Lead - Financial Accounting & Compliance
Brisbane 12-month fixed-term contract | Circa $170k package + Hybrid work arrangements Financial Accounting | Compliance | Audit | Assurance | Continuous Improvement
Are you an experienced financial accounting professional who enjoys bringing structure, discipline and fresh thinking to established environments?

This is an opportunity to join a large, complex and purpose-led organisation in a senior, hands-on financial accounting role with genuine scope to strengthen financial governance, assurance and operating practices.
Working within an established Financial Services function, you will take ownership of core financial accounting deliverables while identifying opportunities to improve processes, strengthen controls, enhance audit readiness and embed more consistent financial practices across a highly decentralised operating environment.
This is not a pure transformation role, nor is it a position where you will simply maintain existing processes. It will suit someone who is comfortable being hands-on technically, while also asking the right questions about why things are done a certain way and where they could be improved.

Your key responsibilities will include:

- Lead the preparation and delivery of accurate and timely annual financial statements and support quarterly financial reporting.
- Oversee core financial accounting activities including balance sheet integrity, reconciliations, accounting treatments and general ledger governance.
- Coordinate the external audit process and strengthen organisational audit readiness.
- Proactively manage audit actions, identifying root causes and ensuring issues are appropriately addressed.
- Provide authoritative technical advice across Australian Accounting Standards, taxation, grants, funding acquittals and financial reporting.
- Strengthen financial compliance, assurance and control practices across the organisation.
- Review existing accounting treatments and historical practices, identifying opportunities to improve accuracy and reduce financial risk.
- Establish more structured and timely approaches to funding and grant acquittals.
- Support improvements to corporate card governance, compliance monitoring and exception reporting.
- Act as the financial accounting SME in the review and development of policies, procedures, guidance and training materials.
- Provide technical financial accounting input into broader systems, payroll and process initiatives.
- Identify and progress practical continuous-improvement opportunities that reduce errors, strengthen controls and improve service delivery.
- Coach and develop an emerging accounting professional, building technical capability and confidence.

The environment
You will be joining a large and decentralised organisation with established systems, processes and ways of working.



While the underlying accounting is not unnecessarily complex, the scale and operating model create an environment where consistency, governance and financial stewardship are critical.
There is significant opportunity to review practices that have evolved over time and determine whether they remain appropriate, efficient and compliant.
Success will require someone who can quickly distinguish between:

- genuine financial and compliance risk;
- practices that require immediate attention;
- opportunities for longer-term improvement; and
- processes that may simply need clearer guidance, controls or communication.

You will need the judgement to challenge the status quo without trying to change everything at once.

About you
You will be an accomplished financial accounting professional who combines strong technical accounting capability with sound judgement and an improvement mindset.

You will ideally bring:

- Strong experience across financial accounting, statutory reporting and year-end.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating external audit requirements.
- Excellent knowledge of Australian Accounting Standards.
- Strong balance sheet, reconciliation and general ledger capability.
- Experience across financial governance, controls, compliance and assurance.
- Sound taxation knowledge, including exposure to FBT and broader organisational tax obligations.
- Experience identifying and improving inefficient or poorly controlled accounting processes.
- The ability to investigate accounting issues and identify their underlying cause rather than simply correcting the immediate problem.
- Strong written communication and documentation skills.
- Experience preparing or reviewing accounting position papers, policies, procedures or technical guidance.
- The confidence to question established practices constructively.
- Strong prioritisation skills and the ability to focus effort where it will have the greatest impact.
- A willingness to remain hands-on and technically involved.
- The ability to coach and support the development of a less experienced accountant.

Experience gained within government, not-for-profit, professional services or even education or any other large governance-led organisation would be advantageous but is not essential.
Candidates coming from a substantial commercial environment will also be considered where they can demonstrate strong financial accounting, governance and compliance capability.




Previous chartered accounting or professional practice experience would also be well regarded.
You will hold relevant tertiary qualifications in accounting, finance, commerce or a related discipline, together with CA/CPA membership or demonstrated progress toward professional membership.

What will make you successful?
Technical competence is important, but the strongest candidate will also bring the ability to look at an established financial environment and determine: What is the risk? What actually matters? What should we improve first?
You will be pragmatic rather than theoretical, comfortable working within established governance structures and able to bring others with you as financial practices progressively mature.
Strong written communication will be particularly important, as will your ability to translate technical accounting requirements into practical guidance for stakeholders who may not have a finance background.

Why consider this opportunity?
This is an opportunity to join a stable organisation where the fundamentals are sound, while still having considerable scope to make a visible contribution. You will have the opportunity to:

- strengthen audit and assurance practices;
- improve the quality and consistency of financial accounting;
- address legacy processes and accounting treatments;
- strengthen governance and controls;
- contribute to better systems and operating practices; and
- build the capability of the financial accounting function.

Importantly, this is not a remediation role within a distressed finance environment. It is an opportunity to take an established function and help lift its maturity. The position is based in Brisbane's inner south, with the organisation predominantly office-based while supporting some flexibility once established.

Apply now
If you are a technically strong financial accounting professional who enjoys bringing structure, discipline and continuous improvement to complex organisations, we would welcome the prospect to speak with you. Call Louisa now on 04•• ••• 061 for a confidential chat or simply apply now by following the link!

Hinchen Recruitment Group are a team of experienced industry recruiters who offer a highly informative, honest process, where our genuine goal is to provide a quality and valued service. One that is respectful to all and is as transparent as possible. Confidentiality is assured with all applications, with your privacy our utmost priority.

Acknowledgement of Country: Hinchen Recruitment Group pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and acknowledge the valuable contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make to Australian society.

📌 Financial Accounting & Compliance Lead (Brisbane)
🏢 Hinchen Recruitment Group
📍 Brisbane