giving you broad exposure and meaningful ownership across the entire trust accounting cycle.

• It’s ideal for someone who enjoys being “in the numbers” while also coordinating people, processes and deliverables across a complex funds’ environment.

• We work flexibly from our Sydney CBD office — typically three days in the office and two days from home.

About the role

This role sits within Challenger’s Tax team and plays a central role in the operational, financial and tax management of our Funds Management activities. You’ll coordinate and execute the end‑to‑end trust accounting and distribution lifecycle — from distribution calculations and tax reporting through to financial statement preparation and board support.

You’ll work closely with fund managers, State Street, auditors and internal partners to ensure accurate, timely, and well‑controlled outcomes across a broad suite of funds. The role is a blend of hands‑on calculations, operational management, stakeholder engagement and process uplift, all within a small, collaborative team that values autonomy, sound judgement and adaptability.

What you’ll be doing

Operational Management & Process Coordination (Core Focus)

• Own the end-to-end distribution process, including monthly, quarterly and year end distribution cycle - coordinating inputs, timelines and deliverables across fund managers, State Street, auditors and internal teams.

• Drive process improvement, documentation and operational uplift as part of ongoing transformation work.

• Identify issues early, resolve exceptions, and maintain strong governance over the full workflow.

Hands‑On Calculations & Technical Accounting

• Review and validate trust distribution calculations, components and attribution/streaming outcomes.

• Perform bespoke accounting calculations, reconciliations and adjustments for fund managers or internal reporting.

• Support hedge accounting, recoverable expenses true‑ups, and other accounting tasks as needed.

• Prepare or review tax workpapers, AMIT analysis and annual AMMA/Tax statements and guides.

Financial Reporting & Board Support

• Coordinate periodic financial reporting to Responsible Entity boards.

• Prepare and present board reporting packs in collaboration with third‑party report preparers and auditors.

• Maintain audit‑ready documentation, controls and governance.

Tax Reporting & Compliance

• Assist with AIIR, tax returns, ATO queries, tax reclaims and supporting documentation.

• Support GST, stamp duty and indirect tax tasks for adjacent teams.

• Ensure accurate, well‑governed tax and regulatory reporting.

Stakeholder Management

• Face off to fund managers to communicate distribution outcomes, confirm data inputs, resolve discrepancies and provide clarity.

• Liaise closely with custodians, registries, external providers and senior internal stakeholders.

• Influence effectively and hold your ground when needed.

Skills and experience you’ll need

You’ll excel if you:

• Bring strong experience in trust accounting, fund accounting or funds‑related tax/financial reporting.

• Are comfortable doing the calculations and coordinating the broader process around them.

• Strong experience in end‑to‑end process ownership - you are someone who can take a process, run it, refine it and improve it independently.

• Communicate clearly and confidently with senior stakeholders.

• Are confident managing multiple deliverables with different stakeholders and deadlines.

• Enjoy balancing structured work with ambiguity, change and operational decision‑making.

• Hold a CA/CPA/CTA (or equivalent) qualification and have experience in financial services.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint, with confidence in applying these tools for daily tasks, reporting and collaboration.

• Experience using AI-integrated tools (e.g., Copilot in Microsoft 365 or similar AI assistants) to improve efficiency, analyse data and streamline business processes.

Why Challenger?

At Challenger, we’re small enough to be agile, but big enough to accelerate bold ideas. We support your growth and development, offering flexibility and a culture that values your unique contributions. 

• Competitive discretionary bonus scheme 

• 18 weeks paid parental leave for all new parents 

• Challenger Day – one extra day off every year in recognition of the effort our people make.  

• Additional support leave (fertility, gender affirmation) 

• Extra superannuation contributions 

• Employee share plan 

• Employee Assistance Programme 

• Subsidised on-site café and central location near Martin Place Metro 

• Access to free onsite yoga, mindfulness and Pilates classes. 

• Access to annual free flu shots & skin checks

https://www.challenger.com.au/about-us/careers/our-benefits 

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Challenger's employee value proposition guides how we work: Grow and realise your potential, supporting each other, stronger together and making things happen. Our culture encourages curiosity, considered thinking and meaningful contribution, with opportunities to build a broad and rewarding career.

 

We are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace where people of all backgrounds, identities and ways of thinking can thrive, and promoting flexible working to support work-life balance. 

 

Challenger is proud to be a Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, a Family Friendly Workplace and recognised as a Bronze Employer in the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), the national benchmark for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion.

Job type:

Permanent

Posting Close Date :

22/02/2026