Aee3 (El3 Equivalent) Executive Director, Finance

The Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) protects Australia and Australians from threats to their security. In a complex, challenging and changing security environment, our success is built on the imagination and intelligence of our team. ASIO's people are ordinary Australians but they do extraordinary things – they are our most important asset. To be successful in our mission, we need talented people who are highly capable, dedicated, adaptable and resilient.

We seek to reflect the diversity of the community we protect. ASIO is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, where all staff are valued and respected. We welcome applications from all eligible candidates, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious affiliation, age or disability. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are encouraged to apply. We are secretive about what we do, not what we value.

The opportunity
The Executive Director, Finance is a key catalyst for financial excellence in our organisation, working in close partnership with the ASIO Executive and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Reporting directly to the CFO, this leader provides strategic guidance and hands-on support to the finance team, ensuring the branch operates at the highest level of quality and performance. With a focus on quality assurance and efficiency, the Executive Director takes an active role in overseeing and contributing to all key areas, including accurate financial reporting, planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysis and compliance.

To succeed in this dynamic role, you must be highly adaptable and able to pivot quickly to meet changing stakeholder needs and priorities, while striking a balance between primary and secondary responsibilities.

Role responsibilities
As Executive Director, Finance, you will maintain a balance between primary and secondary responsibilities.

Primary Duties:

Ensure that Quality Assurance occurs across key areas in financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting requirements that meets high standards in accuracy, compliance and timeliness.

Empower Directors and Senior Executives with expert guidance, collaborative support, and hands-on expertise to make informed, strategic decisions with confidence, backed by robust budgets, forecasts, and financial models.

Support the CFO for meeting and committee success by providing comprehensive risk management that identifies, assesses, and mitigates operational risks, while also capitalising upon strategic opportunities for growth. This includes collaborative ownership of branch deliverables and deadlines, ensuring stakeholder expectations are met and exceeded.

Deliver strategic guidance, ensuring alignment of all activities and operations with the Branch's goals, policies, and regulatory requirements, with a focus on prioritised objectives.

Champion continuous improvement, pinpointing opportunities for operational excellence and overseeing the governance for the development of solutions and policies that boost efficiency, reduce costs, and seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure, ultimately elevating employee culture.

Provide governance and oversight by ensuring adherence to accounting standards, regulatory requirements, and internal controls occurs with integrity and transparency.

Secondary Duties:

Develop financial models to support business decisions, enabling scenario planning and data-driven forecasting to drive growth.

Analyse and manage costs to unlock efficiencies, reduce waste, and maximise value.

Collaborate with Directors to attract, develop, and mentor top talent, and driving continuous learning.

Oversee resource planning, recruitment, and attrition, ensuring the right people are in the right roles to drive business success.

Participate and, at times, lead special projects, such as system implementations, audits and reviews.

Liaise with external key stakeholders and promote ASIO's objectives whilst also ensuring compliance with reporting requirements.

Develop comprehensive business cases to support strategic initiatives, investments, and operational improvements.

Develop and maintain contemporary financial policies and procedures, ensuring compliance, mitigating risk and driving performance.

What you will bring
We invite applications from people with the following attributes:

The ability to provide impartial advice, apply exceptional judgement and demonstrate critical thinking and logical reasoning, and build these capabilities in teams.

Strong financial management expertise and experience in successfully navigating the Commonwealth Financial Framework.

The ability to communicate complex issues succinctly to shape strategic thinking.

A demonstrated ability to lead significant change programs for capability uplift, responding flexibly to changing circumstances and adapting plans to achieve results. This includes development and delivery of financial literacy and efficiency improvement programs.

Experience in driving multi-disciplinary teams to develop high-level plans, leverage capability and deliver outcomes.

Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with a strong eye for detail.

Highly developed interpersonal, liaison and partnership skills with the demonstrated ability to cultivate productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

An understanding of the security environment, and the legislation and intelligence policies and procedures relevant to ASIO.

A commitment to demonstrating and promoting ASIO's Leadership Behaviours.

What we offer you
ASIO provides a number of benefits to its staff including:

A competitive salary, including a 7.5 per cent allowance for maintaining a TOP SECRET-Privileged Access security clearance.

Employer superannuation contributions of 15.4 per cent.

A variety of leave options, in addition to the standard 4 weeks annual leave to ensure your work-life balance.

Flexible working arrangements to assist you to maintain your work-life balance. (Please note: due to our unique working environment, work from home options are generally not available).

Study assistance, including financial support and study leave for tertiary education.

Access to 7 staff-led diversity and inclusion networks.

Mentoring opportunities.

Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Eligibility
To be eligible for the role, you must be:

An Australian citizen.

Assessed as suitable to hold and maintain a TOP SECRET-Privileged Access security clearance.

Reasonable adjustments
Please advise us if you require any additional assistance in order to fully participate in the recruitment process or the workplace.

Location
This position is located in Canberra, ACT and applicants must be willing to relocate. Relocation assistance is provided to successful candidates where ASIO requires you to relocate.

How to apply
Click on 'Apply online' to commence your application. Your application must be complete and include the following:

A written pitch of up to 500 words using examples to demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements.

A current CV, no more than 2 pages in length, outlining your employment history, the dates and a brief description of your role, as well as any academic qualifications or relevant training you may have undertaken.

Details of 2 referees, which must include a current or previous manager.

All employment decisions and selection processes at ASIO are based on merit principles and candidates must be prepared to undergo various selection stages.

Closing date and time
Monday 07 October, 5:00pm AEDT

No extensions will be granted and late applications will not be accepted.

The Recruitment Selection Process – what to expect
We thank all applicants for their interest in applying for the this role. Please be advised that our selection process is rigorous and extensive.

All employment decisions and selection processes at ASIO are based on merit principles and candidates must be prepared to undergo various selection stages. The stages themselves may include; application submission, eligibility checks, online testing, skills-based assessment and panel discussion.

ASIO is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for candidates to participate within all stages of the selection process. These opportunities may include reasonable adjustment to assessment methodologies to enable full participation. Please let us know if you require any additional assistance or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process in order to fully participate in the recruitment process or the workplace.

ASIO holds all employment applications in the strictest of confidence. It is essential that you do the same. Please do not discuss your application with others as doing so may adversely affect your potential employment.

We ask all applicants for their patience throughout the process. Once complete, we will notify unsuccessful candidates but will not provide feedback on any aspect of the selection process.

Employment conditions
Employment is under the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979. Conditions of service are similar to those applying in the Australian Public Service. We recognise entitlements accrued under the Public Service Act 1999 and provide for continuation of superannuation under the Commonwealth schemes. Salary packaging arrangements are also available.

Enquiries
If you require further information after reading the selection documentation, please contact ASIO Recruitment at ****** or phone 02 6263 7888.

More information
For more information about ASIO, please visit: www.asio.gov.au.

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