Posted: 28/07/2025
Closing Date: 10/08/2025
Salary:$137,956.00 - $153,017.00
Job Type:Permanent - Full Time
Location:Canberra
Job Category:Accounting, Finance
About the National Film and Sound Archive
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is Australia’s audiovisual archive, telling the national story by collecting, preserving and sharing audiovisual media, the cultural experience platforms of our time. The collection itself dates back to 1935, making it one of the world’s oldest audiovisual collections. It is also one of the country’s most used cultural collections, with around 125 million views of collection content each year. The NFSA is in a period of significant change. Following increased Government investment, the institution is in a process of digital transformation, establishing the NFSA as Australia’s most dynamic and valued cultural organisation. We are rebuilding our curatorial workforce and developing the NFSA’s capacity to digitise our collection at scale – to preserve it for the future, to make sure it can be discovered, and to share it with all Australians.
We continue to work on developing a stable, secure and future-proof workforce across our four physical sites based in Canberra and Mitchell in the ACT as well as in Sydney and Melbourne.
We are also undergoing a program of business improvement for many of our corporate systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual handling.
We are an ambitious organisation, and we aim to be an employer of choice within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector, providing exciting and challenging work, as well as favourable employment conditions and unique development opportunities for our staff.
Cultural Values
We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At the NFSA we prioritise the development of a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for these principles in theory and practice.
About the Team
The Finance section sits within the Corporate Branch and manages the day-to-day financial operations of the NFSA, budgeting & financial reporting, taxation obligations and valuation of assets.
The Opportunity
The Head of Finance and Planning (HoFP) works closely with the CEO as part of the Senior Executive Team to lead business planning and financial strategy for the NFSA. The HoFP will help to position the NFSA to achieve our ambitious agenda to be one of Australia’s most loved cultural institutions, by ensuring that our business planning and financial systems are sustainable and support delivery of NFSA’s strategic goals. The position is responsible for ensuring that the NFSA is making informed and prudent decisions to maximise the impact of Government funding while championing an entrepreneurial mindset. In this context, the institution is actively pursuing new opportunities for non-Government revenues.
The position reports directly to the Deputy CEO, with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Director of Procurement and Legal and their teams directly reporting to the role. The HoFP also acts as the NFSA’s Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and is responsible for ensuring that the NFSA’s risk appetite is appropriately calibrated and that risks are identified and mitigated.
Please note: This recruitment process is intended to fill both current and future vacancies. While the position on offer is Ongoing, a merit pool of suitable applicants may be established to fill similar ongoing and non-ongoing positions within the next 18-months.
Job Description
Under broad direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:
* Work with the CEO and Senior Executive to develop the strategic financial direction of the organisation, including through a long-term sustainability strategy that ensures the NFSA:
o maximises its resources,
o undertakes multi-year business planning; and
o explores commercial initiatives.
* Actively contribute to the NSFA’s strategic planning framework and drive overall performance across the NFSA to achieve strategic goals.
* Deliver high-level strategic financial advice to the CEO, Senior Executive and the NFSA Board on all matters pertaining to strategy and management.
* With the CFO, co-lead the development and delivery of financial reporting and forecasting including financial analysis, interpretation and commentary on financial performance, to the Finance Committee and NFSA Board.
* Identify opportunities to improve business systems, efficiency and performance to support delivery of the NFSA’s goals and lead the implementation of ongoing improvements.
* Lead and champion a culture of decision-making informed by data and insights.
* Collaborate with business unit leaders on the creation and evaluation of business cases for current and new initiatives and improve business planning capability across the organisation.
* Act as NFSA’s Chief Risk Officer, overseeing the identification, mitigation and management of risk across the organisation and promoting a compliant and fit for purpose risk framework.
* Oversee NFSA’s procurement activity to ensure that policies and procedures are fit for purpose and that NFSA complies with Australian Government requirements.
* Support the CEO to champion an effective financial planning and management culture across the NFSA by working with business to build capability, support decision making and ensure the financial strategy is fit for purpose.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:
1. Extensive knowledge and experience of accounting and financial management procedures and compliance within the legislative frameworks of the Australian Government environment.
2. Demonstrated ability to comprehend, analyse and provide advice on financial information, and the ability to distil significant issues from complex financial information.
3. Well-developed communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to present complex financial data to a range of audiences in a clear and logical manner.
4. Proven ability to provide high quality strategic advice, problem solving and issues management for internal and external stakeholders and generate workable solutions to problems.
5. Demonstrated experience in leading and promoting a climate of change and continuous organisational improvement, including proven ability to develop and mentor staff.
Desired Skills and Experience
Mandatory:
• Professional qualifications in accounting.
• Experience in whole-of-organisation financial planning and strategy.
• Experience in procurement or compliance-related activities at an organisational level.
Work Environment Description
The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the National Film and Sound Archive is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.
How to Apply
When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written application addressing each Selection Criteria. Your current resume is also to be included in your application.
In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.
We welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this position you must:
* Be an Australian Citizen.
* Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check.
* Obtain and maintain an Australian Government Baseline Security Clearance.
What we offer you
We provide a diverse, inclusive, and supportive work environment with access to:
• Great training and development opportunities.
• Generous leave and flexible working arrangements.
• Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP – a free counselling service for you and your family).
• A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation.
• Rewards and recognition initiatives.
RecuitAbility
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information see: RecruitAbility | Australian Public Service Commission (https://apsc.gov.au)
Contact Officer
Jacqui Uhlmann | Deputy Chief Executive Officer
E: Jacqui.uhlmann@nfsa.gov.au
Ph: 0419 998 568