Chief Accountant (English-speaking)

Astana, full-time, office-based (with remote start possible)

Company: International company operating in Kazakhstan
Location: Astana
Salary: 2000 - 3 000 USD per month

About the role

Pure Escapes is a luxury destination management company (DMC) that works B2B with travel agencies and agents to arrange high-end trips to selected premium destinations.

We are looking for a Chief Accountant who will be fully responsible for local accounting and tax reporting of our Kazakh legal entity as the sole accounting specialist on the ground. This role is embedded into an international finance setup: your daily working language will be English, and you will communicate directly with the finance team and Director based outside Kazakhstan.

You will independently manage the full accounting cycle, payroll, contracts, and banking operations in line with Kazakhstan legislation and internal company policies, while coordinating key issues with the Finance Manager and external auditors.

Key responsibilities

• Full management of local accounting in accordance with Kazakhstan standards (full cycle: double-entry bookkeeping, monthly and quarterly closing, statutory reporting).

• Preparation and submission of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.

• Tax accounting and timely submission of all tax declarations and reports.

• Management and control of accounts payable and receivable, reconciliation with counterparties.

• Payroll accounting, calculation of salaries and related employee payments (taxes, social contributions, benefits).

• Cash flow control and client-bank operations, work with bank statements, payments, and reconciliations.

• Participation in budgeting and financial planning support for the local entity.

• Coordination of external audits, interaction with tax authorities and auditors, preparation of supporting documentation.

• Ensuring compliance with local financial regulations and internal controls, maintaining proper documentation.

• Optimization of accounting processes, document flow, and internal procedures.

• Supervision and coordination of an accounting team in the future (if applicable).

• Regular communication with international finance team and management, providing financial analysis and reports for decision-making.

• Requirements

• Proven experience as Chief Accountant or Senior Accountant, preferably 3–5+ years in a similar role.

• Experience as a sole accountant or main responsible accountant in Kazakhstan, able to manage full-cycle accounting independently.

• Deep knowledge of Kazakhstan accounting standards, tax legislation, and regulatory requirements.

• Strong experience in preparing financial statements and tax reporting.

• Confident user of 1C (Kazakhstan localization) and accounting / ERP systems; experience with electronic document management (ЭДО, УДО, ИСФ) is required.

• Confident computer skills and ability to work with internal corporate systems.

• Working proficiency in English (both written and spoken) for daily communication with international colleagues.

• Strong analytical skills, high attention to detail, and reliability.

• High level of autonomy, ability to organize accounting processes “from scratch” without micromanagement.

• Experience in retail, tourism/hospitality, or multi-entity structures will be an advantage.

• Working conditions

• Work schedule: 5/2, full-time.

• Salary: 2000 -3 000 USD per month

• Office in Astana; possibility to start remotely until the office is fully operational.

• Corporate equipment (laptop) and a benefits package (including medical insurance and other perks) discussed individually.