Software at Scale is entering its next stage of growth, evolving from a founder-led organisation into a more scalable business with stronger operating and management disciplines.
We are seeking a hands-on Financial Controller to build and progressively own the financial processes, controls and management information required for this next stage.
During the initial establishment phase, the role will report to the CSO as part of the broader organisational transformation, while working closely with the founders. As the finance function matures, the reporting structure will evolve to reflect the target operating model.
This is not simply a role to operate existing finance processes. The Financial Controller will be expected to improve and build the finance function with the executive team, while running it.
- Own and improve billing, accounts receivable, accounts payable and month-end processes.
- Establish effective controls across payroll, expenditure, invoicing and financial approvals.
- Develop clear financial calendars, responsibilities and delegated authorities.
- Coordinate external accounting, payroll, tax and other finance providers.
- Reduce unnecessary founder involvement in routine financial administration and approvals.
- Establish effective timesheet completion, approval and exception management.
- Connect timesheet information with client billing and revenue.
- Identify and address unbilled work, revenue leakage and process exceptions.
- Develop reliable reporting of revenue and gross margin by client and engagement.
- Establish visibility of consultant cost, allocation and placement-to-margin performance.
- Produce concise management reporting for the founders and leadership.
- Establish appropriate financial and commercial KPIs.
- Provide analysis supporting commercial and operational decisions.
- Establish rolling revenue, cost and cash forecasting.
- Connect current and forward workforce allocation with expected revenue and margin.
- Provide visibility of consultant roll-offs, available capacity and their financial implications.
- Support budgeting, workforce planning and investment decisions.
- Document and improve key financial processes and controls.
- Establish clear systems of record and improve financial data quality.
- Identify opportunities to automate and simplify manual processes.
- Improve integration between timesheeting, payroll, billing and accounting.
- Determine which activities should be retained internally versus externally supported.
- Build financial processes appropriate for the company’s next stage of scale.
The role is expected to evolve through three broad stages:
Establish — understand the current environment, stabilise core processes and address immediate control and founder-dependency issues.
Build — establish management reporting, forecasting, consulting economics, controls, systems and repeatable financial processes.
Own — assume ongoing ownership of the financial operating environment, with the role and reporting structure evolving to meet the needs of the growing organisation.
The objective is to create a finance capability sustainable beyond the initial transformation programme, rather than creating an ongoing dependency on either the founders or CSO.
- Founders are substantially removed from routine financial administration.
- Timesheeting, payroll, billing, collections and month-end operate to reliable cycles.
- Leadership has trusted visibility of revenue, utilisation, margin and cash.
- Client and engagement economics are readily understood.
- Forward workforce allocation translates into meaningful revenue, capacity and margin forecasts.
- Financial reporting supports decisions rather than simply reporting historical results.
- Appropriate controls and delegated authorities are embedded.
- Core finance processes are documented and scalable.
We are looking for a commercially minded finance professional comfortable building structure within a growing business.
Ideally, you will bring:
- Experience as a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or similar.
- Strong management accounting and financial control capability.
- Experience in consulting, professional services, technology services or another people-based business.
- Understanding of timesheets, utilisation, billing, revenue and project/client margin.
- Experience developing management reporting, budgets and forecasts.
- Demonstrated ability to improve financial processes, controls and systems.
- Confidence working directly with founders and senior executives.
- Ability to operate independently and progressively take ownership of the finance function.
- A pragmatic approach to governance and control appropriate to an SME.
- Hands-on experience with Xero, including day-to-day financial operations, invoicing, reconciliations, accounts payable/receivable, and management reporting.
CA/CPA qualification or equivalent experience is highly regarded.
The role may suit either an established Financial Controller or an experienced Finance Manager looking for the opportunity to build and ultimately own the finance capability of a growing consulting business.
