Senior Financial Accountant job in Accounting in Melbourne

Senior Financial Accountant
Contract with potential to go permanent

Key Responsibilities

Lead month-end review and quarterly accounts across a portfolio of entities
Drive the annual statutory reporting cycle to IFRS/GAAP standards
Prepare Board and stakeholder reporting packs
Manage cash forecasting and work with treasury on debt facilities and covenant compliance
Lead budgeting and reforecasting with commercial insight
Oversee Australian tax compliance, including BAS and income tax returns
Coordinate with auditors and support investor reporting
Streamline reporting and strengthen controls

Key Requirements

CA or CPA qualified
Strong post-qualification financial accounting experience, ideally in a group or multinational environment
Exposure to debt facilities and hedging
Sound knowledge of Australian tax
Advanced Excel and Power BI
Full, unrestricted Australian work rights required

Key Benefits

Contract with strong likelihood of going permanent
Genuine career progression
Regular exposure to senior leaders
Supportive, inclusive team

If you have the relevant experience and are interested please click apply or contact Caitlin on 0421 419 873 or caitlin.wilcox@perigongroup.com.au

The Changing Role of the Finance Manager

September 2, 2026

The role of the Finance Manager is changing. Traditionally, Finance Managers have been responsible for financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and compliance. Today, organisations increasingly expect them to do much more: influence strategy, support commercial decisions and lead finance transformation. For businesses hiring their next finance leader, the question is no longer simply whether someone can manage the numbers. Can they help the business make better decisions? 5 capabilities shaping the next generation of Finance Managers 1. Commercial thinking Finance Managers are increasingly expected to move beyond reporting what happened and help shape what happens next. That means understanding the broader business, challenging assumptions and translating financial insights into commercial recommendations. In Australia, Hays has identified commercial acumen as one of the most important capabilities for senior finance leaders, highlighting the growing importance of finance professionals who can operate as true business partners. 2. FP&A and strategic planning Forecasting and budgeting remain core responsibilities, but today's Finance Manager needs to think in scenarios. Strong FP&A capability allows finance leaders to identify risks, model opportunities and give leadership teams a clearer view of what lies ahead. 3. Technology and transformation Automation, AI, data and ERP transformation are changing how finance teams operate. Finance Managers don't need to be technologists, but they do need to understand how technology can improve processes, reporting and decision-making. According to Hays, 51% of organisations in Australia's Financial and Insurance Services sector report skills gaps, reinforcing the challenge businesses face in finding professionals with the right combination of technical and future-focused capabilities. 4. Communication and influence The modern Finance Manager needs to communicate with more than the finance team. Whether presenting to executives, partnering with operations or challenging a commercial decision, they need to turn complex financial information into clear, actionable insights. Technical expertise gets the conversation started. Communication and influence help move it forward. 5. People leadership As finance functions become more strategic and multidisciplinary, Finance Managers are also becoming increasingly important people leaders. The ability to develop talent, lead change and build high-performing teams is becoming just as important as technical capability. Hiring for what comes next The best Finance Manager for an organisation isn't necessarily the person with the longest list of technical credentials. It is the person whose capabilities match where the business is going. For a growing organisation, that might mean commerciality and FP&A. For an ASX-listed business, it could be reporting, governance and stakeholder management. For a business undergoing transformation, technology and change leadership may be critical.