Senior Advisor Costing & Modelling

Tribe Group; Wellington; On-site; NZD 117,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

Tribe Group is seeking a Senior Adviser - Costing & Modelling in Wellington for a permanent role. You will own costing models, drive financial analysis and support pricing decisions within a public sector context.

The role focuses on hands-on modelling, cost allocation, and revenue recovery to inform commercial decisions. You will work with a team dedicated to improving reporting, embracing automation and emerging technologies to deliver robust financial insight.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in costing, financial analysis, modelling or related finance discipline.
• Strong Excel and financial modelling skills.
• Ability to understand P&L, cost drivers and revenue models.
• Experience explaining complex financial information to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own the full cost recovery lifecycle from modelling to performance analysis.
• Analyse costs, revenue drivers and financial performance vs budget.
• Translate financial information into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Partner with business leaders to explain cost recovery models and suggest improvements.
• Support budgeting and cost recovery reviews; enhance reporting and automation.

Skills

Financial modelling

Costing

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Data interpretation

Tools

Excel

Job description

Senior Adviser - Costing & Modelling

Wellington | Permanent Opportunity | $130,000 base per annum

Own the numbers. Influence commercial decisions. Turn complex financial data into meaningful business insights.

An exciting opportunity for an experienced finance professional to join a well-established public sector organisation in a specialist Costing & Modelling team.

This is a genuine Senior Adviser position for someone who enjoys working with complex data, building and maintaining financial models, and partnering with the business to influence financial and commercial decisions.

You’ll take ownership of a portfolio of business areas and their cost recovery models, helping the organisation understand what its services cost, how those costs are allocated, and what revenue needs to be generated to recover them.

Importantly, this is not a policy-focused role. It's a hand-on financial modelling and commercial analysis position where your technical expertise and ability to make sense of numbers will add real value.

The Opportunity

You’ll have responsibility for the full cost recovery lifecycle, from developing and maintaining financial models through to analysing performance, identifying trends and advising stakeholders on changes to pricing and charging arrangements.

Key Priorities Include

• Owning and maintaining complex costing and financial models.
• Analysing business costs, revenue drivers and financial performance against budget.
• Translating financial information into meaningful insights and practical advice.
• Partnering with business leaders to explain cost recovery models and recommend improvements.
• Supporting annual budget setting and cost recovery reviews.
• Improving reporting, modelling automation and the use of emerging technologies, including AI.

About You

We're looking for a genuinely capable senior finance professional who can operate independently, take ownership and bring strong technical modelling expertise.

You’ll Ideally Bring

• 5+ years' experience in costing, financial analysis, modelling or a related finance discipline.
• Exceptional Microsoft Excel and financial modelling skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to understand P&Ls, cost drivers and revenue models.
• Confidence working with large datasets, analysing information and identifying trends.
• The ability to build, maintain and document robust financial models, including assumptions.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships and explaining complex financial information in an accessible way.
• A proactive approach, sound judgement and the confidence to work autonomously.

Experience in cost recovery, pricing, fee setting or a complex commercial environment would be particularly advantageous.

Why This Role?

This is a relatively unique opportunity to develop specialist pricing and commercial experience within the public sector.

You’ll Gain Exposure To

• Organisation-wide costing and pricing arrangements.
• Complex financial modelling and cost allocation.
• Commercial decision-making and revenue recovery.
• Opportunities to automate and modernise financial models.
• Working with a broad range of business leaders and finance professionals.

You’ll join a team going through an exciting rebuilding phase, with a supportive manager and the opportunity to take genuine ownership of your portfolio.

Fixed-term option: There is also an opportunity for an experienced contractor to join on an initial 3-6 month assignment through to February, while the organisation completes its permanent recruitment process.

To apply for this vacancy you MUST be a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have already secured the right to work in New Zealand and therefore hold a valid visa.

At the appropriate stage we will request your references, we ask that you do not include them on your CV when applying.

At Tribe we have our guiding light to show us the way. We bring our whole selves to work. We encourage inclusion in every single interaction. We genuinely care about people and are curious about their stories. We celebrate all points of view. We will help you find your tribe, the same way we have. We're all on a journey together so come along...

Please note: Shortlisted candidates will be required to deliver a verbal presentation as part of the assessment process.