Finance Business Partner

Primary Location

Epping, VIC
Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Finance Manager - Water, this role is responsible providing a comprehensive accounting and business partnering service across the Division’s Project portfolio in the northern region.

The Finance Business Partner will provide leadership and support to the various operational teams encompassing financial and non-financial analysis, accounting and reporting, project and Sector forecasting, project controls and governance as well as continuous improvement initiatives.

Working closely with the Finance Manager, this position will be required to complete all the necessary finance related tasks related to the project portfolio as well as driving key process improvements.

The role will be hands on, yet able to step back and provide objective financial insight at both the project and portfolio level.

Critical success factors of the role include:

- Delivery of outstanding business partnership, project forecasting, governance and control.
- Delivery of high-quality financial reporting with a strong focus on project performance and cash flow management, providing analysis and insight to support decision making.
- Ability to work with and influence operational teams in the Sector to adopt sound project financial and governance practices.
- Ability to promote a culture of continuous improvement across Sector operations.

The role contributes to the overall Service Steam Group through the provision of strong partnership, professional knowledge, and advice in support of the organisation’s Vision and Values.
About the Role

Provide a comprehensive accounting and business partnering service to Service Stream Utilities projects including:
Commercial / Project Specific
- Assist Operations Managers and Project Managers with their monthly project forecasting obligations, including challenging, analysising and verifying the assumptions and calculations included within each forecast.
- Assist with ongoing monitoring of the relevant project governance and control frameworks in place including the assessment of project specific risks and opportunities, compliance with relevant project management methodologies and where applicable propose improvements to the project governance and control frameworks.
- Assist with pricing build ups and other estimates & tasks related to contract negotiations, contract variations and / or new business opportunities.
- Provide insight and advice to management on opportunities for improved staff utilisation, cost optimisation and the streamlining of processes to ensure the business operates a cost efficient service delivery.
- Assist with project specific tasks, such as system / software implementation initiatives and general process improvements.
- Proactively respond to issues that impact on financial performance and facilitate solutions in a timely manner. Share methodologies that will bring about improvements systematically.

Accounting & Reporting- Prepare Sector / Portfolio monthly EBITDA and cash flow forecasts.- Prepare Sector / Portfolio rolling monthly forecasts.- Prepare and deliver monthly Sector / Portfolio / Project reports ensuring the reports accurately depict the trading results.- Regularly meet with the General Managers, Operations Managers and Project Managers to discuss project / portfolio performance and provide detailed insight into each project’s monthly results.- Review and where necessary implement revised accounting procedures, processes and internal control systems to ensure the integrity and reliability of data utilised to prepare financial and management reporting.- Preparation of weekly BU, portfolio and project level financial performance reporting.- Analysing and monitoring portfolio and project overheads and variances.- Review and where necessary preparing portfolio / project level forecasts, budgets and rolling 12-month forecasts.- Reporting the status of initiatives in particular time, cost, revenue, risk, performance and progress to the relevant General Managers and/or Leadership Team.- Preparation of ad-hoc analysis on business issues impacting the provision of services across a portfolio / project.- Review and where necessary implement revised compliance policies within scope of responsibility.

Financial Control- Assist the Finance Manager in overseeing the overall financial performance of Service Stream Utilities projects portfolio.- Assist management to develop an Annual Budget, including development of revised budget templates, and where applicable, developing a Capex Budget for their area of responsibility.- Assist management in monitoring their respective budgets, monthly forecasts and assisting with strategies where appropriate to deliver targeted results.- Involvement in the half-year and year-end financial audit of the Service Stream Utilities division.- Review capex documents, including business cases, to support the Financial Controller and Executive GM.

Relationships / Cul