Finance Officer/Assistant Accountant

Children's Ground; The Gap; On-site; AUD 106,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12% superannuation

Bonus leave

Salary sacrifice options

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

Children’s Ground is seeking a motivated finance professional to support budgeting, reporting, and financial controls. The role focuses on budget vs. actual analysis, monitoring grant expenditure, and monthly reporting to management.

We look for around two years of practical finance experience, strong analytical skills, and attention to detail, with opportunities to contribute to system improvements and procurement processes.

Qualifications

• 2 years practical experience in finance administration, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Mid-level finance professional with strong analytical skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Budget vs actual analysis across departments, projects and cost centres.
• Monitor 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.
• Review purchase orders to ensure sufficient budget before approval.
• Monitor committed expenditure against approved budgets.
• Liaise with managers regarding budget availability and coding queries.
• Identify and elevate potential overspend risks or budget discrepancies.
• Maintain procurement and financial control processes.
• 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.

Skills

Budget analysis

Financial reporting

Reconciliations

Finance administration

Job description

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 elevate potential overspend risks or budget discrepancies.
• Assist in maintaining effective procurement and financial control processes.
• 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.