Senior Manager - Financial Management. CDU7

About The Role And Project Scope

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation, consolidation, and periodic update of project and development budgets, ensuring alignment with approved business cases, stage‑gate approvals, and governance requirements
• Monitor and control budget utilisation across development projects, identifying risks, variances, and emerging cost pressures, and proactively recommending corrective actions
• Own periodic forecasting (quarterly / monthly outlooks), coordinating inputs from Development, Cost Controls, and Finance to ensure forecasts are realistic, evidence‑based, and decision‑ready
• Implement and enforce budget checks and financial validations for procurement activities, including commitment control, purchase requisitions, contract awards, and variations, ensuring spend remains within approved limits
• Act as a primary financial interface between Development and Finance, ensuring alignment on budgets, forecasts, accruals, capitalisation principles, and financial interpretations
• Ensure work performed reporting from development and cost control systems is fully reconciled with SAP financials, addressing timing differences, accruals, and classification issues to maintain a single, trusted version of financial truth
• Review and challenge cost reporting, progress measurement, and financial assumptions, ensuring that reported performance accurately reflects underlying commercial and financial reality
• Provide clear financial insights and commentary to senior management, supporting informed decision‑making on project performance, risks, and forward outlook
• Lead and contribute to ad‑hoc financial analysis as required, including deep dives on variances, scenario analysis, what‑if assessments, budget optimisation exercises, and management requests
• Support continuous improvement of financial management processes, controls, and reporting frameworks, strengthening governance, transparency, and audit readiness across the development lifecycle
• Collaborate closely with Cost Controls, Procurement, FP&A, and Project Teams to ensure consistent application of financial policies, controls, and reporting standards

Requirements

Skills And Attributes

• Strong expertise in budget preparation, financial control, forecasting, and variance analysis, preferably within large‑scale development or capital programs
• Solid understanding of project cost management and financial governance, including budget controls, commitments, accruals, and financial assurance
• Proven ability to reconcile management cost reports and work performed with ERP financial systems (e.g., SAP), ensuring data integrity and consistency
• Demonstrated experience acting as a bridge between Development / Projects and Corporate Finance, translating commercial realities into financial outcomes
• High analytical capability with the ability to interpret complex financial data, identify risks and trends, and convert insights into clear recommendations
• Experience supporting procurement‑related financial controls, including budget checks, commitment reviews, and spend validation
• Ability to deliver clear, concise financial reporting and commentary for senior management and executive stakeholders
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with confidence to challenge assumptions constructively and influence decision‑making
• High attention to detail, with a control‑minded and audit‑conscious approach to financial management
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and financial analysis tools, with the ability to work across multiple data sources

Desired And Advantageous

• Experience working within large, complex, multi‑project development portfolios or giga‑project environments
• Familiarity with SAP (FI/CO, MM, PS) and project cost control systems used for development and construction environments
• Exposure to stage‑gate governance models, business case controls, and capital approval frameworks
• Experience supporting management dashboards, performance reporting, and executive‑level financial insights
• Ability to perform ad‑hoc financial analysis, scenario modelling, and deep‑dive investigations under tight timelines
• Understanding of capitalisation, fixed asset treatment, and cost classification in a development/project context
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain financial matters to non‑finance stakeholders
• Proactive, self‑driven mindset with the ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, evolving environment