Principal Financial Accountant

Queensland Government; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

QLeave seeks a Principal Financial Accountant to lead technical accounting, financial reporting and governance. You will influence decisions, guide complex matters and provide authoritative financial advice to senior stakeholders to support sound outcomes.

The role sits in Finance and Investment Services, overseeing statements, taxation compliance, controls, investments and systems. You will partner with leadership to strengthen confidence in financial information.

Qualifications

• Senior finance experience with technical accounting expertise.
• Ability to provide authoritative financial advice to executives and boards.
• Strong governance, control and compliance focus in public sector finance.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation of financial statements and ensure compliance with legislation and policy.
• Provide expert accounting leadership across QLeave.
• Oversee taxation compliance (FBT, BAS, GST, payroll tax).
• Strengthen internal controls and the financial control environment.
• Handle complex accounting, reporting and compliance matters with professional judgement.
• Administer and monitor investments per Investment Policy Statement.
• Improve financial systems, processes and reporting accuracy.
• Collaborate with the Principal Finance Business Partner on performance reporting.
• Prepare high-level financial reports for Executive and Board.
• Provide clear, practical financial advice to stakeholders.

Skills

Financial leadership

Technical accounting

Stakeholder engagement

Governance controls

Taxation compliance

Investments management

Job description

QLeave is seeking an experienced Principal Financial Accountant to provide technical financial leadership and strengthen our financial management, reporting, governance and control environment.

This senior finance role requires deep technical accounting capability and leadership skills to influence decisions, lift organisational practice and build confidence in the integrity of financial information. You will lead through your expertise, judgement and influence, providing authoritative financial advice, guiding complex accounting matters and working closely with senior stakeholders to support sound financial and organisational outcomes.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to make a genuine impact in an organisation administering Queensland's portable long service leave schemes and managing significant funds under investment and supporting public confidence.

The Opportunity

As the Principal Financial Accountant, you'll play an important role in safeguarding the integrity of QLeave's financial information and strengthening our financial governance and control environment. You'll apply your technical accounting expertise across a broad and interesting portfolio. This includes financial statements, statutory and taxation compliance, internal controls, investments and financial systems and processes.

You'll also be someone others can turn to for well-considered technical financial advice. You'll help navigate complex accounting matters, translate technical requirements into practical solutions, and provide financial information and insights that support sound decision-making. The position sits within Finance and Investment Services, which provides financial and investment governance to QLeave.

This role will suit an experienced financial accountant who enjoys getting into the technical detail, but can also step back and see the bigger organisational picture. You'll have scope to identify better ways of working, strengthen controls and reporting, and contribute high-level financial information for the Executive and Board.

Key Capabilities And Responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Lead the accurate preparation of financial statements and support compliance with relevant legislative and policy requirements.


• Provide expert accounting advice and technical financial leadership across QLeave.


• Manage taxation compliance activities, including FBT, BAS, GST and payroll tax.


• Maintain and strengthen internal controls and QLeave's broader financial control environment.


• Work through complex accounting, reporting and compliance matters using sound professional judgement.


• Administer and monitor investment opportunities in line with QLeave's Investment Policy Statement.


• Improve financial systems, processes and internal controls to strengthen governance, efficiency and reporting accuracy.


• Work collaboratively with the Principal Finance Business Partner to connect financial reporting with organisational performance outcomes.


• Support the preparation of high-level financial reports and briefs for QLeave's Executive and Board.


• Build confidence in financial information by providing clear, practical and well-reasoned advice to stakeholders.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for an experienced financial accountant who combines strong technical expertise with leadership capability. You'll be confident navigating complex financial matters, applying accounting standards and legislative requirements, and using your judgement and influence to strengthen financial outcomes and support informed decision-making.

You'll Be Able To Demonstrate

• Substantial experience in financial accounting, including complex financial reporting and the preparation or oversight of financial statements.


• Experience applying relevant accounting standards, legislation, policies and statutory requirements in a complex financial environment.


• Experience providing expert accounting advice, resolving complex financial issues and using your professional expertise to influence decision-making.


• Experience strengthening financial controls, systems, processes or reporting practices to improve accuracy, efficiency and governance.


• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to interpret complex financial information and turn it into practical, actionable insights.


• The ability to communicate complex financial matters clearly and work collaboratively with financial and non-financial stakeholders to achieve organisational outcomes.


• Experience across taxation compliance, including FBT, BAS, GST and payroll tax, and investment administration will also be valuable in this role.

While there are no mandatory qualifications, a CPA or CA qualification, or eligibility for membership, will be favourably regarded.

QLeave values diversity and is committed to being an equal opportunity employer. Adjustments to the recruitment process are available upon request to ensure all candidates can showcase their abilities.

Occupational group Accounting and Finance