Team Leader Financial Accounting

Ministry of Justice - New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 130,000 - 168,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks holiday leave

Flexible work hours

Online professional development portal

Inclusive networks

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is seeking a 1-year fixed term Team Leader Financial Accounting in Wellington to lead a high-performing team delivering external reporting and maintaining robust financial controls.

You will provide technical accounting leadership across reporting cycles, assist external audits, and drive improvements while mentoring staff to build capability and ensure quality outcomes.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of government financial management legislation and IPSAS.
• Experience preparing financial statements and supporting external reporting in a complex organisation.
• Leadership experience building and coaching a financial accounting team in a demanding environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead a financial accounting team responsible for external reporting and controls.
• Provide technical accounting guidance and support external audits.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes, controls, and governance.

Skills

Leadership

External reporting

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication

Strategic planning

Organisational skills

CA membership

Education

CA/Chartered Accountant

Tools

FMIS

Job description

Job Description

Financial Accounting Team Leader - Fixed Term, Full Time

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

We are seeking a 1-year fixed term Team Leader Financial Accounting to join our high performing team of finance professionals. Inter-agency secondments are welcomed.

In this role, you will lead a team of financial accountants responsible for delivering the Ministry's external reporting, maintaining a strong financial control environment, and supporting taxation compliance. You will provide technical and people leadership across key reporting cycles, external audit, technical accounting matters, and continuous improvement initiatives.

You will also mentor and coach the team to build capability, develop talent, and support quality outcomes. This is an exciting time to join the team, with several significant projects planned or underway to improve processes, strengthen controls, and support effective financial stewardship across the Ministry.

Ō Pūkenga/Skills And Experience

No candidate will meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we have outlined and believe you can bring value to the role, we'd love to hear from you!

To Be Successful In This Role, You Will Have

• Strong knowledge of government financial management legislation, policies, and practices, including public sector reporting requirements, IPSAS and machinery of government processes.
• Experience preparing financial statements and supporting external reporting in a complex organisation.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience leading, coaching, and developing a financial accounting team in a demanding environment.
• Sound judgement and the ability to provide technical accounting advice that enables business decision-making while safeguarding the integrity of financial reporting and accounting outcomes.
• Strong analytical, strategic, and planning skills, with a practical and commercially aware approach.
• Well-developed organisational and planning skills, including the ability to prioritise, delegate, and manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• The ability to build and maintain positive stakeholder relationships and effective networks across and within organisations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financial matters clearly.
• Experience in management reporting within large, complex, and diverse organisations.
• A commitment to building Māori capability, both personally and within your team.
• Full CA membership, or equivalent, is preferred.

Mō mātou/About us

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to strengthening people's trust in the law of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The Financial Accounting function is one of four teams within the Financial Control Team, which also includes Transactional Services, FMIS, and Banking.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organization that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions.

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi/What's great about working here

Benefits

We offer you a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and help make the Ministry a great place to be. These include:

• 4 weeks holiday leave (pro-rata based on part-time hours)
• flexible work hours where possible
• an online professional development portal
• access to a variety of inclusive and proactive networks

See our full range of benefits here.

With a wide range of jobs, you also get the chance to gain a variety of skills and experience while developing your career.

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role will be between $130,129 and $168,062 based on skills and experience.

Applications close on 11 October 2026

If you have any questions, please contact [e-mail]

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