Finance Business Partner - Fixed Term Parental Leave Cover

The Australian Ballet; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary ballet tickets

Salary Packaging

Company Paid Parental Leave

Discounted onsite parking

LinkedIn Learning

Job summary

The Australian Ballet is seeking a Finance Business Partner for fixed term parental leave cover. This role involves partnering with leaders across the organization to offer financial insights, support budgeting, and enhance reporting processes.

Ideal candidates will have strong accounting backgrounds with advanced skills in financial analysis, forecasting, and stakeholder management. Employee benefits include complimentary ballet tickets, salary packaging options, and a supportive environment

Qualifications

• At least five years of relevant post-qualified experience.
• Strong financial management experience including budgeting and forecasting.
• Sound knowledge of accounting standards and legislative requirements.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leaders to provide financial expertise and support.
• Prepare management reporting for The Australian Ballet and Orchestra Victoria.
• Support budgeting and forecasting processes.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Forecasting

Stakeholder management

Advanced Excel

Data visualization

Commercial awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or equivalent

Professional accounting accreditation (CA or CPA)

Tools

Power BI

ERP systems

Job description

Finance Business Partner - Fixed Term Parental Leave Cover

Our Company
The Australian Ballet is one of the world’s leading ballet companies and a globally recognised Australian national performing arts organisation. Each year the company presents upwards of 220 performances through its main stage seasons in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth; along with public programs, special events, an extensive regional tour, a Children’s Ballet and Education programs and regular overseas tours.

Role Highlights

• Partner with leaders across The Australian Ballet and Orchestra Victoria, combining financial expertise with a strong understanding of business operations.
• Influence strategic and operational decisions through meaningful analysis, scenario modelling and commercially focused recommendations.
• Help shape budgeting, forecasting and performance reporting across a complex and dynamic performing arts environment.
• Develop insightful dashboards, management reports and performance measures using financial and operational data.
• Contribute directly to Executive and Board reporting and support strong financial governance.
• Improve financial capability across the organisation by supporting and educating non-financial stakeholders.
• Join a purpose-led organisation that values ambition, boldness, inclusivity, respect and responsibility.

What you’ll be doing:

• Build trusted relationships with business leaders and provide clear, practical financial advice.
• Prepare timely and accurate management reporting for The Australian Ballet group, including Orchestra Victoria.
• Deliver meaningful commentary and analysis that explains performance, variances, trends, risks and opportunities.
• Support the annual budgeting and forecasting processes, working closely with department heads to develop robust financial plans and cost projections.
• Prepare financial models, scenario analysis and cost-benefit assessments for new initiatives, operational changes and investment decisions.
• Identify emerging financial risks and opportunities and recommend practical actions to improve outcomes.
• Develop dashboards, KPIs and management reporting that combine financial and statistical information.
• Support Executive, Board and governance reporting with accurate, decision-focused financial insights.
• Help budget holders interpret financial information, meet reporting requirements and maintain appropriate financial controls.
• Support grant applications, budgets, acquittals and funded-project reporting in partnership with Finance Operations and relevant departments.
• Contribute to month-end and year-end reporting processes.
• Improve data structures, systems, reporting tools and ways of working across the FP&A function.
• Deputise for the Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis when required and contribute to a collaborative, capable and improvement-focused Finance team.

What experience you’ll need:

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or an equivalent discipline.
• Professional accounting accreditation, such as CA or CPA.
• At least five years of relevant post-qualified experience.
• Strong financial management experience, including budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and variance analysis.
• Sound knowledge of relevant accounting standards and legislative requirements.
• Experience using contemporary ERP and reporting systems, supported by strong data capabilities.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups and financial modelling.
• Experience analysing and visualising data, ideally using Power BI or a comparable business intelligence tool.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to connect financial results with operational drivers.
• The ability to interpret complex information and communicate the key message clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• Well-developed stakeholder management, presentation and influencing skills.
• Confidence constructively challenging assumptions and recommending alternative approaches.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• A proactive, adaptable and solutions-focused approach, with a commitment to continuous improvement.

Experience in the performing arts or the commercial not-for-profit sector would be advantageous but is not essential.

Employee Benefits:

• Complimentary ballet tickets
• Salary Packaging & Novated Leasing options
• Company Paid Parental Leave – 14 weeks for eligible employees
• Discounted onsite parking (Melbourne)
• LinkedIn Learning with La Trobe University
• A world class architecturally designed open plan head office in Southbank, Melbourne.
• Generous partner discounts and offers

Employee Wellbeing:

• Access to our onsite general practitioner (bulk billed)
• Employee Assistance Program – free confidential advice and counselling services
• Discounted memberships at Elixir Health Clubs and KAYA Health Clubs

Diversity and Inclusion

As Australia’s National Ballet Company, we are deeply committed to cultivating and sustaining an organisation that is equitable, fair and inclusive. Our aim is to become a truly inclusive organisation with a workforce that reflects Australia today. This is fundamental to The Australian Ballet’s future success and our ability to continue to contribute to culture and society in Australia. We embrace diversity both on and off stage. The range of perspectives and experience diversity brings is an asset to our organisation and all those who work with us. We have developed a Diversity and Inclusion Plan and Reconciliation Action Plan to enable us to meet our diversity and inclusion aims, and our commitment to First Nation communities.

Our Values

Ambition | Boldness | Inclusivity | Respect | Responsibility