Finance Manager - Australia & New Zealand
About the Role
The Compliant Group is seeking a modern, system-savvy, hands-on Finance Managerto lead the financial operations of our Australia and New Zealand entities. This role is critical to strengthening controllership, reporting accuracy, working capital discipline, and system transformation across the group.
You will work closely with the Group CFO and operational leaders and offshore teams. This role offers strong development potential, including the pathway to future senior leadership responsibilities.
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Key Responsibilities
Controllership, Reporting & Governance
* Own the controllership, reporting, tax, governance, working capital, and system transformation portfolios.
* Lift financial discipline, automate processes, and deliver decision-ready insights to the group Board and Executive Leader Team (ELT).
* Deliver a fast, accurate month-end close by T+10 and year-end close by T+15, ensuring full balance sheet integrity.
* Lead statutory reporting, tax lodgements, ASIC/ATO compliance, and external audit processes.
* Prepare board and ELT packs, including variance bridges, cost-to-serve analytics, pricing/margin insights, and driver-based forecasts.
* Strengthen internal controls across all entities and lift audit maturity year-on-year.
CargoWise & Operational Finance
* Oversee CargoWise financial modules, including revenue recognition, job costing, accruals, WIP and disbursement ageing.
* Ensure correct mapping and clean integration between CargoWise and Xero, including parallel-run reconciliations and exception resolution.
* Implement discipline in WIP management, job closures, disbursements, credit terms, and cost recovery across customs and freight operations.
Cash Flow, Treasury & Working Capital
* Own cash flow forecasting, liquidity management, and group treasury operations.
* Improve the cash conversion cycle by optimising AR collections, supplier payment discipline, billing accuracy and disbursement controls.
* Manage banking relationships, merchant facilities, FX exposure and intercompany fund flows.
Systems, Data & Automation
* Drive the finance systems roadmap, including Xero, CargoWise, new automation tools, and future ERP migration readiness.
* Own the systems roadmap across Xero, CargoWise, and any newly introduced operational tools.
* Lead system migrations and parallel runs, ensuring full reconciliation between legacy and new environments.
* Lift data governance, master data quality, automation, and KPI reporting accuracy.
Shared Services & Process Excellence
* Build a scalable AP/AR/Payroll process across AU and NZ with strict internal controls and defined SLAs.
* Oversee AP/AR performance, credit control, billing accuracy, and month-end cut-off.
* Own payroll processing, accuracy and cut-off compliance.
* Embed process standardisation and continuous improvement across all finance functions.
Group Consolidation & Transformation
* Lead group-level consolidation spanning AU, NZ and offshore entities.
* Drive finance transformation initiatives, cost-to-serve analysis, and benefit realisation tracking.
* Partner closely with General Managers to improve profitability across Customs.
Leadership & Capability Development
* Coach and develop a high-performing team across multiple sites and offshore shared services.
* Build capability in technical accounting, analysis, reporting and controls.
* Establish clear succession pathways, performance standards and career progression for finance staff.
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About You – Skills & Experience
* Experienced Financial Controller or Senior Finance Manager within multi-entity ANZ environments.
* Strong industry understanding of customs clearance, freight forwarding, and logistics operations.
* Deep knowledge of AASB, IFRS, statutory compliance, tax, and audit requirements.
* Proven delivery of fast close cycles (T+10/T+15), process automation, and shared services uplift.
* Hands-on experience with CargoWise financials, including WIP, disbursements and job costing.
* Strong working knowledge of Xero, system integrations, and ERP/consolidation tools.
* Experienced in system migrations, parallel runs, and complex reconciliations.
* Strong operator in working capital management, cash flow forecasting and cost-to-serve analysis.
* CA/CPA qualified with a tertiary degree in Accounting, Finance or Commerce; postgraduate study is valued.
* Clear, structured communicator who drives pace without compromising accuracy and builds accountable teams.
* Highly analytical, tech-savvy, proactive, and adaptable in a fast-paced operational environment.