Finance Business Partner, UNSW Canberra

Employment type:   Fixed-term, full-time contract (35 hours per week)
Duration:  To June 2027
Remuneration: Senior appointment – competitive total package

Location: UNSW Canberra, ADFA Campus

About UNSW Canberra
University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Canberra has multiple locations in the Nation’s Capital. UNSW Canberra distinguishes itself from other institutions by its commitment to being thoughtful, practical, and purposeful in all endeavours. This combined approach is integral to the university's impact and contributes to its recognition as one of the top 20 universities globally, as well as a proud member of Australia's esteemed Group of Eight. Choosing a career at UNSW means embracing an environment where thriving, facing challenges, and engaging in meaningful work are not just encouraged but integral to the university experience. If you seek a career where you can excel and contribute meaningfully, you've found the right place.

At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work.

Why Your Role Matters
The Finance Business Partner plays a pivotal role in supporting the Rector and senior leadership to shape the strategic direction, financial sustainability and long-term success of UNSW Canberra. Working in close partnership with the Faculty Executive Director, the role provides high-quality strategic financial leadership, combining advanced financial modelling, scenario analysis and commercial insight to inform decision-making on investment priorities, major initiatives and the effective allocation of resources across the campus’ at UNSW Canberra.

Through leadership of the Finance team, the role ensures strong financial governance, controls and compliance frameworks are in place to support confident, transparent reporting and decision‑making, while effectively balancing critical transactional activities with proactive, insight‑driven business partnering. By translating complex financial information into clear, audience-appropriate advice, the Finance Business Partner enables senior academic and professional leaders to understand the financial implications of strategic choices, manage financial risk and balance short-term operational demands with long-term fiscal sustainability. In doing so, the role directly contributes to the delivery of UNSW Canberra’s strategic objectives within a complex and evolving higher education environment.

Who You Are (skills and experience): 

• Tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline, CA or CPA qualification (or equivalent) and extensive relevant professional sector experience.
• Significant expertise in core and complex financial management, financial modelling, commercial financial management, insight driven analysis, and providing actionable commercial and strategic advice in a complex organisation and at a senior level.
• Advanced audience-appropriate communication, interpersonal, and senior stakeholder management skills and demonstrated ability to inform, persuade and negotiate successfully with a wide range of senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Significant leadership experience with demonstrated capability to identify and establish priorities and mentor, develop, and motivate the team to deliver value to senior stakeholders and customers.
• Proven capability to improve performance and streamline and simplify processes within a large and complex organisation

Benefits and Culture:
UNSW is committed to helping staff balance work-life responsibilities, by providing access to high-quality services, facilities, and flexible work and leave arrangements.

• Flexible working options (work from home, flexible hours etc) 
• Additional three days leave during December festive period
• Career development opportunities 
• Up to 50% discount on UNSW courses
• Flexible 17% superannuation contributions, additional leave-loading payments and salary sacrifice
• Free gym access
• UNSW-wide strategy to focus on Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Places and Healthy Culture. 

Eligibility: 
The successful candidate will be required to undertake pre-employment checks prior to commencement in this role. The checks that will be undertaken are listed in the Position Description. You will not be required to provide any further documentation or information regarding the checks until directly requested by UNSW.  

To be successful you will hold Australian Working Rights. UNSW is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.  

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment. 

Pre-Employment Checks
Aligned with UNSW’s focus on cultivating a workplace defined by safety, ethical conduct, and strong integrity preferred candidates will be required to participate in a combination of pre-employment checks relevant to the role they have applied for.
These pre-employment checks may include a combination of some of the following checks:-
• National and International Criminal history checks
• Entitlement to work and ID checks
• Working With Children Checks
• Completion of a Gender-Based Violence Prevention Declaration
• Verification of relevant qualifications
• Verification of relevant professional membership
• Employment history and reference checks
• Financial responsibility assessments/checks
• Medical Checks and Assessments

Compliance with the necessary combination of these checks is a condition of employment at UNSW.

How to apply:
Make each day matter with a meaningful career at UNSW. Please apply via our online recruitment system.
In your application, please include:

• your CV
• a 2-page cover letter addressing the skills and experience outlined in the Position Description.

Applications close: Thursday 26 February 2026 at 11.30pm Sydney time.

Get in Touch

To discuss the position please contact: kayla.jones@unsw.edu.au

Queries regarding applications - please contact:               h.whale@unsw.edu.au  

(for job related queries only – applications will not be accepted if sent to the contact listed)

Find out more about the lifestyle and benefits when working with UNSW  

For further information about UNSW Canberra, please visit: UNSW Canberra 
For further information on living in Canberra, please visit: Living in Canberra

UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff.