Senior Finance Officer

Defence Bank Limited; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Defence Bank Limited is seeking a Senior Finance Officer to own reconciliations, verification and accounts payable, while supporting month-end processes in a privacy-respecting financial services setting.

You will strengthen controls, improve processes and mentor junior staff, building expertise in systems, data flows and regulatory requirements relevant to our member-focused bank.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or related discipline.
• Experience in an administration, accounting or finance environment.
• Strong knowledge of accounts payable and accounting systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Analytical, reconciliation and problem-solving capabilities.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to organise workload and manage priorities.
• Experience improving processes and using new finance systems.
• Collaborative approach and team work.

Responsibilities

• Review and verify transactions in designated general ledger accounts.
• Complete complex operational and transactional reconciliations.
• Reconcile transactions from third-party systems.
• Manage end-to-end accounts payable including invoice coding and payments.
• Prepare and lodge monthly, quarterly and annual returns with third parties.
• Contribute to month-end accounting activities and support the Finance team.
• Monitor Finance Processing inbox and respond to enquiries promptly.
• Maintain accounting processes, internal controls and documentation.
• Identify opportunities to streamline and automate finance processes.
• Build relationships with internal teams, external banks and providers.
• Support and mentor Finance Officers to build capability.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Mentoring juniors

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or related discipline

CPA or CA qualifications, or progress towards them

Tools

Excel

Accounting systems

Job description

Defence Bank is a member‑owned bank with a proud history of serving the Australian Defence community for over 50 years.With 26 branches across Australia and our award-winning app, Defence Bank is where our members need us – anywhere, anytime.

The bank provides financial products and services to the Australian Defence Force and its unique community, reinvesting profits for the benefit of our members. We are a leader in our sector and our people led, technology enabled environment, celebrates the individual talents, personalities, interests and needs of our people.

Recognised as an Australian HR Awards 2026 Excellence Awardee for Employer of Choice and Best Workplace Flexibility Program, Defence Bank combines a strong people-first culture with a commitment to innovation. From flexible ways of working to the adoption of AI-powered tools such as Microsoft Copilot, we empower our people with the technology, support and autonomy they need to do their best work and continue delivering exceptional experiences for our members. It's not just our employees who think Defence Bank is one of Australia's best places to work.

The Opportunity.

As our Senior Finance Officer, you’ll play an important role in keeping the Bank’s financial operations accurate, reliable and running smoothly. Reporting to the Financial Controller, you’ll take ownership of complex reconciliations, transaction verification, accounts payable and regulatory returns, while contributing to month-end accounting activities.

This is an opportunity to bring fresh ideas to the way we work. You’ll help strengthen financial controls, improve processes and support the wider Finance team, while building your knowledge of financial systems, data flows and tax requirements within a financial services environment. You’ll also share your expertise by supporting and mentoring Finance Officers when required.

What your day looks like:

• - Review and verify transactions processed through designated general ledger accounts.
• - Complete complex operational and transactional account reconciliations.
• - Reconcile transactions processed through third-party systems.
• - Manage the end-to-end accounts payable process, including invoice coding and payment authorisation.
• - Prepare and lodge monthly, quarterly and annual returns with relevant third parties.
• - Contribute to month-end accounting activities and support the broader Finance team.
• - Monitor the Finance Processing inbox and respond promptly to enquiries and tasks.
• - Maintain effective accounting processes, internal controls and accurate documentation.
• - Identify and recommend opportunities to streamline and automate finance processes.
• - Build productive relationships with internal teams, external banks and third-party providers.
• - Support and mentor Finance Officers to build capability across the team.
• - Apply sound risk management and ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations and Bank policies.

About you

You’re a detail-focused finance professional who takes pride in accuracy, enjoys solving problems and can confidently manage competing priorities. Collaborative and professional, you build strong working relationships and bring a continuous improvement mindset to your work. You’re also curious about how financial systems and processes connect and are motivated to keep learning and growing your career.

What you’ll bring:

- A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or a related discipline.

- Previous experience in an administration, accounting or finance environment.

- Strong knowledge of accounts payable and accounting systems.

- Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.

- Strong analytical, reconciliation and problem-solving capabilities.

- Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills.

- The ability to organise your workload and manage competing priorities.

- Experience reviewing and improving processes and procedures.

- The ability to learn and confidently use new finance systems.

- A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively within a team.

- CPA or CA qualifications, or progress towards them, will be highly regarded.

- Experience training or mentoring junior colleagues is desirable but not essential.