How you’ll make an impact
Xero is building new AI products and looking for an accounting/bookkeeping product specialist to help in the effort. Xero’s goal is to build beautiful small business software that solves their needs across disparate jobs to be done like bookkeeping, invoicing, bills, payroll, compliance, and more.
As we experiment with new AI products, this role is essential for understanding the nuances of core accounting, bookkeeping, and tax, so that they can be translated into beautiful experiences, and ensuring our product solves the core accounting and bookkeeping needs of our small business customers.
You'll be embedded with product development teams, and will apply subject matter expertise to enable them and broader Xero to create customer delight and market opportunity. To do this, you’ll leverage your deep understanding of small business and accountant & bookkeeper needs, ensuring our software meets and exceeds customer expectations.
As a key member of the Product Management team you'll positively influence culture, and be a key advocate for what products to build.
An accounting degree or equivalent experience is required
What you’ll do
- Be the key subject matter expert for Accounting and Bookkeeping, and apply your broad understanding of Accounting and Bookkeeping standards, customs, user needs, and business realities to support the product strategy & product development process.
- Interpret and translate applicable product market fit, legal & regulatory requirements (and assessments from partner SME teams) into digestible recommendations that product leadership teams and their direct reports can consider and prioritize to develop winning strategies, and write effective requirements for Xero’s AI products.
- Apply subject matter expertise to support Marketing, Comms, Customer Support and other teams to ensure that customer facing communications are created in an accurate, efficient and fully compliant way.
- Work with UX design, UX research, and product teams to craft research activities and gather customer feedback and interpret the results (for both AB and SB behaviours)
- Support product teams to implement process and controls that will lead to delivery of accurate and compliant software for our customers
- Work with cross functional partners such as the Product Compliance team to provide insight on upcoming changes (regulatory or otherwise) that will affect Xero and its customers, and ongoing assessments of our product to ensure that our product and small business customers remain compliant with relevant rules, legislation and industry best practices.
- Work closely and collaboratively with other subject matter experts from across the business, and externally, such as Risk, Compliance, Legal, Government Relations and Privacy on shared projects and content.
Success looks like
- Xero’s AI products achieve product market fit
- Xero’s customers are able to effectively complete core bookkeeping jobs to be done through beautiful product experiences
- Xero’s customer communications are clear, correct, timely, and helpful
- Product development activity is well informed by accurate and clear expertise
- The compliance community within Xero is well informed and engaged with the AI Product team
- Stakeholders feel empowered with comprehensive up to date knowledge about the needs of the market
- Xero creates customer delight and commercial opportunities out of regulatory requirements and market dynamics
What you’ll bring with you
- Critical competencies
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Accounting, Commerce, Law, Taxation, Finance or similar
- Highly advanced and specialist understanding of regional regulatory requirements that impact or drive data and returns flowing in/out of the tax authorities (broadly around accounting, bookkeeping, income tax, sales tax, payroll and related cyber security and privacy requirements)
- Highly advanced and specialist knowledge of requirements around accounting and reporting obligations
- An exceptional communicator (written and verbal) who can translate complex technical regulatory information into clear and simple recommendations for diverse audiences such as product and technology leadership teams, business analysts and developers.
- An eye for detail and superb analytical & research skills. You take a methodical approach to your work.
- A growth mindset and thirst for learning
- Confident and accurate decision making skills when working on significant and specialist issues
- Thrive on managing your own time and approach to work, with a ruthless prioritization of time and projects, a strong results & delivery attitude and equally happy with independent vs team based work.
- Self motivated and team oriented, with strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to discuss technical topics and convey complexity in a concise way
- A methodical and structured approach to analytical problem solving
- The ability to build strong networks, including remotely
- A strong interest in AI
- Creativity for thinking of compelling new AI-powered solutions
- Strong bias for action Experience
- 7+ years experience in public practice with focus on taxation, compliance or business services
- 5+ years working collaboratively in technology, software or with Tax Agencies
- Qualified accountant or bookkeeper and current member of professional body
- Experienced in writing technical advice addressing complex specialist issues, with in-depth analysis, evaluation and interpretation, often requiring the ability to gain acceptance or change of thinking
- Experience collaborating and working with a broad range of stakeholders including senior leadership, external customers, technical peers
- Experience with risk assessments and product roadmaps is helpful
- Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholder groups.
Research has shown that women and underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single competency or experience . If you are excited about this role, but your past experience doesn't align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be just the right person for this role and Xero. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application and throughout the interview process.