ANZ Financial Controller

1525 Unilever Australia Ltd; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Unilever PLC in Sydney is seeking an ANZ Financial Controller to lead the controllership agenda across Australia and New Zealand, safeguarding the integrity of financial results and delivering high-quality accounting, statutory and sustainability reporting. You will manage cash and working-capital delivery, Source-to-Pay and supplier financing while guiding a multidisciplinary team.

This senior role requires IFRS expertise, strong stakeholder influence, and a track record in finance

Qualifications

• Professional accounting qualification such as CA, CPA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent.
• Significant experience across financial accounting, controllership, audit, statutory reporting, and financial controls.
• Strong knowledge of IFRS and Australian/NZ reporting requirements.
• Proven experience leading teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Experience in shared services, hub or outsourced finance environments.
• Strong commercial judgement and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial control and reporting across ANZ with accurate results and strong balance-sheet integrity.
• Own controls and risk agenda, overseeing audit, risk assessment and remediation.
• Oversee statutory accounts and sustainability reporting with robust governance and external assurance.
• Provide senior oversight of Source-to-Pay, improving payment performance.
• Lead and develop the ANZ controllership team and partner with regional/global teams.
• Drive transformation through technology, automation and new ways of working.
• Partner senior leadership with independent challenge on accounting, governance and cash.

Skills

IFRS expertise

Financial accounting

Leadership

Audit

Stakeholder management

Education

CA

CPA

CIMA

ACCA

Tools

SAP

BlackLine

Finance automation

Job description

Job Title: ANZ Financial Controller Location: Sydney, Australia

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for an experienced Financial Controller to lead the controllership agenda across Australia and New Zealand. This is a broad finance leadership role responsible for protecting the integrity of our financial results, strengthening financial controls and delivering high-quality accounting, statutory and sustainability reporting. The role also plays a critical part in cash and working-capital delivery, Source-to-Pay, supplier financing and the ongoing transformation of our Finance operating model. You will lead a multidisciplinary team spanning Financial Accounting, Controls, Accounts Payable and Treasury, while partnering closely with regional teams, global Finance operations and third-party service providers. This role is responsible for the short-term and long-term stewardship agenda in the ANZ business and will need to command influence across functional teams and geographic boundaries to uphold and deliver Unilever’s Financial Control Framework as well as to Protect Value in Unilever.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead financial control and reporting across ANZ, ensuring accurate financial results, strong balance-sheet integrity and compliance with accounting and Group requirements.
• Own the controls and risk agenda, overseeing internal and external audit, risk assessment and remediation.
• Oversee statutory accounts and sustainability reporting, ensuring robust governance, evidence, and external assurance.
• Provide senior oversight of Source-to-Pay, improving payment performance, supplier experience and process compliance.
• Lead and develop the ANZ controllership team, with clear accountability across local, regional and offshore teams. Key member of the ANZ Finance Leadership Team.
• Drive simplification and transformation through technology, automation, and improved ways of working.
• Partner senior leadership, providing independent challenge and clear advice on accounting, governance, controls, cash and risk.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Minimum requirements

• Professional accounting qualification such as CA, CPA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent.
• Significant experience across financial accounting, controllership, audit, statutory reporting, and financial controls.
• Strong knowledge of IFRS and applicable Australian and New Zealand reporting requirements.
• Proven experience leading teams and influencing senior Finance and non-Finance stakeholders.
• Experience working across shared service, hub or outsourced Finance environments.
• Strong commercial judgement, communication skills and the ability to simplify complex financial issues.

Preferred experience

• Source-to-Pay, accounts payable or supplier financing.
• Sustainability or climate reporting and assurance.
• Finance transformation or major organisational change.
• SAP, BlackLine and Finance automation or analytics tools.

UNILEVER BEHAVIOURS

• Care deeply: Develop and support the ANZ controllership team, build trusted partnerships across local and offshore teams, and champion integrity and a culture where people speak up.
• Focus on what counts: Prioritise material financial risks, balance-sheet integrity and cash delivery, simplifying processes and directing effort towards the controls and outcomes that create and protect the most value.
• Stay three steps ahead: Anticipate emerging accounting, sustainability and operational risks, prepare the team for change, and use technology and automation to strengthen future readiness.
• Deliver with excellence: Take end-to-end ownership of accurate, timely financial, statutory and sustainability reporting, robust controls and reliable supplier payments, with clear accountability and sustained resolution of issues.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

You will build a high-performing, modern controllership function that protects financial integrity while enabling the business to move at pace. Success means trusted financial reporting, strong controls, reliable statutory and sustainability delivery, improved cash and supplier outcomes, and a capable and engaged team.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is a Sydney-based role working across Australia and New Zealand, with regular interaction with regional and global teams.

Unilever is an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. This means we encourage people with all backgrounds to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pacific Peoples, and people with disabilities.

At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! We encourage you to advise us at the time of your application if you require any reasonable adjustment so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.

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