Financial Controller

Upper Hutt City Council; Upper Hutt; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Great benefits

Job summary

Upper Hutt City Council seeks a Financial Controller to lead the Finance Team, drive statutory reporting and continuous improvement, and provide strategic financial advice. You will report to the Group Manager Finance, Risk and Digital Solutions and partner with leadership to support the community.

Required CA ANZ or equivalent, proven leadership in finance, and strong MS Office skills. Hybrid working options are available to deliver excellent service to our community.

Qualifications

• CA qualification and membership (CA ANZ or equivalent) required.
• Experience leading a finance team or accounting firm.
• Knowledge of modern finance systems and processes.
• Proven track record leading changes in financial processes and systems.
• Solid understanding of financial reporting standards.
• Ability to present to a governing body.
• Excellent communication and customer service, advanced MS Office.
• Knowledge of Local Government funding legislation advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead, support and develop the Finance Team, setting the annual work programme and ensuring great service and quality for the wider business.
• Lead the financial aspects of our statutory reporting, including the Annual Report, Annual Plan and Long-Term Plan.
• Drive continuous improvement across Finance, including systems, controls, policies and processes.
• Provide strategic financial advice and support to the Group Manager Finance, Risk and Digital Solutions.
• Act as business partner to the Chief Executive's office and Performance and Capability team.

Skills

People leadership

Communication

Microsoft Office

Financial acumen

Education

Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) or equivalent

Tools

ERP systems

Financial software

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Do you want to be part of a dedicated team who are responsible for shaping the future of Upper Hutt?

Upper Hutt is recognised as a great place for families and for people who enjoy the best of our gorgeous natural environment. The team at Upper Hutt City Council work together to enhance the quality of life in Upper Hutt by providing leadership, support and services to our community.

A great opportunity is available to join a fast-paced, dynamic and high-performing team as our Financial Controller. Reporting to the Group Manager Finance, Risk and Digital Solutions, you will lead our Finance Team and have responsibility for the effective functioning of the team, our business improvement strategy and our statutory reporting.

Key responsibilities in this role include:

Lead, support and develop the Finance Team, setting the annual work programme and ensuring great service and quality for the wider business.

Lead the financial aspects of our statutory reporting, including the Annual Report, Annual Plan and Long-Term Plan.

Drive continuous improvement across Finance, including our systems, controls, policies and processes.

Provide strategic financial advice and support to the Group Manager Finance, Risk and Digital Solutions.

Act as business partner to the Chief Executive's office and Performance and Capability team.

To be considered for this role we are ideally looking for:

Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ or equivalent) qualification

Experience as a people leader in a finance team or accounting firm.

Sound knowledge and experience of modern finance systems and processes.

Proven experience in leading change in financial processes and systems.

Solid understanding of financial reporting standards.

Confidence addressing a governing body.

Excellent communication and customer service skills, with advanced skills in Microsoft Office.

Knowledge of local government funding legislation, particularly the Local Government Act 2002 and the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, would be an advantage but is not essential.

Working with the Upper Hutt City Council is a rewarding way to support the community, work with a great team. We do more than just pay you a salary, we have a range of great benefits to support you and offer flexibility for hybrid working.

Applications close at 5pm on 29 November 2026.

We reserve the right to interview and select candidates prior to the closing date.

Please note, you must have the legal right to work in New Zealand to apply for this role.