Finance Partner

Palmerston North City Council; Palmerston North; Hybrid; NZD 102,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks annual leave

Hybrid working

Kiwisaver employer contribution

Job summary

Palmerston North City Council in Palmerston North, North Island is seeking a Finance Partner to provide future-focused financial insight and strategic advice to leaders across Council.

This permanent, full-time role offers hybrid work and a generous benefits package, including five weeks annual leave, designed to support performance and work-life balance in a dynamic local government setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accountancy or finance.
• Full Chartered Accountant membership with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, or equivalent.
• Experience in management accounting or finance business partnering.
• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse large and complex datasets.
• Experience using an enterprise resource planning system.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial advice, analysis and practical solutions to leaders across Council
• Analyse financial and operational performance, including key business drivers and variances
• Support managers with budgeting, forecasting and future planning
• Challenging assumptions and providing insight to support sound business decisions
• Preparing cost models, scenario analysis and performance information
• Providing financial input into reports for senior leadership and Council
• Identifying opportunities to improve financial processes and performance
• Providing technical leadership, training and support across the organisation

Skills

Finance business partnering

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance

Chartered Accountant membership (CAANZ)

Tools

ERP system

Job description

Palmerston North City Council – Palmerston North, North Island

$101,650 - $119,588 a year

Full time, Permanent

Hybrid

2d ago , from Palmerston North City Council

• Make a Difference: Help Council leaders make well-informed decisions that support sustainable performance and positive outcomes for Palmy.
• Professional Growth: Develop your strategic partnering and advisory capability through varied work across the organisation.
• Benefits: We do more than just pay you a salary too. We have awesome benefits to support you including 5 weeks annual leave and hybrid working.

As a Finance Partner, you’ll work alongside leaders across Council to provide future-focused financial insight and strategic advice that supports strong decision-making and organisational performance.

Acting as a key link between our business groups and Corporate Services, you’ll help leaders understand the financial and non‑financial drivers of their areas, translate complex information into clear advice, and proactively identify solutions and opportunities for improvement.

Reporting to the Finance Partner Team Leader, you’ll also be an active member of assigned group leadership teams, bringing a financial lens to future planning while keeping Council’s wider strategic direction front of mind.

This is a permanent full‑time role, 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

Your focus in this role will include:

• Providing financial advice, analysis and practical solutions to leaders across Council
• Analysing financial and operational performance, including key business drivers and variances
• Supporting managers with budgeting, forecasting and future planning
• Challenging assumptions and providing insight to support sound business decisions
• Preparing cost models, scenario analysis and performance information
• Providing financial input into reports for senior leadership and Council
• Identifying opportunities to improve financial processes and performance
• Providing technical leadership, training and support across the organisation

You’ll be a collaborative and strategically minded finance professional who can build trusted relationships and translate complex information into clear, practical advice. You’ll be comfortable

constructively challenging assumptions, working autonomously and managing competing priorities within required timeframes.

What you will bring:

• A bachelor’s degree in accountancy or finance
• Full Chartered Accountant membership with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, or equivalent
• Experience in management accounting or finance business partnering within a mid‑sized finance team
• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to analyse large and complex datasets
• Experience using an enterprise resource planning system

Palmerston North (or as we like to call it, Palmy) is a growing, innovative and exciting city. With small city benefits and big city ambition, Palmy has secured its place on the map as a creative and exciting city, with leading innovation and developments! We’re proud to be a city that includes, supports, connects and uses the talents of the whole community in our pursuit to provide a connected and safe community. We’re also a future‑focused city who cares about enhancing our natural and built environment. Our future looks bright, it looks vibrant and progressive.

• Competitive salary between $101,650 and $119,588, plus a 3.5% Kiwisaver employer contribution (where eligible)
• 5 weeks annual leave and a community service day
• Long service leave after qualifying periods
• Paid parental leave benefits
• Supportive work environment that values work‑life balance
• Annual flu vaccinations and subsidised health and eye checks
• Onsite café, staff gym and wellness space
• Study leave, professional memberships, and fees support
• The opportunity to make a real difference in the future of a vibrant, growing city

Applications close: 11.00 pm, Wednesday 9 September 2026

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and welcome applications from all those suitably qualified for this position.