Financial Controller

Highbury Executive Talent; Sydney; On-site; AUD 170,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Highbury Executive Talent is sourcing a Financial Controller for a PE-backed consumer products group in Sydney. You will own month-end, balance sheet integrity and reporting, while leading a small finance team and partnering with the CFO and PE sponsor.

The role requires a CA/CPA, deep technical accounting, and proven hands-on experience in a growing SME or PE-backed environment, with strong cash flow forecasting and ERP experience. On-site in Sydney.

Qualifications

• CA/CPA qualified with a strong technical accounting foundation.
• Background in a large corporate environment, with recent experience in a growing SME or PE-backed business.
• Proven experience in a financial control or senior finance role, ideally within consumer products or manufacturing environments.
• Strong cash flow forecasting and working capital experience.
• Working knowledge of Australian tax and payroll obligations.
• Experience leading or building a finance team, with the presence to influence senior stakeholders.
• Hands-on experience with ERP implementations or improvements, and strong Excel and reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Own financial control across month-end, balance sheet integrity, inventory and cost accounting, and statutory and management reporting.
• Lead cash flow forecasting and working capital management, giving the CFO and sponsor clear visibility of liquidity.
• Coordinate tax compliance and reporting across BAS/GST, payroll tax and income tax, working with external advisers as required.
• Take ownership of payroll, ensuring accuracy, compliance and strong controls.
• Drive finance transformation across ERP, automation, reporting and financial controls.
• Recruit, develop and lead the finance team, shaping structure, capability and succession as the business grows.
• Support audit, lender and covenant reporting, and prepare board and investor packs.

Skills

Cash flow forecasting

Stakeholder management

Financial reporting

Team leadership

Excel

Education

CA/CPA qualification

Tools

ERP systems

Excel (advanced)

Job description

Financial Controller | PE-Backed Consumer Products | Sydney | $170k-$180k+ super

THE OPPORTUNITY

Highbury has been exclusively engaged by a PE-backed consumer products client to find its next Financial Controller in Sydney. The business is growing, the CFO wants a leader who can take the control environment to the next level, and the brief is simple: sharpen cash visibility, modernise how finance works and build a team that can keep pace.

You will report to the CFO and run finance day to day, with the PE sponsor as a key stakeholder. The mandate is to lift the quality of control, forecasting and reporting across the function.

The ideal person has built their foundations in a large corporate and then broadened their skills in the SME space. They know what good looks like, and they're ready to put it into practice in a high-growth business.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own financial control across month-end, balance sheet integrity, inventory and cost accounting, and statutory and management reporting
• Lead cash flow forecasting and working capital management, giving the CFO and sponsor clear visibility of liquidity
• Coordinate tax compliance and reporting across BAS/GST, payroll tax and income tax, working with external advisers as required
• Take ownership of payroll, ensuring accuracy, compliance and strong controls
• Drive finance transformation across ERP, automation, reporting and financial controls
• Recruit, develop and lead the finance team, shaping structure, capability and succession as the business grows
• Support audit, lender and covenant reporting, and prepare board and investor packs

REQUIREMENTS

• CA/CPA qualified with a strong technical accounting foundation
• Background in a large corporate environment, with recent experience in a growing SME or PE-backed business
• Proven experience in a financial control or senior finance role, ideally within consumer products or manufacturing environments
• Strong cash flow forecasting and working capital experience
• Working knowledge of Australian tax and payroll obligations
• Experience leading or building a finance team, with the presence to influence senior stakeholders
• Hands-on experience with ERP implementations or improvements, and strong Excel and reporting skills