Finance Business Partner - Operations | Private Equity

Sharp & Carter; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharp & Carter is assisting a well-established PE-backed products business in Melbourne to appoint a Commercial Finance Partner for the operations side. You will close with the senior operations leader and cross-functional teams to understand cost drivers and opportunities.

The role offers a platform to shape costing, operational reporting and performance insights, with scope to influence the business partner function and build credibility across the organisation.

Qualifications

• CA/CPA qualification and professional accounting background.
• Experience in a product-based business such as FMCG, wholesale, distribution or supply chain preferable.

Responsibilities

• Partner the senior operations leader and their team across sourcing, engineering, warehousing and supply chain.
• Own standard costing, ensuring product costs are accurate and used to drive decisions.
• Build understanding of how product flows from sourcing to warehouse to customer.
• Provide insight into cost drivers, efficiency and operational performance, turning it into action.
• Support procurement and sourcing decisions with clear financial analysis.
• Improve operational reporting by replacing manual processes with smarter, reliable ones.
• Contribute to building out S&OP with the Sales Finance Business Partner.
• Translate financial detail into practical advice for operations stakeholders.

Skills

CA/CPA

Management accounting

Cost accounting

FP&A

Business partnering

Operations partnering

Inventory costing

Excel

Continuous improvement

Stakeholder engagement

Education

CA or CPA qualification

Tools

Excel

Job description

Organisation Profile

Our client is a well-established, PE-backed products business with a clear growth agenda, including potential acquisitions. With strong investment behind it and a leadership team focused on scaling quickly, the business is at a turning point. Commercial finance will play a big part in where it goes next.

Role Overview

This new role is an opportunity to become the trusted finance partner to the operations side of the business. You’ll work closely with the senior operations leader and their team across sourcing, engineering, warehousing and supply chain. You’ll help them understand what’s driving cost and where the opportunities are.

The function is still being built, so there’s no rigid playbook. You’ll have real room to shape how costing, operational reporting and performance insight work. You’ll report to a Head of Commercial who wants people with ideas and will back you to put them into action.

It’s a strong step up for management accountants, cost accountants or FP&A analysts ready for a true business partnering role. It also suits experienced operations-focused business partners looking for more influence and a chance to build.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner the senior operations leader and their team across sourcing, engineering, warehousing and supply chain
• Own standard costing, making sure product costs are accurate, well understood and used to drive decisions
• Build a strong understanding of how product flows through the business, from sourcing to the warehouse to the customer
• Provide insight into cost drivers, efficiency and operational performance, and help turn it into action
• Support procurement and sourcing decisions with clear financial analysis
• Improve operational reporting, replacing manual processes with smarter, more reliable ones
• Contribute to building out S&OP, working closely with your Sales Finance Business Partner peer
• Translate financial detail into practical advice that operations stakeholders can act on

Why This Role Stands Out

• A genuine opportunity to shape operations finance in a business that’s ready for it
• PE backing and a growth agenda, so the business and your remit could look very different in a couple of years
• Close partnership with senior operations leadership and exposure to the wider executive team
• A supportive leader who values curiosity and gives you room to make the role your own
• Two to three years here will give you a CV full of examples of driving change and adding value

Ideal Candidate

You love understanding how a business physically works: where costs sit, how product moves and what really drives efficiency. You’re comfortable partnering practical, hands-on operations people, and you earn their trust by making finance useful rather than a hurdle.

You’re a curious self-starter who’s at ease with ambiguity and always looking for a better way of doing things. Experience in a product-based environment such as FMCG, wholesale, distribution or supply chain will help you hit the ground running. That said, the right mindset matters more than ticking every box.

Key Requirements

• CA or CPA qualified
• Management accounting, cost accounting, FP&A or business partnering experience in a product-based business
• Experience partnering operations, supply chain or procurement stakeholders
• Experience in Big4/Mid tier desired but not non negotiable
• Exposure to standard costing, inventory or product costing highly regarded
• Strong analytical and Excel skills, with the ability to explain the story behind the numbers
• A continuous improvement mindset and confidence engaging with senior stakeholders
• Able to work on site in Melbourne’s northern suburbs