About the organisation: Our client is a well-established and values-driven independent School based in the heart of the CBD committed to delivering excellence in education. With a collaborative leadership team and a clear strategic vision, the organisation fosters a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement across all areas of its operations. About the role: The Senior Financial Accountant plays a pivotal role in the school’s financial strength and future growth, providing sharp commercial insight and high-impact reporting that shapes strategic decisions and ensures long-term sustainability. This role partners closely with the Head of Finance and broader Finance team, this role drives performance, strengthens controls, enhances systems and processes, and embeds best-practice governance across the organisations operations, making a meaningful and lasting organisational impact. Key Responsibilities: Oversee Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Payroll functions, ensuring strong financial controls and accurate reporting Conduct detailed fortnightly payroll reviews, ensuring compliance with relevant Awards and Multi-Enterprise Agreements Manage cash flow, general ledger integrity and month-end reporting processes Prepare monthly financial reports including profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statements with variance analysis Support budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning aligned to the organisations strategic plan Coordinate regulatory reporting requirements including BAS, Annual Financial Questionnaire and Workplace Gender Equality reporting Lead process improvement initiatives, automation and optimisation of financial systems Support audit preparation and implementation of audit recommendations Ensure compliance with not-for-profit, statutory and NSW non-government school financial regulations Provide financial insight, analysis and briefing papers to the Principal and Board Support philanthropic, fundraising and grant financial management activities Provide leadership and guidance to finance team members and key stakeholders Skills and Experience: Tertiary qualification in Accounting with CPA or CA accreditation Strong experience across Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Payroll functions Proven experience in financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and KPI analysis Experience operating within a complex environment, ideally within education or not-for-profit sectors Sound knowledge of compliance and regulatory requirements High-level analytical capability with meticulous attention to detail Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement and influencing skills Strong systems capability, including financial systems, MS Office and Google Workspace Demonstrated integrity, professionalism and commitment to confidentiality Benefits: Opportunity to play a key strategic role within a respected independent school Collaborative and values-driven leadership environment Varied and impactful role with exposure to executive and Board-level reporting Supportive and professional workplace culture Discounted student fees Take advantage of discounted parking Apply now: If you’re interested in this role, please send your resume to grace@tidalrecruitmentpartners.com.au
