Evidence boundary: The Canberra-based technology startup, program and people remain anonymised. The owner has confirmed the team structure, reporting arrangement, governance responsibilities and in-person Australian onboarding described here. The client asked that no budget, project identity, employee identity or quantified performance outcome be published.
A large program needed an integrated finance team
The organisation needed finance leadership and delivery capacity for a large, multi-year infrastructure and research program. The work brought together entity reporting, program and project budgets, cost control, scenario modelling, governance reporting and management decision support.
Rather than creating separate offshore reporting lines for every role, the team was organised around an experienced Finance Manager who also acted as team leader and the principal finance interface for the client.
One finance leadership line for a multi-role team
Business priorities, accountable decisions and governance review.
Leads the accountants, integrates reporting and escalates financial, project and commercial issues.
Group reporting, consolidation, budgets, reconciliations and coordination.
Project budgets, cost-to-complete information, forecasts and project reporting.
Management reporting, analysis, month-end, budgeting and decision support.
Worked closely with
The Cost Controller’s close working relationship is confirmed; this page does not infer an undisclosed formal reporting line.
What the Finance Manager brought to the program
The Finance Manager role required more than producing reports. It combined technical accounting judgement, program understanding, team leadership and the confidence to present financial information to senior decision-makers.
- Led and coordinated the Group, Project and Management Accountants through one reporting line.
- Integrated program reporting, controls, quality review and issue escalation.
- Ensured work followed company policies and the Australian Accounting Standards applicable to the organisation’s reporting and funding arrangements.
- Built financial scenarios and models to help management assess choices and their likely financial consequences.
- Reported regularly to governance bodies including the Project Steering Committee and Major Transaction Committee.
- Connected financial, project and commercial information so emerging issues reached the right client decision-makers.
Australian Accounting Standards relevant to the role
The applicable scope depended on the organisation’s reporting and funding arrangements. Relevant standards included:
- AASB 101 Presentation of Financial Statements
- AASB 107 Statement of Cash Flows
- AASB 116 Property, Plant and Equipment
- AASB 120 Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance
- AASB 137 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets
This list explains the Finance Manager’s required frame of reference; it is not a statement that every standard applied to every transaction or a substitute for the organisation’s accounting-policy determinations.
Onboarding began together in Australia
- 01Travel to Australia
The newly appointed Jade team met the people, program and operating environment in person.
- 02Work with the project team and management
Early collaboration connected role responsibilities to management needs and the program’s priorities.
- 03Learn the systems and security requirements
Training covered the client’s systems, access controls, information handling and security expectations.
- 04Shadow established processes
Team members observed peers completing required workflows before assuming responsibility themselves.
- 05Build working relationships
Time with colleagues helped the new team understand communication styles, escalation paths and the organisation behind the work.
A deliberate launch was a key success factor
The in-person launch created shared context, practical confidence and personal connection at the beginning of the team and the program. It was a key success factor in kick-starting the working relationship and was experienced positively by both the outsourcing organisation and the Jade employees.