Assistant Director - Finance Business Partner

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in Sydney seeks an Assistant Director, Finance Business Partner to lead strategic financial partnerships and provide expert financial advice across the department.

The role oversees budgets and forecasts, supports ICT project cost accounting, and partners with senior executives to influence decision-making and drive financial sustainability.

Qualifications

• Experience building and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience leading a high performing, client-focused team with clear roles and values.
• Understanding of cost recovery principles.
• Understanding of accounting standards and asset/project accounting, with PGPA Act 2013 knowledge.
• Experience performing complex financial analysis and providing evidence-based advice.
• Experience guiding stakeholders through organisational change.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic financial advice and high-quality customer service to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Director FBP and other teams on finances and messaging.
• Prepare monthly financial reports and forecasts reflecting business plans.
• Support development and QA of group budgets, forecasts and financial plans.
• Support ICT project reporting and capital accounting matters.
• Lead a diverse team delivering outcomes aligned with Core 4 values.

Skills

Relationship building

Team leadership

Cost recovery

Accounting standards

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

Accounting or Finance degree

Job description

Assistant Director - Finance Business Partner

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Sydney NSW

• Finance & Investment Division
• Adelaide (SA), Brisbane (QLD), Canberra (ACT), Melbourne (VIC) or Sydney (NSW)

Ready to lead strategic finance partnerships and influence decisions that matter? Join the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as an Assistant Director, Finance Business Partner. Bring your financial expertise, leadership and collaborative approach to strengthen capability, improve performance and deliver meaningful outcomes across the department.

Why YOU are important to us and what impact will you have on the Finance & Government Business Division and the departments’ goal.

Our division ensures the department remains financially sustainable, compliant and well-equipped to meet its goals. We provide expert financial advice, tools and support to help teams manage budgets, make informed decisions and use public resources responsibly. By partnering across the department we help align financial processes with strategic priorities. We also support ministers and stakeholders with clear, accurate financial insights that drive effective policy and program delivery.

The Financial Management and Investment Branch is responsible for: divisional finance support; internal budgeting and management reporting; treasury, taxation and government loans; financial accounting including financial statements and monthly government reporting; asset management and financial reporting.

This is where you play an important role.

Finance Business Partner (FBP) Teams partner across the business and with senior executives to provide strategic financial advice and assistance on financial related issues. The FBP teams form a professional network that supports the department in managing its budget through preparing monthly divisional financial management reports, monitoring budgets and forecasts that reflect the Group/Division’s business plan, and most importantly provide a conduit to the Chief Finance Officer (CFO).

The Assistant Director - Finance Business Partner supports the Director by partnering with business areas and senior executives to strengthen financial management and informed decision-making. Working collaboratively across the department, the role provides strategic advice, oversees budgets and forecasts, analyses performance and emerging risks and delivers clear, timely insights that support financial sustainability and business outcomes.

The duties of the role may include, but are not limited to:

• partnering with stakeholders across DAFF to provide strategic financial advice, responsive support and high-quality customer service
• working closely with the Director FBP and other FBP teams to address financial matters, apply consistent approaches and coordinate clear messaging
• preparing monthly financial management reports and other analysis and advising on financial performance, staffing, contractors and emerging risks that may affect delivery
• supporting the development and quality assurance of group internal budgets, forecasts and financial plans
• supporting reporting and review processes for ICT functions and projects, including gateway reviews, Digital Transformation Agency requirements and capital accounting matters
• engaging with Financial Accounting and Cost Recovery Teams on technical accounting, project, cost-driver and cost-base issues
• leading a diverse team to deliver high-quality outcomes, build capability and demonstrate the Core 4 values of Working Together, Courage, Diversity and Excellence.

Some of these vacancies may involve, in addition to the above duties, delivering, or leading a team to deliver, additional financial responsibilities agreed with relevant divisions, where resourcing is available to provide non-standard FBP services. The responsibilities of those teams may include:

• ensuring your priorities are consistent with the other FBP teams supporting the relevant Group
• invoice processing
• contractor timesheet review and matching to invoicing
• financial advice on key ICT projects being run through division
• financial administration and coordination activities on behalf of divisional stakeholders.

Please note that this recruitment process will initially be used to fill up to five vacancies in the section and that these initial vacancies are only available in either Brisbane or Canberra. The merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may be used to fill future ongoing vacancies in the branch, where the duties are of a similar nature, in any of the locations listed ono the Job Description

Who we are looking for

Knowledge and experience

• Experience building & maintaining relationships with a network of internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience managing & developing a high performing team of client focussed, solution driven staff who have clarity on their roles, responsibilities, expected values and behaviours.
• An understanding of cost recovery principles.
• An understanding of accounting standards and methodology, including asset and project accounting, complemented by a detailed knowledge of PGPA Act 2013 requirements as they relate to financial management.
• Experience undertaking complex financial analysis and providing evidence-based advice & policy direction to stakeholders, including executives.
• Experience leading stakeholders/teams through change and working collaboratively across an organisation and externally.

Mandatory Qualifications

An accounting or finance related tertiary degree.

VetPaths The Australian Public Service (APS) values the unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that veterans gain during their Australian Defence Force (ADF) employment and encourage veterans to apply. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer support. More information can be found here. For additional information, please read the Job Description below.