Principal Project Accountant

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Principal Project Accountant reports to the Manager Business Partnering within the Finance Business Partnering branch of Finance and Performance (F+P). The Principal Project Accountant will support a customer-centric approach and work closely between multiple teams across F+P and the Business Groups to ensure that accurate, high quality, financial and non-financial information, is provided and clearly communicated, to influence and support the needs, goals and requirements of decision makers.

The Principal Project Accountant will be the key contact for project teams for financial advice. They will bring their expert business understanding and experience, to deliver specialist project accounting services and identify relevant insights that highlight inefficiencies and opportunities. They will act as a trusted advisor to project managers on financial and non-financial matters and collaborate the Finance Business Partnering team to develop initiatives and strategies to increase efficiency and productivity across MBIE.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Extensive experience in supporting projects from the concept to delivery and BAU implications.
• Experience in monitoring project performance and providing financial insights to key stakeholders.
• Proven experience in managing diverse stakeholder relationships to drive outcomes through recommendation of fresh initiatives for financial planning and business intelligence systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with an ability to confidently convey complex financial information simply and concisely.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with managers and staff.
• Significant experience coordinating the preparation of operating and capital budgets.
• Experience critiquing capital and operating business cases.
• High standards of professionalism and performance driven.
• Proven experience in working within culture of continuous improvement.
• Police check required.
• Credit check required.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Education and Professional Memberships

• Tertiary qualification in accounting, business administration or management supported by at least 5 years relevant work experience.
• CAANZ Chartered Accountant qualification or equivalent (desirable).

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Delivery and results

• Leading the delivery of specialist project accounting services that actively support and contribute to the achievement of the Ministry’s outcomes and that deliver to the needs of internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to:
  • Engaging with the business at a strategic level to understand Whole of Life project funding implications on appropriations.
  • Being the key point of contact for the projects teams for financial guidance including providing input into business cases (costs and benefits) that draw on approved funding for each deliverable, and other strategic advice.
  • Leading preparation of monthly financial reports to monitor project performance and providing insights to the stakeholders to drive action.
  • Reviewing month-end project financials and posting adjustments as needed, including journal entries to allocate appropriate costs at project level.
  • Leading the coordination of the development and updating of business group budgets and forecasts.
  • Providing financial advice which takes a multi-year and across business group(s) view.
  • Monitoring and reporting on benefits realisation.
  • Identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing these in relation to systems, processes, and business information.
  • Reviewing accruals and provisions including progress claims to sub project level before posting.
  • Providing technical advice and training to assist Groups to manage their finances effectively.
  • Ad hoc requests related to general and specific finance queries as required.
• Proactively identify and communicate financial risks and opportunities to ensure effective decision making and financial management, and drive initiatives for financial planning and business intelligence systems.
• Clearly define business requirements and develop new models and solutions that underpin sound business decisions working towards leaner, improved internal and external reporting.
• Prepare and provide monthly reporting to support the Finance Business Partnering team, including core financial (Statement of Financial Performance and Statement of Financial Position) and non-financial information, variance analysis, commentary, key performance ratios and metrics relevant to the Business Group and insights as a result of a forward view of both the business and this information.
• Anticipate business requirements to ensure that advice is relevant and plan work accordingly.

Business planning and strategic financial advice

• Supports the Finance Business Partnering team in providing financial leadership and advice to shape the business strategic financial planning and support the development of metrics to monitor their performance against strategic objectives.
• Supports the Finance Business Partnering team in providing both strategic and technical advice to business customers in the definition and review of their performance measures, annual plan and budget.
• Assess the commercial viability of investment decisions, articulate financial risks and opportunities and support post- investment appraisal of business initiatives.
• Develop innovative, practical, effective and durable financial options that help achieve desired business outcomes.
• Apply advanced frameworks and analysis methodology to identify fiscal risks, analyse the issues and identify and assess financial options.
• Recognise, assess and proactively monitor and manage foreseeable risks and issues and ensure that managers are aware of these.

Optimise processes and practices

• Optimises processes and practices to drive value, increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Seeks out current processes and practices which could be automated and designs and implements appropriate solutions.
• To help support the Finance Business Partnering team to develop systems and processes, structures and procedures that improve financial accountability at operating unit level and incentivise the efficient and effective use of resources.

Financial governance

• Understand the Ministry’s financial policies, regulatory and reporting requirements and best practice and provide leadership on training and advice to Business Groups.

Relationship management

• Maintains effective working relationships with both the Finance Business Partnering team, Business Branch customers and MBIE staff.
• Develops and maintains trusted advisor status with Manager Finance Business Partnering and project managers in order to be able to clearly define business requirements and develop appropriate financial models that input into decision making processes around investment and expenditure.
• Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and staff in order to transfer knowledge and learning from the team to the wider organisation.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, as necessary, in order to identify and share best practice information and to promote the Ministry, its products and services.
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in any external interactions.

Improve organisational financial performance

• Actively identify opportunities for the development of new models to underpin sound business decisions and improvement of internal and external reporting.
• Champion the adoption of a high performance finance culture across the business.
• Identify, implement and support continuous improvement initiatives within the Business Performance Team or wider Finance.

Wellbeing, health and safety

• Displays commitment through actively supporting all safety and wellbeing initiatives.
• Ensures own and others safety at all times.
• Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting.
• Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion.
• Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Principal Project Accountant position reports into the Manager within the Finance Business Partnering branch. The branch sits within the Finance and Performance group.

More information about MBIE’s structure

To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand

Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose, Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All.

To Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi. Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.

As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world. We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders. We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).

Ngā matatau – Our competencies

Cultivates innovation We create new and better ways for the organisation to be successful by challenging the status quo generating new and creative ideas and translating them into workable solutions.

Nimble learning We are curious and actively learn through experimentation when tackling new problems by learning as we go when facing new situations and challenges.

Customer focus We build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions by listening and gaining insights into the needs of the communities we serve and actively seeking and responding to feedback.

Decision quality We make quality and timely decisions that shape the future for our communities and keep the organisation moving forward by relying on an appropriate mix of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement to make valid and reliable decisions.

Action oriented We step up, taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with purpose, urgency and discipline by taking responsibility, ownership and action on challenges, and being accountable for the results.

Collaborates We connect, working together to build partnerships with our communities, working collaboratively to meet shared objectives by gaining trust and support of others; actively seeking the views, experiences, and opinions of others and by working co-operatively with others across MBIE, the public sector and external stakeholder groups.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All. The principles of Te Tiriti - including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work. MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.

Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service

Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.

In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.

What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission