About the Role The Group Cost Lead is part of the Group Performance Management function within Finance. The role supports Group-level financial and operational performance, helping the organisation achieve its financial objectives through effective cost management, performance insight, strategic planning and cross-functional collaboration.

The role is responsible for strengthening cost management practices, improving financial transparency and enabling better resource and productivity decisions across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead and support a team of cost management professionals, ensuring effective resource allocation, strong financial discipline, high-quality analysis and continuous process improvement.
- Drive improved performance management through strategic planning, forecasting and outlook processes, including clear and consistent financial targets and performance measures.
- Provide strategic cost management advice and decision support to the Head of Group Costs and senior Finance leaders.
- Continue to develop and embed the Cost Management Unit framework, strengthening cost management discipline and consistency across the organisation.
- Partner with Talent & Culture to improve workforce forecasting, FTE reporting and resource allocation.
- Embed productivity accountability and ensure productivity initiatives have measurable benefits that are linked to financial outcomes.
- Develop and implement Business Intelligence capabilities that enable data-driven decision-making for senior executives and leaders with significant financial accountability.
- Establish and maintain a single source of truth for cost and productivity reporting, with consistent definitions, assumptions and data sources across Finance and business functions.




- Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across Finance and the broader organisation, influencing outcomes through effective collaboration and commercial insight.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes, efficiency and value creation, while maintaining appropriate financial controls and governance.

What You’ll Bring
- CPA, CA or equivalent professional accounting qualification, ideally.
- Significant experience in a senior Finance, commercial or business leadership role.
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior executives and drive business performance through strategic, commercial and financial advice.
- Experience operating effectively in complex and ambiguous environments and leading others through significant change.
- Strong experience managing portfolios of work, realising business value and delivering large-scale change initiatives on time and within budget.
- Proven ability to perform complex financial analysis and translate data into transparent, actionable insights, including early identification of performance risks and opportunities.
- Excellent verbal, written and visual communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with senior stakeholders.
- A strategic and forward-looking mindset, with the ability to focus on future value rather than simply responding to current issues.
- Strong initiative, commercial judgement and the ability to anticipate emerging business needs and changes.
- High attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy, quality and sound financial outcomes.
- A demonstrated ability to challenge existing processes, facilitate change and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and innovation.

Total remuneration package of AUD $280K - AUD $350K per annum , plus an attractive performance-based bonus scheme.

📌 Group Cost Director (Melbourne)
🏢 Method Recruitment Group
📍 Melbourne