Finance & Accounting Operations Deputy Manager

Client 1; Canberra; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Cleared Recruitment is supporting the search for an experienced Finance & Accounting Operations Deputy Manager to join a complex and highly regulated organisation in Canberra. This senior role supports day-to-day financial operations, reporting, compliance, treasury and team leadership.

You will maintain strong financial controls, accurate reporting, and effective processes while leading a small finance team, interacting with senior stakeholders and Commonwealth agencies.

Qualifications

• Baseline security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Australian Citizenship and eligibility to obtain a Defence security clearance.
• CA, CPA or equivalent accounting qualification.
• 5+ years' experience in a similar finance/accounting operations role.
• Experience leading or supervising a finance or accounting team.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day finance and accounting operations alongside the Operations Manager.
• Oversee Accounts Payable activities, ensure timely payments and resolve supplier issues.
• Coordinate financial reporting, including statutory and board reporting.
• Coordinate external audit preparations with auditors.
• Manage tax and regulatory returns including BAS, FBT, income tax, and R&D submissions.
• Assist treasury activities including cash management and FX exposure.
• Develop and improve financial policies, processes and internal controls.
• Collaborate with FP&A on budgeting, forecasting and reporting.
• Provide clear financial commentary and recommendations.
• Identify opportunities for process and system improvements across finance.
• Mentor Accounts Payable Officers and Clerks.
• Engage senior executives and external stakeholders to support finance initiatives.

Skills

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Advanced Excel

Leadership

Education

CA, CPA or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Finance & Accounting Operations Deputy Manager

Location: Canberra, ACT

Clearance: Baseline security clearance

Employment: Full-Time, Permanent

About the Opportunity

Cleared Recruitment is supporting the search for an experienced Finance & Accounting Operations Deputy Manager to join a complex and highly regulated organisation in Canberra.
This is a senior finance operations opportunity supporting the Finance & Accounting Operations Manager across day-to-day financial operations, reporting, compliance, treasury and team leadership.
The role will suit an experienced finance professional who enjoys working across both hands-on financial operations and broader financial management, with the ability to work closely with senior stakeholders, auditors, advisers and Commonwealth agencies.
You will play an important role in maintaining strong financial controls, accurate reporting and effective finance processes while supporting a small, high-performing finance team.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Finance & Accounting Operations Manager in overseeing the day-to-day activities of the Finance & Accounting Operations function.
• Oversee Accounts Payable activities, ensuring weekly payment runs are completed accurately and supplier issues are resolved promptly.
• Prepare and coordinate regular financial and management reporting, including Board and shareholder reporting, financial statements, statutory reporting and banking compliance.
• Coordinate the annual external audit, including preparation of supporting documentation and liaison with auditors.
• Manage the preparation and submission of relevant tax and regulatory returns, including BAS, FBT, income tax and R&D-related submissions.
• Support treasury activities, including cash management and management of foreign exchange and interest rate exposure.
• Develop and improve financial policies, processes and internal controls.
• Work closely with Financial Planning & Analysis teams on budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting requirements.
• Investigate and analyse financial information and provide clear, concise financial commentary and recommendations.
• Identify opportunities for process and system improvements across the finance function.
• Supervise, mentor and support Accounts Payable Officers and Accounts Clerks.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior executives, internal stakeholders, auditors, advisers, financial service providers and relevant Commonwealth agencies.
• Support additional accounting, reporting and finance initiatives as required.

About You

We are looking for an experienced finance and accounting professional who can combine strong technical capability with leadership, stakeholder management and commercial judgement.
You will ideally have:

• Baseline security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Australian Citizenship and eligibility to obtain a Defence security clearance.
• CA, CPA or equivalent accounting qualification.
• 5+ years' experience in a similar finance/accounting operations role.
• Experience leading or supervising a finance or accounting team.
• Strong knowledge across financial accounting and finance operations.
• Experience with financial reporting, statutory reporting, taxation and audit.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to investigate financial information and provide meaningful commentary.
• Excellent Microsoft Office and Excel skills.
• Strong attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Highly developed communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• A proactive approach to identifying improvements across finance processes and systems.
• The ability to work collaboratively while also taking ownership and driving outcomes.

Stakeholder Environment

You will work closely with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, including:

Internal

Finance and Accounting, Department Managers, Purchasing, Project Managers, Senior Management and the CFO.

External

Auditors, banking representatives, Commonwealth agencies, financial service providers and external advisers.

Why This Opportunity?

This is a great opportunity for an experienced finance professional looking to step into a senior finance operations leadership position within a complex and highly regulated environment.
You will have broad exposure across financial operations, reporting, taxation, audit, treasury, governance and team leadership, while working closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation.

At Cleared Recruitment, we provide tailored recruitment solutions to individuals with a background in ICT, Engineering, Cyber and Project Services, who are seeking their next opportunity within Defence Industry, Federal Government, Intelligence and National Security.