Senior Financial Accountant

• Chief Financial Officer directorate departments
• COO Health Service and Research Operations Directors
• Research division
• Peter Mac staff members with financial related responsibilities
• Peter Mac Foundation Management
• ICT Project teams

• Department of Health
• Internal & External Auditors 
• VCCC building manager (Honeywell) 
• Health Technology Solutions 
• University of Melbourne 
• Melbourne Health 
• Other Health Services 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree or higher in Accounting/Commerce
• Membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia (ICAA) and/or Certified Practising Accountants of Australia (CPA)

Required Skills & Experience

• Experience in senior financial accounting roles within complex organisations.
• Demonstrated technical financial accounting skills to manage complex accounting issues with particular experience in capital projects, monitoring and reporting and investment accounting
• Demonstrated experience in the preparation of annual financial statements.
• Demonstrated ability to create a culture of compliance with capital policies and procedures.
• Proven capability to analyse data, prepare recommendations and communicate clearly with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
• Proven ability to build rapport and strong, professional relationships with a range of senior stakeholders whilst managing competing priorities.
• Ad-hoc projects and tasks as and when required.

Desirable Skills & Experience 

• Understanding of public health sector budgeting and operations. 
• Understanding of DHHS funding guidelines. 

1. Capital Accounting 

Lead the capital accounting processes including asset recognition, depreciation and disposal. 

Lead the annual organisation-wide capital planning and budgeting process, monitoring and forecasting. 

Monitor all capital projects and ensure the provision of accurate and timely financial reports, with ongoing reviews and reconciliations back to budget. 

Ensure all externally funded capital projects are appropriately invoiced and funds received in a timely manner to support expenditure. 

Ensure that asset tagging is completed in a timely manner. 

Provide recommendations for process improvements on an ongoing basis to assist the Finance Department achieve best practice.

• Accurate, audited asset register that reconciles to the general ledger and Honeywell register 
• Month end journals and reconciliations are accurate and timely. 
• Annual organisation-wide capital plan developed in consultation with Operational Directors and Executives for Board approval. 
• Accurate capital monitoring and forecasting against the annual budget, including attendance at Project Control Group meetings. 
• Accurate and timely capital project reports, reconciled back to budget. 
• Timely invoicing and receipt of all funds relating to externally funded capital projects. 
• 100% of assets tagged within 12 weeks of receipt 
• Evidence of leading continuous improvements in financial processes, procedures, systems and reporting. 

2. Financial Accounting for the Foundation 

Ensure the Peter Mac Foundation complies with appropriate accounting standards, identifying any changes with material impacts and implementing changes in policies and processes to support these. 

Produce monthly and annual Foundation financial reports. 

Drive continuous improvement of financial processes, procedures, systems and reporting

• Evidence that all complex technical accounting issues are managed in compliance with the Australian Accounting Standards. 
• Foundation financial reports are accurate and timely, with any issues resolved in consultation with Foundation Management. 
• Evidence of leading continuous improvements in financial processes, procedures, systems and reporting. 

3. Internal and External Reporting 

Lead the internal capital and foundation reporting processes, including month end, to ensure the provision of timely and accurate information. 

Assist with the preparation of monthly reporting to Board and DHHS, including cash flow and balance sheet forecasting. 

Lead the external capital reporting processes, including the DHHS reports, such as the Basic Asset Management Program and Medical Equipment Infrastructure Replacement Program, and the preparation of statutory accounts. 

• Provision of accurate and timely month end financials and associated reports. 
• Monthly Balance Sheet reconciliations are accurate and timely. 
• Provision of accurate and timely statutory accounts and other external reports. 

Lead the preparation of acquittals process for Research and non-research grants. 

Identify and evaluate financial risks and opportunities from an organisational perspective relating Capital and the Foundation.

• Provision of accurate and timely grant acquittal reports to Research and non-research departments. 
• Provision of high quality analysis to identify and evaluate financial risks and opportunities. 

4. Compliance and Audit Management 

Manage the delivery of the annual internal and external audit plans and processes for Capital and the Foundation, including reports for the Audit & Risk Board Subcommittee of Peter Mac and the Peter Mac Foundation. 

Create a culture of compliance with financial policies and procedures. 

Regular review of Financial Delegations with assurance that internal controls are appropriate to limit breaches of the policy. 

Ensure the capital policies and procedures are regularly reviewed, reflect best practice and incorporate: 

• Capital planning and requirements; 
• Capital requests; 
• Asset acquisition, transfers and disposals

• Information provided to auditors is timely and accurate. 
• All capital and foundation audit issues are resolved in a timely and appropriate manner. 
• Peter Mac receives an unqualified audit. 
• Any breaches to the delegations are immediately reported to the Financial Controller and CFO and escalated as required. 
• All policies are reviewed and updated within the agreed timeframes to ensure best practice. 

5. Stakeholder Management & Communication 

Manage key stakeholder relationships, including DHHS, Foundation Management, Auditors and PCG Members. 

Lead and drive proactive approach to financial problem solving and decision making. 

Representation on Capital Project Steering Committees and other management committees as required. 

• Strong partnerships with key stakeholders, including DHHS, Foundation Management, Research division, Auditors and PCG Members. 
• Valued contribution to project control committees with appropriate escalation of issues as required. 

6. Project Work and Other Support as Required 

Project work to ensure continuous improvement for all Finance processes. 

Supporting other areas of the Finance Division as required. 

• Evidence of contributing to broader continuous improvement initiatives or deliverables within the Finance Division and/or Peter Mac.