$122,699 - $130,758 + 17% superannuation.

Reference: 1699932

About the Role:

As Business Manager, Research and Finance, you will lead financial management and research operations for the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Quality Work in a Digital Age (QWiDA). Led by Curtin University, this nationally significant research centre operates across eight participating universities, known as nodes. You will help keep the Centre well managed, meet its complex budget, reporting and contractual requirements, and demonstrate progress against its objectives.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), you will be the key link between the Centre, Curtin's service areas and the participating universities on finance and research administration. You will provide expert advice, oversee budget development and monitoring, and help ensure the Centre meets its obligations under the ARC Funding Agreement and partner agreements.

As a foundational appointment in the Centre's first year, this role offers a unique opportunity to design the financial and research administration framework of a multi-institution Centre from the ground up.

Your responsibilities will include:

- Develop and monitor the Centre's annual budget, forecasts and research project budgets, in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer, Director and the University’s finance.
- Lead regular budget reviews and re-forecasts with the Director, COO and Centre leads, reporting on expenditure, variances and risks and recommending corrective action.
- Design,



implement and continuously improve the Centre's finance and research administration systems and processes that ensure compliance while supporting and enabling researchers to manage their finances effectively, without adding unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, and assure the quality of transactional finance processing undertaken by Centre staff
- Lead the Centre's financial reporting and acquittals to the ARC, Curtin and partner organisations, including node cash and in-kind contribution reporting.
- Manage all reporting and contractual obligations of the Centre, including the ARC Funding Agreement and partner and multi-institutional agreements.
- Provide expert advice to the COO, the Director, researchers and Centre leads on operational and regulatory matters pertaining to research, the University’s research and financial processes, and the research project lifecycle, from proposal and budget development through to project closure.
- Oversee Centre cost centres and node-level financial arrangements, ensuring compliance with ARC, University and partner financial requirements and reporting standards.
- Oversee the administration of internal funding schemes, including budgets, application and approval processes, payments and acquittals.
- Develop, document and maintain the Centre's finance and research administration policies, procedures and guidelines, consistent with University and ARC requirements, and provide clear advice to staff and nodes on their application.




- Work with node administrators to ensure node financial and KPI data is accurate, timely and consistent across all nodes.
- Liaise and collaborate with University service groups, including Finance, the Research Office, Human Resources and Properties, and with the ARC and external partners.
- Other duties as directed, consistent with the classification level of the role.

Who we are looking for:

To be successful in this role, you will have previous experience in a leadership and management role, with highly developed financial management, reporting and monitoring skills. You will have demonstrated experience managing research funding, including project budgets, reporting and acquittals, and the ability to interpret financial information and make clear recommendations to senior leaders. You will have very good knowledge of research finance and funding administration, gained through relevant experience, training or qualifications. You will build strong relationships and negotiate effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including across multiple institutions. A formal qualification is not essential, but the following will be highly regarded:

- Experience within an ARC Centre of Excellence or a similar multi-institution research or higher education workplace
- Completion of a relevant postgraduate qualification, or membership of, or progress towards membership of, an internationally recognised accounting body

Your New Team - ARC Centre of Excellence for Quality Work in a Digital Age:

Despite growing investment in digital transformation, the potential of technology to

📌 Business Manager (Australia)
🏢 Curtin University
📍 Australia