Finance Controller

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Global exposure

Inclusive culture with ERGs

Job summary

John Crane, part of Smiths Group, is seeking a senior finance leader to oversee financial reporting, balance sheet integrity, statutory accounts, and external audits across its global operations.

You will build and lead the local finance team, drive transformation initiatives, partner with management, ensure compliance with local regulations, and deliver timely, accurate management information.

Qualifications

• Degree in finance, accounting, or related field.
• Professional accounting qualification (CPA/ACCA/CA/CIMA) required.
• Minimum 5 years in finance leadership or controllership.
• Experience with statutory reporting and external audits.

Responsibilities

• Ensure timely financial reporting including month-end close, budgets, forecasts, and business-relevant reporting.
• Maintain balance sheet integrity with robust controls and accounting estimates.
• Lead statutory reporting and external audit processes with auditors.
• Drive the internal audit programme and address audit findings.
• Oversee statutory accounts, tax filings, and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with local management to provide financial leadership and insights.
• Develop and manage the local finance team to meet business needs.
• Support finance transformation projects and continuous improvement.

Skills

Financial leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Auditing

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Business

Professional accounting qualification (CPA/ACCA/CA/CIMA)

Tools

SAP

ERP systems

Job description

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies.

We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards.

John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries.

Job Description

Responsibilities:

• Ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timely delivery of financial reporting, including month-end close, budgets, forecasts, management reporting, and other financial information required by the business, with a strong focus on supporting operational and commercial decision-making.
• Maintain the integrity of the balance sheet through robust review and control processes, ensuring provisions, accruals, and other accounting estimates are appropriate and compliant with divisional policies and accounting standards.
• Lead and oversee the statutory reporting and external audit process, working closely with auditors to ensure compliance with local regulatory requirements and timely completion of all statutory obligations.
• Drive the internal audit programme by coordinating with internal auditors, facilitating successful audit outcomes, and ensuring timely resolution of audit findings and action plans.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of statutory accounts, tax filings, and other regulatory requirements, ensuring full compliance with local laws and regulations.
• Act as a trusted business partner to local management and key stakeholders to provide financial leadership, strategic insights, and governance oversight that support business performance and effective decision-making.
• Lead, develop, and manage the local finance organization, ensuring the team is appropriately structured, resourced, and capable of meeting current and future business requirements.
• Lead or support finance transformation initiatives, process improvement projects, and other ad hoc assignments as required to support business objectives and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Technical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related discipline.
• Professionally qualified accountant (e.g., CPA, ACCA, CA, CIMA, or equivalent).
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in a finance leadership or controllership role, with demonstrated responsibility for financial reporting, controls, and business support.
• Well-rounded combination of technical accounting knowledge, financial analysis, commercial acumen, and business partnering experience.
• Strong leadership and people management capabilities, with the ability to develop, coach, and motivate high-performing team.
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented approach, with the ability to build trusted partnerships and work effectively across functions, cultures, and organizational levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and present complex financial matters clearly and concisely.
• Proficient in SAP and other financial systems, with strong knowledge of financial reporting and control processes.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize effectively, think strategically, and execute with discipline in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrates sound judgement, adaptability, and a continuous improvement mindset, driving positive outcomes through teamwork and collaboration.

Additional Information

With colleagues stretching across the globe, we are proud of our diversity. To foster inclusivity, we run employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to connect and support each other. Our cross-business ERGs include Veterans, Pride Network, Black Employee Network, Women@Work Network, and Neurodiversity.

Across our company, we recognize excellence, culminating in the Smiths Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the most extraordinary activities, people, and projects that best showcase our strengths and help drive our business forward. We announce these on our annual Smiths Day, a global celebration of Smiths around our network.

Join us for a great career with competitive compensation and benefits, while helping engineer a better future.

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.