Xero Bookkeeper

You will be engaged to provide dedicated bookkeeping, transactional processing, and administrative finance support using Xero for a growing property company. Availability: Approximately 10 to 20 hours per month on a flexible remote basis. The primary objective of the role is to maintain clean, reliable financial records, manage billing workflows, assist the Senior Accountant with the monthly management accounts pack, and support timely SARS statutory submissions to uphold total financial compliance across the property portfolio. Contract Term Initial engagement: Approximately 10–20 hours per month Work arrangement: Fully Remote (Work from Home) Schedule: Flexible, structured around billing dates, month-end reconciliations, and SARS tax submission cut-offs Contract type: Independent Contractor Scope of Services 1. Invoicing & Transaction Processing The contractor will: Generate, review, and dispatch accurate client and tenant invoices in a timely manner. Capture, allocate, and code income, operational expenses, and supplier invoices within Xero. Maintain ledger hygiene by monitoring payment allocations, accounts receivable, and accounts payable balances. 2. Bank Reconciliations & Ledger Maintenance The contractor will: Perform regular bank feed reconciliations within Xero against operational bank accounts. Reconcile clearing accounts, payment gateways, and tenant deposit records. Investigate and resolve unallocated receipts, duplicate transactions, or balance discrepancies. 3. Management Accounts Support The contractor will: Collaborate directly with the Senior Accountant to compile monthly management account packs. Prepare supporting reconciliation schedules, accruals, prepayments, and month-end journal entries. Assist in extracting property-level income and expenditure summaries to monitor portfolio performance. 4. SARS Tax Submission & Compliance Assistance The contractor will: Assist in preparing VAT reconciliations (input and output tax) within Xero. Support the Senior Accountant with documentation preparation and filing on SARS eFiling. Ensure all relevant receipts, tax invoices, and supporting schedules are properly archived for audit readiness. 5. General Financial Administration The contractor will: Maintain orderly digital records, agreements, and financial documentation in cloud storage. Assist with routine finance-related queries from clients, suppliers, or internal stakeholders. Execute ad-hoc accounting administration tasks as directed by the Senior Accountant. Deliverables The contractor will provide: Monthly Deliverables Fully reconciled bank and credit card feeds in Xero for the period. Completed sales invoicing register and updated accounts receivable aging summary. Month-end transaction capture and journal entries submitted for Senior Accountant review. Supporting schedules and reconciliations for the monthly management accounts pack. Reconciled VAT reports and supporting document packs ready for SARS eFiling submission. Summary log of processed invoices, resolved ledger queries, and outstanding financial tasks. Requirements Required Skills & Experience The contractor should demonstrate: Demonstrated professional bookkeeping experience, ideally supporting small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) or property firms. Proven hands-on proficiency using Xero cloud accounting software (bank feeds, rules, invoicing, reporting). Practical experience preparing and dispatching invoices and managing receivable records. Solid understanding of month-end procedures and supporting management account compilation. Familiarity with South African tax compliance requirements and SARS eFiling processes (especially VAT). High degree of numerical accuracy, rigorous attention to detail, and methodical record-keeping. Strong written and verbal English communication skills. Dedicated remote setup with a reliable computer and stable internet connectivity. Preferred Experience Preference will be given to candidates with: Prior bookkeeping experience within the property, real estate, leasing, or property development sectors. Experience interfacing with tenant management tools, rental ledgers, or third-party property management integrations. Relevant accounting or bookkeeping qualification (e.g., ICB, Diploma/Certificate in Bookkeeping or Financial Accounting). Benefits Remote 10 - 20 hours per month