Finance Officer/Assistant Accountant

Children'S Ground; Alice Springs; On-site; AUD 106,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12% superannuation

Bonus leave

Job summary

Children's Ground in Alice Springs seeks a motivated finance professional to support budgeting, monitoring and reporting. The role focuses on preparing, reconciling and explaining budget vs actual performance, ensuring accuracy and timely reporting to management.

The candidate should have around 2 years in finance administration with strong analytical skills. The position offers a pro-rata salary in the $106k–$116k range (EBA Level 5-6) with 12% superannuation and bonus leave, reflecting a

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years in finance administration, reconciliations and reporting.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to prepare and interpret monthly budget reports and variances.

Responsibilities

• Perform budget vs actual analysis across departments and grants.
• Monitor expenditures and report variances to project managers.
• Support month-end and year-end finance processes and AP/AR as needed.
• Maintain financial records and ensure regulatory compliance.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Finance administration experience

Tools

Finance systems

Job description

About Children's Ground

Children’s Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children’s Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children’s Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children’s Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

Position Summary

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented finance professional to support the organisation’s financial management and reporting functions. The primary focus of this role is the preparation, monitoring, and reconciliation of budget versus actual financial performance, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely reporting to management.

This role is suited to a mid-level finance professional with strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and 2 years practical experience in finance administration, reconciliations, and reporting.

Key Responsibilities

Budget & Financial Reporting

• Perform regular budget versus actual analysis across departments, projects, and cost centres.
• Monitor operational expenditure against grant funding and report to project managers
• Investigate and explain variances between budgeted and actual expenditure.
• Prepare monthly financial reports for Department Heads.
• Assist managers with understanding financial performance and budget positions.
• Support forecasting and budgeting processes

Purchase Order & Budget Control

• Review purchase orders (POs) to ensure sufficient budget is available prior to approval.
• Monitor committed expenditure against approved budgets.
• Liaise with managers and budget holders regarding budget availability and coding queries.
• Identify and escalative potential overspend risks or budget discrepancies.
• Assist in maintaining effective procurement and financial control processes.

Financial Administration

• Assist with month-end and year-end finance processes.
• Support accounts payable and receivable processes as required.
• Monitor coding accuracy and allocation of expenses.
• Maintain financial records and documentation in accordance with organisational policies.

Compliance & Process Improvement

• Ensure financial activities comply with internal policies and relevant legislative requirements.
• Assist with audit preparation and information requests.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial reporting and budget monitoring processes.
• Support implementation and ongoing maintenance of finance systems and controls.

Contribute to Children’s Ground

• Be a positive, innovative and active member of the Children’s Ground team.
• Support a strong, connected, respectful and supportive organisation.
• Participate in professional development programs offered by Children’s Ground.

What we offer

Salary Classification: Children's Ground EBA Level 5-6 ($106-$116K pro-rata), depending on Qualifications and Skills + 12% superannuation + bonus leave

Salary Sacrifice options to increase take home pay (dependant on individual circumstances)

A collaborative, purpose driven organisation contributing to First Nations led systems change

The preferred candidate will be required to undertake relevant pre-employment checks, including a National Police Check and Working with Children Clearance (NT).

In line with our workforce development strategy, Children's Ground strongly encourages and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply.