Deputy Chief Financial Officer

HorizonOne Recruitment; Canberra; On-site; AUD 190,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Flexible working

Wellbeing benefit

Free parking

Job summary

CHC Australia in Canberra is seeking a Deputy Chief Financial Officer to scale its finance function as the organisation grows its housing portfolio. Working with the CFO, you will lead financial accounting, planning and systems, oversee governance and risk, and guide a finance system replacement while reporting to the Board.

This role requires senior finance leadership, strategic thinking and hands‑on delivery in a not‑for‑profit housing environment, with a clear eye on value, compliance and

Qualifications

• CA/CPA or equivalent professional qualification and tertiary qualifications.
• Senior finance leadership with experience in reporting, budgeting, forecasting, compliance and payroll oversight.
• Strong Excel modelling across feasibility, scenarios and long‑range cash flow.
• Experience with funding arrangements, institutional or treasury finance and related obligations.
• Strong financial governance, controls, audit and risk experience.
• Experience leading or closely supporting a finance system implementation.
• Capability and credibility to step into the CFO role when required.
• Track record of improving processes, accountability and delivery against deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial and management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and financial systems.
• Own financial modelling and feasibility analysis, including improving cash flow visibility.
• Oversee transactional finance, month‑end, reporting and financial compliance.
• Manage tax and GST obligations, financial controls, policies and delegations.
• Lead strategic asset management, including portfolio performance, investment, capital requirements, maintenance and asset recycling.
• Contribute to oversight of ICT, information management and cyber security.
• Provide commercial and financial advice to the CFO, executive and Board.

Skills

CA/CPA

Senior finance leadership

Excel modelling

Funding expertise

Governance & controls

System implementation

CFO readiness

Process improvement

Education

CA/CPA or equivalent

Job description

About Community Housing Canberra (CHC) Australia

CHC Australia is the largest not-for-profit provider of affordable and social housing based in Canberra, and the region’s only Tier 1 registered community housing provider. Over more than 25 years it has grown to house over 2,000 Canberrans, with a team of 45 staff.

CHC is unusual in its sector. It both develops and manages properties, using its own development activity to help fund new supply and the services that sit alongside it, in addition to government funding. The model is working well, but CHC is now preparing to scale it significantly beyond anything it has done before.

In June 2026, the ACT Government announced a significant new investment in housing, expected to support around $650 million in community housing projects and help unlock new affordable homes through the Commonwealth’s Housing Australia Future Fund.

CHC is positioning itself to play a significant role in that growth. It has a pipeline of more than 1,000 new homes and over the next three years expects to grow its portfolio to around 2,400 properties through a mix of new development, turnkey purchases and acquisitions.

The Opportunity

Growth at this scale isn’t linear. Each acquisition sits within its own special purpose vehicle, with its own board, governance and reporting requirements. That means CHC’s corporate capability can’t simply keep pace with portfolio growth, it needs to be built ahead of it.

That’s the opportunity for the newly created Deputy Chief Financial Officer.

Working alongside the CFO, you’ll strengthen the finance capability, systems and operating discipline CHC needs for its next stage of growth and play an active role in the strategy around investment, feasibility, systems and how CHC scales.

A change program is already mapping the processes and systems CHC will need, including a move from its current finance system to purpose‑built software. You’ll help shape those decisions and lead the work through implementation, rather than inheriting a model that has already been built.

• Strengthen the finance function for an organisation preparing to grow its portfolio by around two-thirds


• Take day-to-day ownership of FP&A, transactional finance, tax and asset operations


• Lead feasibility modelling and scenario analysis to support investment decisions and enable CHC to take on more projects


• Shape and deliver a major finance system replacement, moving from legacy software to a purpose‑built community housing platform


• Work directly with the Board, committees and executive from the outset, stepping in for the CFO when required


• Lead three direct reports and a wider team of around 10 across finance, asset management and IT

The Role

You’ll partner with the CFO across CHC’s finance, asset and systems portfolio, with direct ownership of the areas that need to scale fastest.

• Lead financial and management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and financial systems


• Own financial modelling and feasibility analysis, including improving cash flow visibility


• Oversee transactional finance, month‑end, reporting and financial compliance


• Manage tax and GST obligations, financial controls, policies and delegations


• Lead strategic asset management, including portfolio performance, investment, capital requirements, maintenance and asset recycling


• Contribute to oversight of ICT, information management and cyber security


• Provide commercial and financial advice to the CFO, executive and Board

The Ideal Person

This role will suit someone already operating at or just below CFO level who is ready for a broader remit and enjoys building through change. CHC is at the beginning of a significant transformation, and you’ll be joining while the systems, processes and structures are still evolving.

You’ll need to be comfortable with ambiguity, good at bringing order to complexity and willing to roll up your sleeves when needed. You’ll also need the patience and resilience to stay focused on the longer‑term outcome and enjoy seeing the pieces come together over time.

You’ll bring a commercial mindset to a for‑purpose environment. There is strong capability in the existing team; your role is to strengthen the structure around them.

You will bring:

• CA, CPA or equivalent professional qualification, supported by relevant tertiary qualifications


• Senior finance leadership experience across reporting, budgeting, forecasting, compliance and payroll oversight


• Strong Excel modelling skills across feasibility, scenarios and long‑range cash flow


• Experience with funding arrangements, institutional or treasury finance and their associated obligations


• Strong financial governance, controls, audit and risk experience


• Experience leading or closely supporting a finance system implementation


• The capability and credibility to step into the CFO role when required


• A track record of improving processes, accountability and delivery against deadlines

Desirable:

• Experience in property, infrastructure, asset‑intensive, renewables, community housing, not‑for‑profit, government‑funded or regulated environments


• Exposure to strategic asset management, CapEx planning or asset recycling


• Experience improving business systems, data quality and reporting, with an understanding of cyber security


• An understanding of, or genuine interest in, social and affordable housing and the people it serves

Salary and Benefits

• $190k – $200k + 12% Super


• Permanent, full‑time role based at CHC’s Bruce office


• Salary packaging available through CHC’s Public Benevolent Institution status


• Flexible working, with one to two days from home available once established in the role


• Health and wellbeing benefit worth $700


• Free on‑street parking at the Bruce office


• Limited travel required

Applications for this role close on Tuesday the 6th of October at 11:59AM AEDT.

Appointment is subject to a police check, pre‑employment fraud check and qualification check.