Finance Lead >

Acon Industries Ltd; Tauranga; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ACON Industries is seeking an experienced Finance Lead in Tauranga to own the day-to-day finance function, drive systems and controls, and provide practical financial insight for decision-making. You’ll collaborate with managers, project teams and external partners to ensure timely, accurate reporting and robust financial processes.

You’ll lead cashflow, AP/AR, payroll, budgets and month-end, while strengthening reporting and data quality. A hands-on role with scope to improve finance operations.

Qualifications

• Experience leading finance teams and owning core finance processes.
• Proven track record with month-end close and management reporting.
• Strong controls, cashflow management and reconciliations.
• Payroll administration and NZ statutory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day finance function and establish reliable rhythm.
• Maintain rolling cashflow visibility and working capital, identify risks.
• Coordinate annual budgets, forecasts and reforecasts.
• Track performance against budgets and manage variances.
• Lead end-of-month processes: journals, accruals and reporting calendars.
• Prepare concise management reports for operational leadership.
• Govern AP, supplier invoices, POs, credit notes and payments.
• Oversee AR, invoicing, collections and disputes.
• Manage payroll administration and confidential data controls.
• Maintain GST, PAYE, KiwiSaver, FBT compliance.

Skills

Finance leadership

Month-end reporting

Accounts payable/receivable

Payroll management

NZ statutory requirements

Tools

Xero

Tradify

Job costing

Financial modelling

Dashboard reporting

Finance automation

Job description

Location: Tauranga Central, Bay of Plenty

Contract Type: Full time

Know the numbers. Build the Function. Help the team make good decisions.

At ACON Industries, we’re building more than roads and infrastructure. We’re building future people, future leaders and stronger communities. We’re looking for an experienced Finance Lead who can take ownership of our day-to-day finance function, bring clarity to the numbers and help us build the financial systems, controls and reporting we need for the future.

This is a hands-on role. You’ll lead the finance operating rhythm across cashflow, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, credit control, budgets and forecasting, reconciliations, month-end and management reporting.

But we’re looking for more than someone who can keep the accounts current. We want someone who can improve how finance works, strengthen our controls, build useful reporting and turn financial information into practical insight that helps our people make good decisions.

If you know your way around the numbers, enjoy building better systems and can communicate finance in a way that makes sense to the wider team, we’d like to talk.

Our values are pretty simple

Forward Facing: We make decisions today with tomorrow in mind.

Act With Humility: No big egos. Just good people doing good work.

Village Mentality: When someone needs support, we step in.

Mana to Mana: We build relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

ABOUT THE ROLE

You’ll help keep our financial systems and records running properly.

Your work will cover accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll administration, credit control, cashflow, reconciliations, budget tracking and month-end reporting. You’ll also help maintain accurate customer, supplier and pricing records.

This isn’t a role where you’ll just process transactions and move on. You’ll work with managers, project teams, suppliers, customers and our external finance partners to make sure the right information is available when people need it.

You’ll be trusted to take ownership of your work, ask questions when something isn’t right and help us improve the way our finance systems and processes operate.

WHAT DOES A GOOD DAY LOOK LIKE?

The numbers are current, accurate and can be relied on.

Cashflow and upcoming commitments are visible.

Supplier invoices, purchase orders and payments are controlled.

Customer invoices, overdue balances and collection actions are current.

Payroll and statutory finance requirements are accurate and on time.

Bank, balance-sheet and control accounts are reconciled.

Month-end is on track and the right information is available when it is needed.

Budgets, forecasts and material variances are visible and understood.

Financial risks and missing information are raised early.

Processes and controls are getting stronger, not more complicated.

The team has reliable financial information and practical insight to make good decisions.

What YOU’LL BE DOING

You’ll be responsible for:

Leading ACON’s day-to-day finance function and establishing a reliable finance operating rhythm.

Maintaining rolling cashflow and working-capital visibility and identifying financial pressure or risk early.

Coordinating annual budgets, authorised forecasts and reforecasts.

Tracking actual performance, commitments and material variances against approved budgets.

Leading the end-of-month process, including journals, accruals, prepayments, reconciliations and reporting schedules.

Preparing clear, concise management reporting that gives the business useful financial visibility.

Governing accounts payable, supplier invoices, purchase orders, credit notes, statements and payment processes.

Overseeing accounts receivable, invoicing, credit control and the follow-up of overdue or disputed balances.

Overseeing payroll administration and maintaining appropriate controls around confidential employee information.

Maintaining supporting records and processes for GST, PAYE, KiwiSaver, FBT and other statutory finance requirements.

Reviewing bank, credit-card, payroll, tax, debtor, creditor and other control-account reconciliations.

Maintaining accurate customer, supplier and approved rate information.

Strengthening multi-entity and intercompany finance processes.

Working with external accountants, banks, auditors and professional advisers within agreed authority.

Improving finance systems, workflows, controls, automation and data quality.

Developing practical finance procedures, calendars, workpapers and SOPs.

Providing evidence-based financial analysis and insight to support operational and leadership conversations.

Building finance capability around you so the function is reliable, well understood and doesn’t depend entirely on one person.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

You’ll probably have experience in:

You’ll probably have:

Strong finance, accounting, senior bookkeeping or similar experience.

Experience owning or coordinating month-end and management reporting.

Strong accounts payable, accounts receivable and credit-control capability.

Cashflow forecasting and working-capital management experience.

Experience with budgets, forecasts and variance analysis.

Payroll experience and good working knowledge of New Zealand finance and statutory requirements.

Experience with reconciliations, financial controls and maintaining reliable supporting records.

Confidence using accounting software and Microsoft Excel.

The ability to identify financial risks, investigate issues and explain what the numbers are telling us.

Strong organisation and recurring-deadline discipline.

Clear communication and the ability to make financial information understandable to people who don’t work in finance every day.

Experience in civil construction, manufacturing or project-based finance would be useful, as would exposure to Xero, Tradify, job costing, financial modelling, dashboard reporting and finance automation.

YOU’LL FIT IN WELL IF:

You follow things through.

You ask questions when something doesn’t add up.

You raise problems early rather than waiting for them to become bigger problems.

You can challenge something constructively without needing to control the decision.

You treat people with respect.

You protect confidential and commercially sensitive information.

You like creating order and clarity where processes need improvement.

You’re comfortable being hands-on when the team needs you.

You share knowledge and build capability rather than becoming the only person who knows how something works.

You look for practical ways technology and better systems can improve how finance operates.

You can have a laugh but still get the work done.