APS5 – Asset Accountant, Financial Management, Affirmative Measures, First Nations

Title:

APS5 – Asset Accountant, Financial Management, Affirmative Measures, First Nations

Classification(s):

APS Level 5

Employment Type:

Ongoing, Full Time

Salary:

$89,225 - $96,829 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation

Business Division:

Finance, Strategy, Budget & Research

Branch / Section:

Financial Management, Financial Accounting

Location:

We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our roles support flexible work arrangements including the opportunity to work from one of our departmental offices and hybrid (mixture of office and home-based work).

This role is located in Canberra and Adelaide.

A merit pool may be formed and used to fill future similar vacancies in these locations and other locations within the same metropolitan area.

Security Clearance:

Baseline Vetting

Job Reference No:

48353

Contact Officer:

Closing Date:

11.59pm AEDT, Sunday 29 November 2026

The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the 'Racial Discrimination Act 1975'. This vacancy is only available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait people.

The opportunity we have available

The Finance, Strategy, Budget & Research Division is seeking to fill an Asset Accountant (APS 5) position in the Financial Accounting Team.

The Financial Accounting Team supports the department to meet its statutory financial reporting obligations, including monthly reporting to the Department of Finance and preparation of the department’s annual financial statements. The team is also responsible for the department’s asset accounting function, including maintaining the asset register, coordinating asset stocktakes, valuations and impairment assessments, and providing technical accounting advice on asset-related matters.

This is a diverse role providing exposure to a diverse and complex asset portfolio, including property, infrastructure, plant and equipment, artwork, heritage and cultural assets, intangible assets and assets supporting the delivery of essential services in Australia’s non-self-governing territories.

The role provides an opportunity to develop strong technical financial accounting capability while working closely with business areas, external valuation specialists, the Department of Finance and the Australian National Audit Office. You will also have opportunities to contribute to improvements in asset accounting processes, controls, systems and reporting.

What you will do

As the Asset Accountant, you will undertake a broad range of financial and asset accounting activities. The work is varied and includes both business-as-usual financial accounting activities and annual reporting deliverables.

Typical duties include:

- managing and maintaining the department’s asset register, including asset additions, disposals, transfers, adjustments, and other asset movements
- contributing to month-end and year-end financial close processes, including preparing reconciliations and high-quality workpapers
- contributing to the preparation of the department’s annual financial statements and associated audit requirements
- coordinating the department’s asset stocktake program and working with business areas to investigate and resolve stocktake outcomes
- coordinating independent asset valuations and supporting the assessment and accounting treatment of revaluation outcomes
- coordinating impairment reviews and working with stakeholders to identify and assess potential indicators of impairment
- supporting accounting assessments for complex asset matters, including asset recognition, capitalisation, useful lives, impairment, revaluation, write-downs and disposals
- preparing clear, evidence-based accounting position papers, file notes and other technical accounting documentation
- providing practical financial and accounting advice to business areas on the management and accounting treatment of non-financial assets
- maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including business areas, external valuation specialists, the Department of Finance and the Australian National Audit Office
- supporting continuous improvement of asset accounting processes, guidance, controls and reporting, including opportunities arising from changes to finance systems and business processes.

The role offers an opportunity to work across the full asset accounting lifecycle, from initial recognition and capitalisation through to depreciation, stocktake, valuation, impairment and eventual disposal. It also provides exposure to complex accounting matters and a broad range of stakeholders across the department.

Inherent requirements for the role





The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate capability consistent with the APS5 Work Level Standards, including the ability to exercise sound judgement, work with a degree of independence and contribute effectively to a professional financial environment.

The core capabilities for this role are:

- Financial and asset accounting capability – experience in financial accounting and a sound understanding of accounting for non-financial assets
- Financial reporting knowledge – knowledge of, or the ability to quickly develop knowledge of, Australian Government financial reporting requirements and relevant accounting standards
- Analytical skills and judgement – ability to analyse complex accounting issues, identify relevant information and develop practical and well-supported solutions
- Communication skills – well-developed written and verbal communication skills
- Stakeholder engagement – ability to build productive working relationships and collaborate effectively with finance and non-finance stakeholders
- Delivery and attention to detail – ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines while maintaining the quality and accuracy expected in financial reporting.

RecruitAbility

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is committed to supporting the employment and career development of people with disability. Our participation in APS RecruitAbility means we will progress an applicant with disability to a further stage in the recruitment process, where they opt into RecruitAbility and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy.

The RecruitAbility minimum requirements are listed above under ‘inherent requirements for the role’.

You will be asked to indicate if you wish to opt into RecruitAbility in the application form. You must tick the 'opt in' box to participate in RecruitAbility. Simply declaring that you have a disability will not automatically include you.

We provide reasonable adjustments such as access, equipment or other practical support at relevant stages of the recruitment process. Please advise in the application form or get in touch with the contact officer if you need any adjustments made.

More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs and services for First Nations people and the broader Australian community. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their willingness to develop their cultural capability as part of the assessment process. In making it a requirement across all roles in our department, we are taking a practical step in delivering our commitments under the Our Stories on Country Agreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025–28.

As an APS5 you will be expected to:

- Consider the cultural context and implications of work area outcomes.
- Engage respectfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, building trusted relationships.
- Communicate respectfully and seeks appropriate cultural input to inform decisions.

What else can we offer?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are. We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work. Some of the benefits we offer include:

- Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
- Flexible working opportunities, including part time hours, home based work and job sharing.
- We offer generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full-time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and well-being.



Experience personal and professional development, prioritise your health, and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.

Eligibility requirements

This is an Affirmative measure vacancy – This vacancy is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an Affirmative Measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. To be eligible to apply under the Affirmative Measures initiative, applicants must:

- be an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person
- identify as an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person, and
- be accepted by their community as being an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person

Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

- Citizenship: candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application.
- Health Assessment: The preferred candidate may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.
- Security Clearance:

The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline Level. You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information. You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances. More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website

.
- Police check: The successful candidate must complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
- Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

How to apply

Applications for this opportunity close at 11.59pm AEDT, Sunday 29 November 2026.

Prior to preparing your application for the department, please read our Artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment at the department principles. The principles aim to help you use AI in a way that supports your application and maintains fairness and transparency while maintaining your integrity as a candidate. They outline what is and isn’t acceptable use of AI in APS recruitment.

In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide in a PDF document a statement of no more than 2 pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences and how these align with the advertised role.

You should also provide a tailored CV in PDF, no more than 2 pages. The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the ‘inherent requirements for the role’ section.

prior to the closing date and time to be considered.

If you experience any issues with the system, please contact the recruitment team on 02 6136 8*** or via email at ***********@infrastructure.gov.au to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.

Please advise the contact officer if you require adjustments during the recruitment process. We recognise and value diversity as our strength and promote a culture of inclusion to enhance our work performance and the wellbeing of our employees. We are committed to systems that are accessible, inclusive and safe for all. If you need any further information about accessibility and inclusion at our department, please contact ***************@infrastructure.gov.au.

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.

If a merit pool is established, it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Applications open: 13 November 2026

Applications close: 29 November 2026

Application shortlisting: 7 December 2026

Further assessments: 14 December 2026

Selection report finalised: 24 December 2026

Offers and announcements: 4 January 2027

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.

Your application will be assessed against the inherent requirements of the role, the Work level standards and in comparison, to other candidates who applied. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews and reference checks.

Work with us. Apply now!

📌 Asset Accountant, Financial Management, Affirmative Measures, First Nations (Canberra)
🏢 Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
📍 Canberra