A day in the life of Bethany, our Finance Manager

What’s it like to work at Xref? Well, we can guarantee no day is exactly the same. We’re growing rapidly and our team is global and diverse; each employee has their own unique experience with us. 

What everyone has in common is a desire to do their part in changing the way the world hires. In our Day in the Life series, we provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse of our team’s workday. We’ve covered a day in the life of software developers and customer success managers. 

In this blog, we ask Bethany Wheeler our Group Finance Manager about her daily life at Xref. 

A year ago, Bethany made the switch from public practice to an internal finance role at Xref. So far, it’s been a great learning experience. “When I applied for my role with Xref, I was working at KPMG in a tax and business advisory role,” says Bethany. “I loved the exposure and experience I gained but I knew I wanted to explore a transition to an internal finance role.” 

Bethany set a rule to only apply for jobs she was truly interested in and found an open role at Xref while browsing on LinkedIn. The rest, as they say, is history! 

Read on to learn why Bethany chose to work at Xref, the best and most challenging parts of her job and her favourite Xref benefit. 

1. What attracted you to a role at Xref? 

Funnily enough, before I decided to go down the accounting and finance path, I had considered pursuing a career in HR. That’s why Xref first caught my eye!  

After researching the company and having an initial interview with our CFO, it was evident that Xref is a relatively young company with big growth plans! I wanted to join a business that was innovative and forward-thinking. It was also clear Xref was a place where I could grow in my role and evolve with the business.

2. Tell us about your role at Xref 

I manage the day-to-day finance functions for every entity within the Xref Group to ensure the business operates as smoothly as possible. 

I engage in all parts of the finance function and do things like: 

• Invoice customers 
• Process purchases and accounts payable 
• Plan and review budgets for the upcoming year 
• Assist payroll 
• Prepare half-yearly and annual financial reports (this is a big one!) 

I don’t work with just the finance team either. I regularly collaborate with our sales and commercial teams to ensure billing and accounts receivable functions are running well. I do this primarily online as we’re scattered around the place! 

3. What’s a typical morning like for you? 

I’m an early riser and typically start my day with a run or gym session before coming home and logging on for the day. 

Based in Perth, I’m a couple of hours behind the rest of the team. My day usually starts with catching up on messages and then mapping out daily tasks. I am a lover of lists! 

Writing my tasks for the day and the rest of the week helps me to stay on track and manage my time effectively.

4. What’s your favourite part about working at Xref? 

One of my favourite things about Xref is the opportunity I am given to grow and develop in my role. 

Coming from a public practice background and stepping into an internal finance role at a publicly listed company was a big change! 

Working at Xref has taught me to broaden my perspective and look at business operations holistically instead of focusing solely on compliance. When it comes to career progress, I now have more areas to consider and explore. 

Xref places a strong focus on learning and development for employees. My direct managers are my biggest advocates and help ensure that I choose L&D activities that align with the areas I am most interested in. They also help me determine how to best utilise my developing skills in my current role. 

5. What do you find most challenging about your role?

One of the most challenging parts of my role as a finance manager is juggling multiple tasks with conflicting deadlines. For example, our team compiles reports at the end of the financial year and calendar year. 

While our finance team is busy working on these report requirements, we still need to make sure all day-to-day tasks are completed as normal. Juggling two important goals, reporting and business-as-usual work, can definitely be a challenge!

6. What technology do you use to facilitate your work? 

We use many different software programs to help do our work in the best possible way. 

Some of the technology we use includes: 

• Chargebee for billing and revenue recognition. 
• Receipt Bank or Dext to automate our accounts payable process
• InsightSoftware to consolidate data for our month-end and annual reports  

All the software we use integrates with Xero, our main source of accounting records.

7. Last question. What Xref benefit do you enjoy the most? 

Xref offers many great benefits like hybrid work, comprehensive L&D resources, and two weeks to work anywhere in the world.  For me, hybrid work is the best benefit! When I first joined Xref I was living in Far North Queensland and then, shortly after I started I moved to the Northern Territory. 

Now, I am based in Western Australia. I’m so grateful that Xref believes employees can still fulfill their roles and progress in their careers without always being in the physical office environment. 

Although the time zone differences don’t always work in my favour (there are a few early morning Zoom calls here and there!) I am so appreciative of the flexibility that Xref offers its employees! 

Why should you work at Xref? 

At Xref, we have big hearts, are driven by ambition and are positively charged. Our people and clients are the heart and core of what we do. 

We place a huge emphasis on learning and development. We help our employees grow in their roles with education and mentorship. 

Since joining Xref Bethany has broadened her skillset and begun to develop a different vision of what her career might look like. Our team will be there to help Bethany grow every step of the way. 

If you’re interested in joining a mission-driven company with a strong focus on employee growth check out our career page. We’d love to hear from you.