Nelson
Rachel Moffitt
Marketing Consultant & Community Connector
Hire a Virtual Assistant in New Zealand
Focus on growing your business while a New Zealand virtual assistant handles admin, scheduling and bookkeeping using tools like Xero and Notion.
Auckland
Mina Phillips
Writer
Christchurch
Brooke Henderson
Digital Marketing Specialist
Tauranga
Eden Ewers
Business Support Specialist
Wellington
Rhiannon Parsons
Marketing and Digital Content and Media Specialist
Auckland
Grace Mitchell
Project Manager / Copywriter
What this service is for
What can a virtual assistant help you with?
Virtual assistants help you reclaim time by handling recurring admin, calendar and customer tasks, plus tools work like Xero or Notion setup — so you can focus on sales and operations.
Manage inboxes and calendars
Reduce email and scheduling friction so you and your team spend less time on coordination and follow-up.
Customer support and bookings
Handle enquiries, appointment bookings and order processing to keep customers satisfied without adding overhead.
Bookkeeping and finance admin
Keep Xero records up to date, help with invoicing and basic reconciliations so your accountant has clean data.
How Unicorn Factory works
A simple way to find the right freelancer.
Create one project brief, compare applications from relevant freelancers, and choose who you would like to meet.
Step 01
Tell us what you need.
Use the guided brief to explain the outcome, timing, budget, and context. You do not need to prepare a technical specification.
Freelancers in our network
See sample profiles from our network
The profiles below are examples of virtual assistants and specialists available through the Unicorn Factory network — use them to shape your brief. A business creates a project brief, relevant freelancers apply, the business reviews applications, and Unicorn Factory makes warm introductions.
Tell us about your project
Ideas for your brief
Project ideas you can brief
Three practical engagements you can ask for in your brief. Deliverables are examples — final scope and hours are agreed directly with the freelancer.
Ongoing admin retainer (monthly support)
A weekly or monthly support arrangement to handle recurring admin, customer messages and diary management.
- Weekly inbox triage and priority replies agreed with you
- Calendar management and booking coordination (including rules for reschedules and buffer times)
- Task and project updates using your chosen tool (Asana, Trello or Notion)
- Monthly time summary and suggested prioritised tasks
E‑commerce and marketing operations
Support an online store or marketing calendar with product uploads, social scheduling and campaign admin.
- Product data and image uploads to Shopify or Squarespace (agreed count)
- Schedule and publish social posts using Hootsuite, Later or Meta Business Suite
- Process customer orders, refunds and basic enquiries
- Simple campaign reporting and recommended next actions
Admin reset and systems setup (one‑off)
A short project to tidy systems, automate routine tasks and document processes so future work is faster.
- Audit of current admin workflows and one prioritized fix list
- Set up or tidy a Notion or Google Drive business dashboard
- Integrate calendar rules and appointment booking (Calendly or similar)
- Create short process documents for handover and future hires
Pricing guidance
How much does virtual assistance cost?
Indicative pricing to help you plan — final scope, hourly rates and any retainer are agreed directly with the freelancer.
NZ$35–55 / hour
General admin and scheduling support from early‑career or part‑time virtual assistants. Good for ad‑hoc tasks and light weekly support.
NZ$35–55 / hour
NZ$55–95 / hour
Experienced virtual assistants who can manage projects, social scheduling, client communications and basic tools setup (Notion, Calendly).
NZ$55–95 / hour
NZ$95–180 / hour
Senior or specialist support — executive assistance, Xero bookkeeping, marketing ops or retained account management. Also reflects agency or highly specialised freelancers.
NZ$95–180 / hour
What affects the price
- Freelancer experience and local NZ business knowledge
- Task complexity and specialist skills (bookkeeping, marketing, systems setup)
- Engagement type — ad‑hoc hourly vs ongoing retainer
- Required software or subscription costs (Xero, scheduling tools, automation platforms)
Estimates are indicative, may exclude GST and ongoing software or platform fees, and final scope and freelancer rates are agreed directly with the freelancer. Request a tailored quote when you create your brief.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions before you hire.
Answers to the questions clients commonly ask before starting a brief.
Still deciding what you need?
Start with the outcome and the context you already have. A polished specification is not required.
How do I start hiring a virtual assistant?
Write a short project brief listing the outcomes, must‑have skills and hours. Post it on Unicorn Factory, review applicants, then arrange interviews — Unicorn Factory will make warm introductions.
Can I trial a VA before committing?
Yes — many businesses agree a paid trial task (a few hours) to check fit and quality before moving to an ongoing arrangement.
How many hours should I budget each week?
That depends on tasks. Light admin is often 4–8 hours a week; ongoing support or operational coordination commonly starts at 10–20 hours. Discuss hours when reviewing applicants.
Will the VA use my systems and tools?
Yes. Most New Zealand VAs work with Google Workspace, Xero, Notion, Calendly and common e‑commerce platforms — confirm specific tools in your brief.
How do I know I can trust a freelancer?
Check profile details, claimed experience and examples of past work, ask for references or a paid trial task, and agree contract and confidentiality terms directly with the freelancer.
Ready to get moving?
Ready to hire a virtual assistant?
Create your brief and we’ll make warm introductions to applicants who apply — then you review and choose who to interview.