Apply now

About ARENA

ARENA is at the forefront of Australia’s renewable energy transition, funding and supporting innovative solutions that make real impact. By investing in cutting edge technologies, sharing insights with the market and collaborating with industry leaders, we’re accelerating progress towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. Every role here contributes to meaningful change and shapes Australia’s transition to renewable energy.

Join our purpose-driven team where innovation thrives and your work matters. With a values driven culture built on knowledge sharing and impact, we offer an advancing environment where you can grow your skills, expand your expertise in the renewable energy sector and make a lasting positive impact.

About the team

Chief Financial Officer leads ARENA’s Finance and Risk Group, responsible for financial stewardship, resource management and organisational assurance. The CFO oversees Finance and Business Services, Business Partnering and Projects, and Risk and Assurance, ensuring ARENA’s funding commitments, budgets, governance reporting, procurement, travel and facilities are effectively managed.

  • Finance and Business Services: Manages ARENA’s financial systems, controls, budgeting and corporate financial reporting to ensure accurate, compliant and transparent financial management.
  • Business Partnering and Projects: Provides financial insights, analysis and support to business areas and projects, enabling informed planning, forecasting and resource decisions.
  • Risk and Assurance: Oversees organisational risk management and internal assurance processes to strengthen governance, compliance and effective decision-making.

About the position

The Director, Finance & Business Services position provides authoritative financial leadership and assurance to ensure ARENA meets its obligations as a Corporate Commonwealth entity (CCE), safeguarding the proper use of public funds and maintaining the confidence of stakeholders. The role is central to compliance with the PGPA Act and Commonwealth financial frameworks, and to the delivery of high-quality statutory and external financial reporting.

The Director ensures the integrity, effectiveness and continuous improvement of ARENA’s financial operations, enabling sound decision-making and strong organisational performance. Through strong stewardship, strategic insight, and close partnership with senior leaders, the role positions finance as a critical enabler of ARENA’s impact and its contribution to Australia’s energy transition.

This role is required to apply expertise and experience to drive and embed uplift and change to enhance the efficiency and quality of the team’s processes and deliverables alongside and in support of the comprehensive BAU activity of the team.

Responsibilities include

In this senior leadership role, you will have end‑to‑end responsibility for the financial stewardship of the Agency, ensuring robust governance while enabling the organisation to deliver impact at scale.

  • You will oversee the Agency’s financial operations and statutory obligations, including:
    • Leadership of financial and management reporting (internal and external), excluding individual project reporting, ensuring clarity, insight and confidence for executive and Board decision‑making
    • Delivery of all statutory reporting requirements
    • Oversight of payroll, accounts payable, procurement, and travel functions
    • Coordination of internal and external financial audits, acting as a trusted and effective point of engagement
    • Ensuring compliance with public sector financial frameworks and relevant legislation, including the PGPA Act
    • Stewardship of internal controls, reconciliations, and asset registers to maintain strong financial integrity
    • Management of limited taxation matters and other required financial regulatory filings
  • You will also lead the Agency’s external budget and reporting interfaces, including:
    • Ownership of external budgets and all financial reporting to, and liaison with, the Department of Finance and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on finance‑related matters
    • Development of robust New Policy Proposal (NPP) costings, supporting high‑quality policy outcomes
  • A core aspect of the role is providing insight, not just reporting. You will:
    • Develop and clearly communicate high‑quality financial analysis, including key metrics, dashboards and ratios that track organisational performance and support strategic decision‑making
    • Proactively partner with senior colleagues and business unit leaders (including the Head of Business Partnering and Projects) to:
      • ensure financial processes are efficient, practical and enable ARENA to maximise impact
      • ensure management results are accurate, aligned with forecasts, and consistent with internal budgets

  • You will drive continuous improvement across the finance function by:
    • Leading uplift in the efficiency, quality and timeliness of the monthly close and reporting cycle
    • Identifying and delivering opportunities for automation and the identifying opportunities for the effective use of digital and AI‑enabled solutions
  • Finally, you will provide strong people leadership by:
    • Leading, developing and inspiring a high‑performing finance team
    • Building a positive, inclusive culture focused on accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement
    • Supporting the growth and capability of individuals within the team.

Key skills, experience and qualifications

This role will suit a senior finance leader who has built credibility in similar fast paced and regulated environments and is motivated by applying that experience to deliver public value and national impact.

You will bring:

  • A broad and deep skill set, developed through senior roles across professional services, consulting, central agencies, major infrastructure or energy organisations, or equivalent complex environments
  • Strong public sector finance capability, including a practical and well‑developed understanding of the PGPA Act and the legislative, statutory and accountability obligations of CCE entities such as ARENA
  • A sophisticated understanding of government decision‑making, including budgeting, funding, accounting and reporting processes, with experience operating confidently within agency, central agency and legislative frameworks
  • Extensive expertise in financial and management accounting and reporting, with a focus on insight, assurance and executive‑level decision support
  • Significant experience leading change, including financial system implementations, process redesign, control uplift and operating‑model improvements
  • Experience with (highly desirable) or comparable enterprise financial systems
  • Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem‑solving capability, with the ability to work through complex, ambiguous issues and provide clear, practical advice
  • A delivery mindset, proactive, outcome‑focused and able to take ownership and drive results to a high standard in demanding environments
  • Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to influence, challenge and advise confidently at executive, Board and senior stakeholder level
  • Advanced financial analysis capability, supported by relevant professional qualifications, and experience using metrics, dashboards and modelling to inform strategic decisions
  • The ability to translate complex financial and policy concepts into clear, compelling advice for senior leaders, non‑financial stakeholders and governance bodies
  • Strong time management and prioritisation skills, with the ability to operate effectively under tight deadlines, scrutiny and competing priorities
  • Proven experience leading and developing high‑performing finance teams, including setting clear direction, lifting capability and embedding accountability
  • A track record of building sustainable capability through coaching, mentoring and performance management, supporting succession planning and workforce resilience
  • High standards of professionalism, integrity and impartiality, aligned with public sector values and expectations
  • A broad, strategic and critical thinker, able to move seamlessly between detail and big‑picture considerations
  • Tertiary qualification in accounting is essential; CA or CPA qualifications are highly desirable