Head of Finance

Head of Finance - Education

Company Background

Our client is one of Australia’s best-known specialist tertiary education organisations and has been operating for over 50 years both locally and internationally. Their Finance team is well-established and cohesive, and now needs a Head of Finance to lead them through an ERP implementation and continued expansion both organically and through acquisition. 

The Role

Reporting to the CFO and acting as their 2ic, this role will manage a Finance Team of seven, including Financial Reporting, Management Accounting and Analytical support. It is being specifically recruited as a pathway into the CFO position. 

The role is surprisingly broad with a blend of commercial and technical. More specifically the role will: 

• Proactively conduct, monitor and report on financial results against budgets and other analysis as required.
• Prepare financial analysis showing outcomes and financial implications of management decisions.
• Proactively engage and collaborate with senior management on all financial and budget management, along with cultivating productive working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Prepare the monthly CFO Report.
• Assist the CFO in the preparation of board papers and any other papers to external parties as and when required.
• Manage the external audit with regular reports on this process to the CFO.
• Assist the CFO in implementing system changes and other business improvement activities, including finance and accounting policies.
• Lead the preparation of the annual budget process.
• Lead the implementation of a yet-to-be scoped finance ERP.

Your Background

As this is a relatively hands-on role (no ivory towers here), the client would love to hire someone who is just as happy in leading a team as they are rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in. With revenues sub $100m, it’s still a SME so someone with experience in that organisational size is perfect. Also, experience in the services industry, (in particular education) would be fabulous.

The key criteria you will have will be: 

• Experience in both FP&A and Financial Accounting 
• Managing a small finance team  
• Experience with leading an ERP implementation 
• CA / CPA 

You can either be an up-and-coming Financial Controller who wants to accelerate their career, or an existing HoF that is looking to consolidate and earn the right to take on the CFO position when the time comes. 

If you are keen to apply for this Head of Finance role, please contact Kent Maxwell at Richard Lloyd on 02 8324 5644 quoting reference 9106 or click on 'apply now' below.

Please submit your CV in Word format and note that due to the high volume of responses we receive only suitable candidates will be contacted.