Garvan Institute of Medical Research brings together world-leading scientists and clinicians, collaborating locally and globally, to advance our understanding of disease, particularly cancer, autoimmunity and genetic disorders. Garvan is a global leader in fundamental biomedical research and its translation. Our mission is to make discoveries that will improve health for all. THE OPPORTUNITY The Finance Transformation Manager is responsible for leading the design and delivery of the organisation’s finance transformation agenda. The role oversees the implementation of Workday Financials, Adaptive Planning, Business Intelligence reporting and the optimisation of the end-to-end finance operating model. This position is accountable for improving core processes across FP&A, Accounting and Procurement, and for embedding consistent ways of working across teams and key stakeholders. The role requires demonstrated experience delivering large-scale finance transformation programs within complex environments. It involves leading system and process change, driving adoption, and ensuring alignment with organisational objectives. The position requires strong leadership, communication and stakeholder-management capabilities, as well as deep technical understanding of financial processes and the ability to convert strategic intent into practical operational outcomes. Salary: Up to $180,000 - $200,000 12% super salary packaging (depending on experience) Employment Type: 1-year fixed-term contract, full-time SNAPSHOT OF BENEFITS Generous salary packaging to save you income tax on your wages thereby boosting your monthly take home pay (max. $15,900 general expenses $2,650 meals/accom) Ample opportunities for on-going training and development Stimulating, diverse and highly international research environment Flexible work arrangements e.g. start / finish times 18 weeks paid parental leave for both parents including paid superannuation A range of additional leave types to meet your personal needs including cultural leave, conference leave, community service and study leave Discounted Health Insurance Lifestyle discounts with our community partners WHAT YOU WILL DO The key responsibilities include: Workday and Adaptive Planning implementation leadership Lead the end-to-end delivery of Workday Financials and Adaptive Planning as the Finance owner. Translate business requirements into system configuration, ensuring alignment with best practice. Coordinate with implementation partners, internal project teams, and business SMEs. Drive UAT, cutover planning, data validation, and post-go-live optimisation. Finance operating model & Process optimisation Redesign core finance processes across FP&A, Accounting and Procurement. Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, improve accuracy, and strengthen controls. Standardise reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and month-end processes. Deliver process documentation, policies, training materials and ongoing governance. Business Intelligence reporting implementation leadership Lead the end-to-end delivery of Business Intelligence reporting as the Finance owner. Translate business requirements into system configuration, ensuring alignment with best practice. Coordinate with implementation partners, internal project teams, and business SMEs. Drive UAT, training, cutover planning, data validation, and post-go-live optimisation. Change management & Stakeholder engagement Develop and execute an organisational change management plan, ensuring business readiness. Build strong relationships across executive and operational teams to drive buy-in. Facilitate workshops, training sessions and communications to support adoption. Act as the trusted adviser for finance transformation, influencing decisions at all levels. Project governance & Delivery Establish and lead project governance forums, including Steering Committees. Manage project timelines, risks, budgets and interdependencies. Provide clear reporting and insights to senior leadership. Ensure successful delivery of transformation outcomes in line with scope and goals. All staff are required to comply with Garvan’s workplace polices (as amended from time to time) and especially Garvan’s Work Health & Safety (WHS) Policy, including working in accordance with the WHS management system at all times, as safety is Garvan’s number one priority. ABOUT YOU The key skills and experience include: Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Commerce or a related discipline. Professional accounting qualification (CPA/CA/CIMA/ACCA) is highly regarded and preferred, particularly given the scope of accounting, FP&A and procurement process redesign. Proven experience delivering large-scale end-to-end finance transformation programs (preferably Workday, Adaptive Planning and a Business Intelligence tool). Strong understanding of FP&A, Accounting, and Procurement processes. Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders. Experience managing complex change initiatives in a fast-paced environment. Solid project management capability (e.g. Prince2/Agile certification beneficial). Excellent communication, workshop facilitation and problem-solving skills. Ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and measurable outcomes. Experience within not-for-profit, research, healthcare, or similar sectors (desirable but not essential). Personal attributes Strategic thinker who can also deliver practical operational solutions. Highly collaborative, influential, and credible with senior leaders. Proactive, resilient, and comfortable navigating ambiguity. Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise across multiple streams. Passionate about modernising finance and delivering sustainable improvements. ABOUT GARVAN Garvan Institute of Medical Research is an independent Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Sydney, delivering scientific and clinical impact on a global basis and in partnership with organisations that share our vision. We are proud to be one of Australia’s largest and most highly regarded MRI’s. Our vision is global leadership in discoveries to impact and our enduring purpose is to impact human health, by harnessing information encoded in our genome. We seek to see our world-class discovery research achieve life-changing impacts, not only for individual patients with rare diseases, but for the many thousands affected by complex, common disease. Garvan promotes a diverse workplace and is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. We are always looking for culture ‘add’, not culture ‘fit’ and are building diverse teams with great sets of complementary styles and skills to help deliver our important work effectively. HOW TO APPLY To apply for this position, please submit your application with a CV and cover letter as one document, stating why you are interested in this role. We are reviewing applications as they are received. If you think you’re the right person for this role, we’d love to hear how your capabilities, achievements and experience set you apart. Only applicants with full working rights in Australia are eligible to apply for this role.
