About the Client:

Our clients are established and growing Irish arts and theatre organisations, producing bold, socially engaged work across Ireland and internationally. Their activities include live productions, national and international touring, outreach and engagement programmes and Arts Council–funded projects.

One client is a touring dance theatre company producing 1–2 live productions per year and currently touring in Europe.

The second is an inclusive theatre company committed to supporting people with intellectual disabilities to access high-quality artistic experiences as participants, artists and professionals.

Both organisations require reliable, accurate and proactive bookkeeping support to ensure strong financial governance and smooth day-to-day operations.

Role Overview:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Bookkeeping & Payroll Virtual Assistant to manage bookkeeping, payroll and financial administration across two arts organisations. The successful candidate will be confident working independently, experienced in Xero and Sage Payroll, and comfortable managing multiple stakeholders within a project- based arts environment.

This is a role combining:

• Senior bookkeeping and reporting responsibilities for a touring dance theatre company
• Transactional, process-driven bookkeeping for an inclusive theatre company

This role has a start date as soon as possible. Interview dates and times are to be confirmed and candidates will be contacted directly to arrange a suitable time.

Role and Responsibilities:

Core Bookkeeping Responsibilities (Both Organisations)

• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records
• Recording all financial transactions in accounting software
• Downloading and importing bank transactions
• Coding and posting invoices and receipts accurately
• Matching payments to invoices and resolving discrepancies
• Completing monthly bank reconciliations
• Logging, saving and organising invoices and supporting documentation
• Ensuring records are audit-ready and compliant

Senior Bookkeeping & Reporting

• Administering accounts receivable and accounts payable
• Preparing financial information for management accounts
• Preparing financial information for annual audit
• Monitoring cash flow and flagging issues or risks
• Liaising closely with the Producer on financial matters
• Supporting touring activity, including multi-currency transactions where applicable

Transactional Bookkeeping

• Setting up payees on Internet Banking (IBB)
• Preparing and processing supplier payments
• Coding and posting invoices in Xero
• Posting other payments and receipts
• Supporting the Producer with financial information as required
• Flagging missing documentation or anomalies promptly

Systems & Tools

• Xero (essential)
• Internet Banking Platforms (IBB)
• Cloud-based document storage (e.g. Google Drive / similar)
  

Essential  Skills and Requirements:

• Proven experience in a bookkeeping or accounting role
• Strong proficiency in Xero
• Experience processing payroll using Sage Payroll
• Experience managing bank reconciliations independently
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong organisational and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Ireland-based, with familiarity with Irish banking and financial processes

Desirable (Not Essential):

• Experience working in the arts, theatre, charity, or non-profit sectors
• Experience supporting audits or preparing management accounts
• Familiarity with project-based or grant-funded organisations
• Experience with multi-currency transactions

Personal Attributes:

• Highly reliable and consistent
• Proactive and solution-focused
• Comfortable managing confidential information
• Process-driven, with a strong sense of accountability
• Aligned with the values of creativity, collaboration, and inclusion
• Able to adapt to fluctuating workloads around productions and tours

Working Hours: We are seeking a candidate to work 10–15 hours per week, fluctuating month to month depending on production schedules, touring activity, and reporting cycles.

Location: This is a remote position, offering the flexibility to work from anywhere in Ireland during business hours.

• For Virtual Assistants Already Registered with Us: Please send an email directly to operations@virtualassistants.ie, indicating your interest in the role. Please list the Reference Number (REF: VAI0126) in your reply and mention the role title.
• For Virtual Assistants Not Yet Registered with Us: If you are not currently registered with Virtual Assistants Ireland but possess the qualifications and passion we seek, we encourage you to apply to express your interest in this role by applying via the link below.