Senior Accountant - Life Insurance and Investments

Challenger Limited is an ASX-listed investment management firm managing $128.2 billion in assets (as at 31 December 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 — Life Insurance and Investments

Sydney CBD

- If you're after a Senior Accountant role with real variety- non-standard transactions, a complex balance sheet, and exposure most roles don't offer -  this is worth a look.

- It’s a strong technical base to build from and a real training ground for someone who wants breadth, complexity and a pathway beyond this seat.

- Based in our Sydney office, you'll enjoy flexible working (3 days in the office, 2 from home).

Why this role offers more breadth than most

A lot of Senior Accountant roles give you depth in one thing; one asset class, one process. This one's different. You'll have the opportunity to rotate through a diverse range of investment portfolios spanning fixed income, real assets (property, infrastructure, alternatives) and equities, both foreign and domestic, as well as learning about insurance products and how accounting works for an annuity business.

That breadth means you build genuine end-to-end knowledge of a variety of structures and products, not just one corner of the balance sheet. You'll also get direct exposure to our front office, working with portfolio managers, seeing how investment decisions translate into the numbers you're reconciling. That's a level of access most accounting roles don't offer.

What you'll do

You'll join a tight-knit team in Life Insurance and Investments Financial Control, working closely with Group Financial Control, Tax, Business Performance, Risk and Actuarial teams.  You’ll share common tasks while owning your own portfolio of assigned entities, likely some of our more complex ones.

Statutory accounts preparation is core to the role - preparing statutory accounts to satisfy monthly, quarterly and semi-annual requirements, gaining insights on adjustments needed to convert them to management views, and being a key player in the completion of Challenger Life Company's (CLC) financial statements and notes, which directly contribute to the Challenger Limited (ASX listed annual report).

Alongside this you’ll also be responsible for:

• Monthly balance sheet reconciliations, investigating movements to ensure a timely month-end close

• Consolidation entries and resolving issues for assigned groups

• P&L and Balance Sheet analysis including half-year and year-end reporting that feeds into Challenger Limited's results to the ASX-listed market - with the opportunity to add your own commentary.

• Working closely with auditors, providing clear evidence for your balances.

• Reviewing processes to improve efficiency and strengthen controls

• Providing coaching and support to other team members

• Liaison with our tax team on compliance matters

• Being accountable for issues raised to the team including investigation and suggesting solutions, from both a systems and technical accounting view

What you'll need

• CA/CPA Qualified (or equivalent), with 2+ years post-qualification experience

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills - able to break down issues and work through options

• Confident using Excel with large volumes of data and an open mindset toward understanding/challenging how various IT systems connect to our general ledger

• Working knowledge of Income Tax (current and deferred)/GST and APRA/ASIC requirements

• Financial services background preferred

• Knowledge of financial instruments (derivatives, fixed income, equities) is a bonus, not essential

Beyond technical capability, we're looking for someone with curiosity, drive and humility. You'll take pride in delivering accurate, high-quality accounting outcomes and have a genuine interest in understanding the underlying drivers of the business. Rather than simply completing tasks, you'll be motivated to ask questions, solve problems and continually improve the way things are done.

Why Challenger?

Working at Challenger means being part of a connected team that enjoys what they do. We’re small enough to move quickly, and big enough to make meaningful change.

We support your growth and development, offer flexibility, and value the unique contributions people bring.

We provide access to a range of exclusive employee benefits that will support you both personally and professionally and a hybrid work environment including. 

• Discretionary bonus scheme. 

• Employee share plan. 

• Eighteen weeks paid leave for all new parents. 

• Flexibility on when, and how, parental leave is taken. 

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

• Subsidised on-site café and fantastic central location a stone's throw from Martin Place Metro 

• Additional support leave (fertility treatment leave, gender affirmation leaves). 

• Extra superannuation contributions. 

• Access to Fitness Passport

#LI-KM1

#LI-Challenger

#LI-Hybrid

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:

Posting Close Date :