Senior Financial Accountant at NZ Defence Force, Wellington - Wairarapa

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Mō te tūnga | About the role

The Senior Financial Accountant is a lead role in the Financial Accounting Team providing direct support to the Manager Financial Accounting. You will provide financial analysis and advice to the NZDF Finance team and wider NZDF team ensuring NZDF's financial accounting systems, reporting activities and all financial documentation is appropriately accounted for.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Preparing NZDF annual financial statements as well as month-end and year-end financial reporting to the Treasury.
• Preparation and submission of Government Budget requirements including Mains Estimates, Supplementary Estimates, and Baseline Updates.
• Preparation and review of ministerial briefings and Cabinet papers.
• Providing technical accounting expertise to support decision making within NZDF.
• Communicating accounting information to management and non-finance personnel to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities and accountabilities.
• Assisting NZDF senior corporate system management owners in fulfilling their responsibilities and accountabilities.
• Ensuring maintenance of the balance sheet.
• Mentoring, peer checking and developing junior team members.
• Ensuring all legislative finance requirements are met.

Please note: this is a fixed-term opportunity ending November 2024.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and Experience

A key part to your success in this role is your ability to engage and influence senior management to convert technical information into accessible information as well as possessing exceptional written skills for the production of high quality (and high output) documents. So, we need your technical accounting skills combined with your excellent interpersonal skills and relationship management.

You will be a Chartered Accountant with practical experience in finance, accounting, or a similar role in a large organisation.

Ideally, you will also have:

• Extensive working knowledge of relevant internal and external standards, principles, policies, statutes, regulations, and NZ Public Sector financial management practices.
• Ability to operate to deadlines, and plan work ahead.
• Excellent research and financial problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Proven ability to demonstrate initiative and good judgment while operating with a high level of autonomy.
• Experience mentoring junior staff.

Mō mātou | About Us

The Financial Accounting Team is responsible for providing the financial processes and policies to ensure NZDF meets its Crown and Departmental modelling, budgeting and reporting obligations. The team provides accounting support to ensure that the wider finance function and the NZDF budget holders have accurate and reliable accounting advice to assist them in performing their responsibilities. The Financial Accounting Team is responsible for ensuring monthly, quarterly and annual financial, tax, foreign exchange, treasury and accounting obligations and requirements.

Every hour of every day, 365 days of the year, the New Zealand Defence Force is contributing to the defence, security and well-being of Aotearoa / New Zealand. As a modern, professional military, it is our goal to maintain well trained, equipped and disciplined armed forces that can react to crisis at short notice. 

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

NZDF is an inclusive organisation that is open to flexible working arrangements and welcomes applications from people regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, age, beliefs/opinions, or family circumstances.

In return for your expertise, dedication and hard work, NZDF is offering remuneration reflective of your experience, along with:

• Great benefits for you and your family.
• Fully funded life cover up to $300,000.
• 5 weeks annual leave per year.
• Flexible working environment and positive culture.
• Opportunities for career development.

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to Apply

To view the Position Description and to Apply, please use the links on this page.

Please note:

• Applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment drug screening test prior to any offer of employment being made.
• If you are an existing NZDF employee (excluding contractors) you must apply through our Internal Vacancies site, via the HR Toolkit.

Applications close on Monday 25 September 2023.

Please note: Applicants must be legally entitled to work in New Zealand (NZ) and be able to obtain and maintain the required level of NZ Government security clearance for the position applied for. The minimum citizenship and residency criteria for security clearances to be granted by the NZ Defence Force are as follows:

Higher level Security Clearance

• most preferably a NZ citizen who has resided continuously in this country for the last 10 years, OR
• is a citizen of, and/or has resided continuously in one or more of the following countries for the last 10 years: either Australia, Canada, NZ, UK or the USA; and has a background history that is verifiable and can be assessed as appropriate by the NZSIS towards a recommendation of suitability for a security clearance at a higher level.

If you do not meet these minimum criteria, we will not be able to accept your application.