Director Of Finance And Compliance

ORGANISATIONAL PURPOSE:

This organisation is within the State office of a National organisation that operates in the public domain. The organisation supports a high profile leadership group and delivers historic social justice reforms.

This role requires the highest level of integrity, sensitivity and ability to work in an extremely fast paced environment.  You don’t want to miss out on this exceptional opportunity!

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Director of Finance and Compliance role is part of the senior leadership team for the Victorian Branch of this organisation. The role’s primary responsibility is to manage and coordinate the work of the Finance and Compliance team. By managing the financial actions and Compliance of the Branch, the role will follow sound financial principles and practices in line with Australian Accounting Standards and the organisation’s Victorian Branch rules. The role will ensure proper accounting, financial reporting business practices, and Compliance with relevant local, state, and federal legislation and regulations.

TO SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL HAVE: 

• Tertiary qualification in relevant discipline e.g. Accounting, finance or business.
• Experience in a senior financial managerial position. 
• Comprehensive understanding of Finance and Compliance practices with strong finance manager and accounting experience.
• Demonstrated staff supervision experience.
• Full membership of a recognised accounting body, e.g. ICAA, CPA Australia is desirable.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Central and stakeholder unit account management

• Comply with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements, including Australian Accounting Standards, ATO, and audit requirements.
• Oversee all of the organisation’s Victoria bank accounts to ensure compliance with Australian Banking Association code of practice and Branch rules
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders with regard to record keeping to ensure a sound basis for the delivery of annual returns

Returns

• Oversee the collection and collation of all stakeholder unit and state office financial transactions for the consolidation of annual returns.
• Prepare and lodge State and Federal annual returns.
• Liaise with both regulatory bodies on Audit requirements.
• Liaise with both regulatory bodies on matters arising in relation to State and Federal legislation.

Fundraising legislative compliance 

• Manage compliance with all relevant legislation and regulations surrounding fundraising (local, state, and federal).
• Conduct monthly compliance checks and prepare monthly compliance reports for Organisation Officers and Admin.
• Maintain currency with regulatory standards and guidance with a strong focus on the standardization of our Quality Management System and Standard Operating Procedures to improve compliance and efficiency.

Compliance Education

• Manage and ensure the team follow recommendations and advice from Organisation Rules, external audit directives, and legal guidance in order to build and maintain Branch compliance with regulations, legislations, standards and policies.
• Ensure the team’s ability to meet legislative requirements through external training programs.
• Set targets for and supervise all members of the Finance and Compliance team.

Payroll

• Oversee fortnightly (and off-cycle as needed) payroll processing and ensure employees are paid ‘first-time, on-time’.
• Oversee payroll-related remittances, e.g. PAYG tax deductions and SGC/superannuation payments, IAS, FBT and Workcover, annual reconciliations.
• Oversee the maintenance of personnel files.

Accounting, budgeting and invoicing

• Drive the financial planning of the Branch by analyzing its performance and risks.
• Lead the development and management of financial budgets and plans, including budgeting and forecasting and all statutory financial reporting. Supervise the production of monthly financial statements to key individuals and groups. 
• Prepare and remit ATO reports, BAS.
• Ensure all Insurances are paid, reviewed and updated where necessary.
• Produce full financial year internal reports and audits consistent with Corporations Law and Australian Accounting Standards in preparation for the external audit and the Branch’s State Conference.
• Generate annual operating, cash-flow and capital expenditure budget for approval from key individuals and groups.
• Overseeing Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable.

Employee Management and Accountability 

• Work as part of a collaborative team and complete other duties as directed by the Director of the State Branch.
• Act as a point of escalation for the future financial security of the Branch
• Work collaboratively within and across teams to achieve common goals.
• Provide coaching and support to all staff and volunteers in the performance of their duties, monitoring and providing appropriate feedback in accordance with Victorian Branch policies and procedures. 

Accountability and Extent of Authority

The position is authorised to be responsible for the following:

• Approval of Payroll, Audit, Workcover, other insurances, accounts payable and receivable (within delegations policy limits).  
• Delivery of Budgets, Monthly Financial Reports, Returns and Audits, ATO Returns.
• Signing correspondence for Financial Matters.
• Access or oversight of Finances, Fundraising, Legislative Compliance, Banking, Accounts Payable and Receivable.
• Providing specialist advice to Staff, Constituent Units, Members and Volunteers on; Legislative Compliance, Banking, and Fundraising.
• When absent, delegate authority to the Deputy Financial Officer to manage key duties and responsibilities of this role.
• In the absence of the Office Manager collaborate with the Director of Operations to manage the position’s key duties and responsibilities.
• In the absence of the Director of Operations collaborate with the Director of the State Branch and other Directors/Team Leads to manage daily HR related tasks for direct reports, act as a Rules Liaison and oversee building operation matters, as needed.  

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA:

Specialist skills & knowledge

• Ability to provide financial, compliance and governance leadership and support to all levels of the Branch.
• Demonstrated experience working with Boards and Board finance sub-committees.
• Demonstrated sound decision-making and judgment and the ability to deal comfortably with ambiguity and complexity.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders in a complex environment.
• Proven knowledge of financial analysis and forecasting.
• Providing specialist advice in regard to budgeting and financial reports. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including a demonstrated ability to build effective relationships and work productively with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• The ability to effectively manage a small team, coordinate work and ensure staff understand and implement the Finance and Compliance plans effectively.
• Well-developed organisational and time management skills with the ability to plan workload, prioritise, multitask and meet deadlines.
• A high degree of proficiency in accounting software and Australian Accounting Standards.

Capabilities  

Strategic Awareness and Planning 

• Understands the Branch’s current and future role and sees where current trends will lead.
• Continually improves the quality of budget and strategic financial analysis, reporting and advice to senior management.
• Translates strategic direction into day-to-day activities.

Analytical and problem solving

• Uses highly developed analytical, conceptual and critical thinking skills to reason through problems.
• Diagnoses trends, obstacles and opportunities in the internal and external environment.
• Analyses information and quickly identifies and proposes workable solutions to problems, evaluates effectiveness and adjusts actions as required.

Influence and negotiation

• Ability to negotiate and gain agreement and support for proposals and ideas by clearly explaining positions, working from fact and strong knowledge base.
• Builds successful relationships to ensure support during negotiations by gaining other parties’ trust.

Commercial acumen

• Aware of business opportunities, undertakes and acts on cost benefit analysis.
• Knowledge of financial issues and responsibilities and how they impact on the business.
• Focuses on activities and projects that will bring the best business returns for the Branch.

Leadership

• Translates organisational strategy into meaningful long-term plans and objectives for own team.
• Provides strong, collaborative and adaptable leadership, including coaching and mentoring, to foster a high-performance culture that delivers outcomes across the team.
• Creates a positive, inclusive work environment where all staff are motivated to do their best.

Special characteristics

• Specific work requirements include work-based travel, availability to work outside ordinary contracted hours of work to meet deadlines from time to time, including evening and weekend work.
• Temporary appointment of additional duties or higher duties to cover a position or to perform specific duties in the absence of an employee shall be undertaken at the request of the Director of the State Branch. Financial reward will be allocated according to the EBA, where applicable.
• Appointment is provisional on the verification of qualifications and a satisfactory Police Check is required.
• Proof of eligibility to work in Australia is required.
• The critical responsibilities of this role are included although they may be subject to reasonable changes from time to time in line with business needs.