Senior Advisor Finance Operations
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Senior Advisor Finance Operations is a senior technical specialist and senior advisor role within Finance & Performance. The position provides 2IC to the Manager, Finance Operations and is expected to provide sound technical finance operations advice to the Manager, Finance Operations and the General Manager, Finance Systems, Operations & Procurement. This position is responsible for leading MBIE’s payment processes, oversight of key operational processes and capability development within the team, and the management of relationships with our key service providers. This position will be responsible for the change management component in the finance operations space as part of all Finance + Performance projects. This work will impact all of the Ministry and the Senior Advisor Finance Operations will provide expert advice through the change and on-going support to the business after, including the development of checklists and guides and ensuring all core processes are documented and understood by team members.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Strong experience in undertaking accounts processing in a medium to large size organisation.
- Experience and deep understanding of accounting systems, controls, and processes.
- Experience with various finance systems, including Technology 1.
- At least five years’ experience in a leadership position or senior role within a government finance operations environment.
- Ability to quickly establish and build strong working relationships, trust and credibility across the organisation, particularly at a senior level › Strong problem analysis skills and sound judgement.
- Experience in continuous improvement.
- A high level of experience understanding of operating in a customer-focused environment with the ability to communicate information in a clear and logical manner.
- Experience in working in a constantly evolving environment.
- Excellent eye for detail and accuracy.
- A relevant tertiary qualification is desirable.
Prerequisites
- Considerable experience in a finance operations environment.
- Credit check required.
- Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand Sub-heading.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Delivery and results
- Develop and maintain a roster for authorising payments, oversee payment schedules, and ensure all staff are aware of the roster and their responsibilities.
- Leads and manages the first authorisation of payment runs totalling on average $800 million a month. Ensure the team understand the key checks for the payment runs and the team complete these as necessary.
- Manage invoice scanning and e-Invoicing provider issues and change requests, and coordinate with the Systems, Finance Operations, and Coding teams.
- Investigate finance operations issues and queries that require more specialist technical expertise and undertake any necessary action to resolve any issues.
- Initiates and leads key change pieces of work in the Finance Operations space.
- Manages special or urgent payments ensuring each member of the payments process is aware, and be the contact point for the business units.
- Training of staff involved in operational processes ensuring training is aligned with agreed and documented procedures and processes.
- Provide expert advice to the Operations People Leaders.
- Be a decision maker in the absence of the Manager Finance Operations.
Reporting
- Prepare Operations reporting monthly and provide metrics to the Manager Finance Operations.
- Identify and highlight any issues from the reports so that any potential resource or workload concerns can be brought to the attention of management.
- Prepare quarterly reporting for the E-Invoicing team in relation to AP payment times.
- Work with the Manager Finance Operations to develop any escalation reporting that may be required to ensure compliance with our policies.
- Work with the Systems team to develop new reports and enhance existing reports to meet requirements.
Optimise processes and practices
- Processes are best practice ensuring data integrity, accuracy, and timeliness.
- Strong continuous improvement focus, particularly to drive process improvement and efficiencies.
- Responsible for all operational processes and procedures are documented, accessible, and understood.
Business continuity
- Identifies opportunities to upskill/cross train staff and proposes plans to the Manager Finance Operations for implementation.
- Provide cover for other Operations People Leaders where segregation of duties and delegations allow.
- Provide back up to the Manager Finance Operations when required and as delegations allow.
- Cascade messages from the Leadership team and coordinate associated tasks.
Risk management
- Ensure Finance Operations Officers follow appropriate controls and are clear on their rationale.
- All control points/reports are spot checked monthly and reported to the Manager Finance Operations.
- Identifies areas of risk and proposes solutions to the Manager Finance Operations.
Customer service
- Maintain strong relationships and work closely with stakeholders to ensure customer needs are being met.
- Identifies opportunities to upskill key staff within MBIE business and proposes plans to the Manager Finance Operations.
- Work with stakeholders in implementation of changes initiated by Finance or another Business Group.
Wellbeing, health & 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 Senior Advisor Finance Operations reports into the Manager, Finance Operations in the Finance Systems, Operations & Procurement Branch within the Finance & Performance Group.
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
