Business Partner Lead, Finance, Global Water & Environment, I+E

SMEC; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

18 weeks parental leave

Flexible working arrangements

Diversity & inclusion programs

Career progression

Job summary

SMEC is seeking an experienced Finance Business Partner Lead based in Melbourne to drive strategic financial leadership for the Global Water & Environment Sector. You will oversee reporting, budgeting, forecasting and modelling for major projects, partnering with sector leadership to improve profitability and efficiency.

You will lead a team, promote governance, and collaborate across the Group to support long-term sustainability and client value.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in Accounting, Commerce, Economics or a related discipline.
• Further qualifications in Business Management, such as an MBA, will be highly regarded.
• Proven experience in a comparable finance leadership or business partnering role within a corporate environment.
• Demonstrated experience in developing profitable strategies and translating strategic vision into practical business outcomes.
• A strong understanding of corporate finance, financial governance and business performance management principles.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing finance professionals across a business.
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to analyse financial and project performance, identify opportunities and drive improved results.
• The ability to build trusting, productive relationships with internal stakeholders and external clients.
• A high level of integrity and sound judgement when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• A results‑oriented mindset, with a demonstrated ability to achieve and exceed business targets.

Responsibilities

• Lead detailed, accurate and reliable financial data for the Global Water & Environment Sector, enabling timely reporting, robust analysis and informed business decisions.
• Analyse commercial, financial and project performance, identify risks and opportunities, and provide actionable insights to improve profitability and project outcomes.
• Lead and oversee financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and financial modelling for key projects and business initiatives.
• Work collaboratively with the Sector leadership team and Finance leads across the Group to drive performance, support strategic priorities and achieve business objectives.
• Promote strong financial governance, best practice in project controls and effective commercial risk management.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve financial processes, systems and operational efficiencies.
• Build and maintain trusted, productive relationships with internal stakeholders and external clients, contributing to effective client relationship management.
• Provide leadership, mentoring and support to the I+E Finance team, fostering high performance, effective resourcing, retention and ongoing professional development.
• Actively contribute to business-wide projects and strategic initiatives that enhance efficiency, strengthen commercial outcomes and support long‑term sustainability.
• Contribute to the ANZ Region’s finance activities, working collaboratively to support broader financial and business priorities.

Skills

Financial leadership

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

People leadership

Financial analysis

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Commerce/Economics

MBA

Job description

Create futures worth inheriting with SMEC and the SJ Group

About SJ Group

At SJ, we’re building identity into infrastructure, character into skylines and peace of mind into everyday life.

A global urban and infrastructure consultancy firm with over 75 years of project delivery success, SJ and its member companies continue a collective legacy that delivers global expertise with local precision.

Become part of our 16,000 client-centric specialists in more than 120 offices in over 40 countries who shape spaces across the world to meet the needs of today and the aspirations of generations to come.

About SMEC

We unlock the potential of our people to look at infrastructure differently, creating better outcomes for the future.

We are committed to positively impact the people, the environment and the clients and communities we serve.

About the Role

Lead financial performance. Shape strategy. Make an impact.

We are seeking an experienced Business Partner Lead, Finance to provide strategic financial leadership and support to our Global Water & Environment Sector, based in our Melbourne office. In this role, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing the financial performance of the Global Water & Environment Sector, ensuring the integrity, accuracy and quality of project financial data and promoting best practice in project financial control.

Working in close partnership with the Sector leadership team, you will provide financial insight and strategic advice to support informed decision-making, improve operational efficiency and maximise business performance. You will oversee key financial activities, including reporting, analysis, budgeting, forecasting and financial modelling for major projects, while driving continuous improvement across financial and business processes.

You will also contribute to commercial risk management, governance and system improvements, while collaborating with Finance leads across the Group. As a member of the ANZ Region’s finance team, you will support broader regional finance priorities and initiatives.

This role offers the opportunity to combine financial expertise, commercial acumen and people leadership to help build an efficient, balanced and sustainable business.

Key accountabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Financial leadership and performance: Manage detailed, accurate and reliable financial data for the Global Water & Environment Sector, enabling timely reporting, robust analysis and informed business decisions.
• Commercial and project performance: Analyse commercial, financial and project performance, identify risks and opportunities, and provide actionable insights to improve profitability and project outcomes.
• Planning and forecasting: Lead and oversee financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and financial modelling for key projects and business initiatives.
• Strategic business partnering: Work collaboratively with the Sector leadership team and Finance leads across the Group to drive performance, support strategic priorities and achieve business objectives.
• Governance and risk management: Promote strong financial governance, best practice in project controls and effective commercial risk management.
• Process and systems improvement: Identify and implement opportunities to improve financial processes, systems and operational efficiencies.
• Relationship management: Build and maintain trusted, productive relationships with internal stakeholders and external clients, contributing to effective client relationship management.
• People leadership and development: Provide leadership, mentoring and support to the I+E Finance team, fostering high performance, effective resourcing, retention and ongoing professional development.
• Strategic initiatives: Actively contribute to business-wide projects and strategic initiatives that enhance efficiency, strengthen commercial outcomes and support long‑term sustainability.
• Regional finance collaboration: Contribute to the ANZ Region’s finance activities, working collaboratively to support broader financial and business priorities.

About You

You are an accomplished finance professional with a strong commercial mindset, proven leadership capability and the ability to translate complex financial information into meaningful business insights. You are comfortable working with senior stakeholders, influencing strategic decisions and balancing financial discipline with commercial opportunity.

You bring a proactive, collaborative approach and a commitment to building high-performing teams, strengthening relationships and delivering measurable business results.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in Accounting, Commerce, Economics or a related discipline.
• Further qualifications in Business Management, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), will be highly regarded.
• Proven experience in a comparable finance leadership or business partnering role within a corporate environment.
• Demonstrated experience in developing profitable strategies and translating strategic vision into practical business outcomes.
• A strong understanding of corporate finance, financial governance and business performance management principles.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing finance professionals across a business.
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to analyse financial and project performance, identify opportunities and drive improved results.
• The ability to build trusting, productive relationships with internal stakeholders and external clients.
• A high level of integrity and sound judgement when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• A results‑oriented mindset, with a demonstrated ability to achieve and exceed business targets.

This is an opportunity to take on a highly influential finance business partnering role where your expertise will help shape strategic decisions, improve commercial performance and support the long‑term success of a global sector.

SMEC is committed to building a diverse, inclusive and gender-equitable workforce and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds across engineering and technical disciplines. We provide a supportive and flexible working environment that recognises individual contribution, supports career progression, and enables our people to balance work and life at all stages of their career.

As a family‑friendly employer, we offer flexible working arrangements and benefits including 18 weeks of universal paid parental leave. We are proud to foster an inclusive culture that supports gender equity, LGBTI+ inclusion and First Nations representation, with access to strong professional networks, role models, and mentoring and sponsorship programs.

All recruitment activities go through our Recruitment & Talent function and currently, this role doesn’t require agency input. Please do not forward resume directly to SMEC employees/managers; we do not accept unsolicited resumes and are not responsible for any associated fees.