ROLE DESCRIPTION

RoleDetails

Role TitleChief Financial Officer

Group Corporate Services

LocationWellington

DateJune2017

About the Ministry

The Ministry:

  • Provides strategic and practical policy advice to Ministers;
  • Monitors and supports the Transport Sector Crown Entities; and
  • Works with the Transport Sector Crown Entities to ensure the transport system optimises its contribution to New Zealand citizens.

The Ministry is committed to the following principles that guide the way we work.

  • Empowerment – we empower our people to perform well by creating an environment that fosters personal responsibility and good judgement
  • Respect – we treat each other with respect, are considerate of each others needs and are generous in spirit in our dealings with each other
  • Accountability – we encourage dialogue between staff, managers and the Senior Leadership Team to ensure we are consistent in our actions and that we hold each other to account
  • Responsibility – we are mindful of our role as public servants and the importance of acting in a transparent, professional and responsible way. We act lawfully and objectively and in compliance with the Ministry’s Code of Conduct.

The Ministry’s ways of working provides flexibility and responsiveness to changing demands and priorities over time.

Role Context

The Corporate Services Group is responsible for leading the development, and supporting the effective implementation of the Ministry’s organisational and policy strategy, through the effective delivery of specialist corporate services.

This role leadsthe Finance Team. The Finance Team provides financial services to the Ministry through ensuring that resources, systems, processes and policies exist to process transactions efficiently and effectively, providing accurate reporting to Ministry managers and staff on financial results, and allowing the Ministry to budget and forecast accurately. The Finance team also provides advice to Ministry managers and staff on financial matters pertaining to the Ministry’s financial resources and the wider Vote: Transport.

The role reports to the DCE MoT Corporate Services.

RolePurpose

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the head of finance for the Ministry and is the primary advisor to the Chief Executive (CE) and Ministry management on financial and related matters.

The CFO sits at tier 2.5in the Ministry’s organisation reporting to the DCE MoT Corporate Services. The CFO attends as-of-right all Senior Leadership Team (or equivalent) meetings.

Key Responsibilities

The CFOhas responsibility for:

  • The effective efficient and accurate running of the finance function of the Ministry
  • Overall utilisation of the Ministry’s baseline
  • Second opinion advice on Deputy Chief Executives’ advice and reports and on appropriations, accounting matters related to Vote Transport, budgets, financials and resource utilisation
  • Advice in conjunction with the Governance and Engagement and/or Strategy and Investment Teams on accounting standards and/or Public Finance Act implications for activities undertaken by the Ministry or other Transport Agencies (i.e.Joint Ventures ownership stakes acquisitions etc)
  • Strategic and tactical financial advice to managers and the CE of the Ministry. Advice will be based on sound evidence and knowledge of the financial environment in which the Ministry and Vote exists
  • The CFO will have responsibility for a number of Ministry policies including creation update and enforcement of:
  • Internal Control
  • Delegations
  • Travel
  • Sensitive Expenditure
  • Credit Card
  • The CFO is the primary relationship manager, operating in conjunction with their colleagues who will require interaction with these parties for, the Ministry’s relationship with:
  • The Treasury
  • Audit New Zealand
  • Has responsibility for (but does not personally produce):
  • Financial accounts for external publications
  • Management of financial systems
  • Management of finance function suppliers
  • Budgeting and forecasting processes
  • Financial management reporting processes.
  • Effective leadership of direct reports including performance conversations, mentoring ongoing development and regular feedback loops

Key Relationships and Reports

Internal

  • All Ministry of Transport (MoT) budget managers
  • The Chief Executive and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT)

External

  • Treasury
  • Audit New Zealand
  • Ministry Suppliers
  • Bankers
  • Crown Entities

Direct reports

  • 4

Health and Safety

As a leader, have a duty of care and collective ownership for ensuring the Ministry promotes and meets its health, safety and wellbeing responsibilities and understands and manages key risks.

Ensures staff are informed of and trained in safe practices and procedures in their specific areas of work.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

Qualifications:

Chartered Accountant or equivalent membership of a relevant professional accounting body

Experience:

Essential:

  • Accounting experience at a management level in a medium to large organisation
  • Experience in the public sector
  • Experience developing and managing staff

Desirable:

  • Experience with the implementation improvement and ongoing management of Finance technologies

Technical Capabilities:

  • Knowledge of public sector accounting concepts and procurement policies, rules and processes
  • Proven in-depth knowledge of NZIFRS
  • Proven understanding of key principles of a system of internal control
  • Proven advanced analytical skills
  • Proven written communication skills with an ability to relate to a wide range of audiences.

Competencies

Achieving ambitious goals
Demonstrate achievement, drive, ambition, optimism, and delivery-focus; to make things happen and achieve ambitious outcomes.
Achieving through others

Effectively delegate and maintain oversight of work responsibilities; to leverage the capability of direct reports and staff to deliver outcomes for customers.

Developing talent

Coach and develop diverse talent; to build the people capability required to deliver outcomes.

Enhancing people performance

Manage people performance and bring out the best in managers and staff; to deliver high quality results for customers.

Enhancing team performance

Build cohesive and high performing teams; to deliver collective results that are more than the sum of individual efforts.

Engaging others

Connect with people; to build trust and become a leader that people want to work with and for.

Managing work priorities

Plan, prioritise, and organise work; to deliver on short and long-term objectives across the breadth of their role.

Honest and Courageous

Deliver the hard messages, and makes unpopular decisions in a timely manner; to advance the longer-term best interests of customers and New Zealand.

Collaboration

Promotes cooperation, collaboration and flexibility in working with others, contributes as a team member, managers conflict with teams.

Self-aware and agile

Leverages self-awareness to improve skills and adapt approach; to strengthen personal capability over time and optimise effectiveness with different situations and people.

Problem solving

Identifies problems and reviews related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Customer oriented

Actively looks for ways to help people, seeks understanding from customer to address customer concerns and needs and improve overall service levels.

Chief Financial Officer - FINALJune 2017