Chaos1 is seeking a mission-first Finance Manager to own the company's finances day to day. Milestone cash funds the next campaign and pays every deployed day, and you will run the ledger, payroll and superannuation, BAS and statutory obligations, milestone invoicing and cash, and the monthly close and reporting to the executives. You can expect to work directly with the CEO and COO, the accountant and the program managers whose milestones you invoice, and to scale a fully managed finance capability as the company grows.

Key responsibilities

- Run the general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, bank and credit card reconciliations and the monthly close
- Run payroll and superannuation under Payday Super, including Single Touch Payroll reporting, leave and allowances, and the mission allowance for deployed staff
- Prepare and lodge BAS, PAYG and payroll tax, and manage FBT data capture with the external accountant
- Invoice contract milestones and data items on time, and run receivables and the cash forecast
- Produce monthly management accounts, program cost reports and cash forecasts for the executives and the board
- Own budgeting and forecasting with the program managers, and track actuals against campaign and contract budgets
- Maintain the finance controls including approvals, segregation of duties and the fixed asset register
- Support audits, grant acquittals, R&D; tax incentive claims and the annual financial statements with the external accountant

About you

- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Commerce or Finance, and CA or CPA qualification or well progressed towards it




- Over 5 years in accounting or finance roles, with 3+ years running the finances of a company or business unit hands‑on
- Experience running payroll and superannuation in Australia, including Single Touch Payroll and Payday Super obligations
- Experience preparing BAS, PAYG and payroll tax, and working with an external tax agent
- Experience with project or contract accounting, including milestone invoicing and work in progress
- Working proficiency in Xero or a comparable accounting system, a payroll system and Excel
- Controls discipline, with the judgement to keep processes light in a small company
- Explicit communication with non-finance leaders, including program managers and executives
- Australian citizenship and ability to obtain a Baseline security clearance
- Ability to be onsite at Chaos1's XFACTORY, Sydney
- Superannuation above the mandated rate
- 25 days of annual leave every year, a full week more than the standard four weeks
- Clearance sponsorship. We sponsor your clearance and pay the vetting costs
- Mobilised from the start. Your equipment, access and role brief are ready before you arrive, and you'll be part of live work within your first fortnight

About us

Chaos1 is an Australian defence company with a mission to forge a faster path to warfighter capability. Purpose-driven and mission-first, Chaos1 deploys the people, processes and technologies needed to tackle defence's toughest problems. In a world where time is short and the threats are real, Chaos1 is the catalyst that operates forward to rapidly field warfighter capability in months.

📌 Finance Manager (Sydney)
🏢 Chaos1
📍 Sydney