Chief Financial Officer

Times Higher Education; Wagga Wagga; On-site; AUD 350,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Charles Sturt University is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to shape the University’s long-term financial sustainability and revenue strategy across a geographically dispersed organisation.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the CFO will lead a major program of finance transformation, provide high-quality financial analysis and strategic options, and engage with internal and external stakeholders to support university-wide decision-making.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in finance-system transformation and operational efficiencies.
• Experience leading finance teams across multi-site or dispersed locations.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen with enterprise partnership skills.
• Higher education experience is highly regarded; public sector or complex environments also considered.

Responsibilities

• Shape the University's long-term financial sustainability and revenue strategy.
• Lead a program of finance transformation and process improvements.
• Provide high-quality financial analysis, advice, and strategic options to support decision-making.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders and support Executive Leadership and Council.
• Lead, engage and develop a distributed finance team.

Job description

We are a university deeply connected to the land, people and communities of regional Australia. We develop capable, forward-thinking graduates and professionals who create meaningful impact, helping their communities thrive today and into the future. Through strong regional foundations and enduring partnerships, we build connections that extend across Australia and resonate globally.

The Wiradjuri phrase yindyamarra winhanganha means "the wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in a world worth living in". It lies at the heart of Charles Sturt University and shapes our values, culture and purpose. Grounded in traditional Indigenous knowledge, it also reflects the enduring role of universities: to create, share and apply knowledge that improves lives and contributes to a better future.

As a distributed yet connected university, we harness technology and innovation to bring people together across locations, communities and disciplines. Our ambition is to be Australia's leading regional university, renowned for research excellence and for delivering regional outcomes with global impact.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key executive leadership role responsible for shaping the University's long-term financial sustainability, revenue strategy and broader institutional direction. The CFO will lead a significant program of finance transformation and process improvement, driving contemporary financial practices, system enhancements and operational efficiencies across a complex and geographically dispersed organisation.

The CFO will provide high-quality financial analysis, advice and strategic options to support University-wide decision-making. The role will engage confidently with key internal and external stakeholders, while also supporting the Vice-Chancellor, Executive Leadership Team and the University Council on finance-related matters and presentations.

The successful candidate will bring a proven track record of leading finance-system transformation and delivering genuine operational efficiencies. They will combine strong financial and commercial acumen with the ability to act as an effective enterprise business partner. Experience working across complex, multi-site or geographically dispersed organisations will be important, as will the ability to lead, engage and develop a distributed finance team.

Experience in Higher education would be highly regarded, however outstanding candidates from relevant public-sector, service-intensive or other similar / adjacent complex environments will also be considered. The successful candidate will demonstrate sound judgement, clear communication, collaborative leadership and the credibility to influence across an institution. Equally comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels, they will play a critical role in supporting Charles Sturt University's continued financial strength, sustainability and evolution as a student-centred institution with a strong regional mission and global outlook.

Charles Sturt University is committed to building a diverse workforce as shown through our Athena Swan Bronze Award, our Australian Workplace Equality Index Bronze Award and our membership of a range of diversity-focused organisations including Diversity Council Australia and Pride in Diversity. We encourage applications from First Nations people, carers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, neurodivergent people, and people of all age groups, genders and sexualities for all roles.

Applications close on 16 November 2026.