Senior Financial Controller

Auckland, New Zealand | Part-time to Full-time | Flexible Hours | Remote WorkManuka AI is a modern, Databricks-only consulting firm on a mission to reinvent how organisations build, scale, and monetise data and AI. We work with ambitious enterprises across Australia and New Zealand to design modern data platforms that actually deliver value.

As we grow, we need the financial foundation to match. We're looking for a Senior Financial Controller to own the numbers, bring discipline to our finance operations, and give our CEO and Board the visibility they need to make confident decisions.

This is a hands-on, senior finance role. You'll own cash flow, management reporting, Board Pack preparation, intercompany consolidation, payroll oversight, and the control environment across our multi-entity ANZ group.

What You'll Do

• Own cash flow visibility Prepare and maintain short and medium-term cash flow forecasts.
• Report weekly to the CEO. Monitor receipts, debtor collections, supplier payments, payroll, and tax commitments.
• Identify risks early, escalate what matters, and keep reporting aligned to actual bank balances, receivables, payables, and known commitments.
• Prepare the Board Pack Monthly profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, debtor and creditor analysis, project performance, budget versus actual, forecast updates, and commentary on key movements and risks.
• Accurate, clear, and ready for CEO, Board, and shareholder review.
• Run a tight month-end close Ensure all transactions are processed accurately and on time.
• Review bookkeeping outputs, bank reconciliations, payroll journals, accruals, prepayments, and intercompany balances.
• Maintain supporting workpapers for all material balances and hold a consistent close timetable.
• Control the ANZ finance environment GST, BAS, PAYG withholding, superannuation, payroll tax, workers compensation.
• New Zealand GST, Kiwi
• Saver, payroll obligations.
• Multi-entity structures.
• You've done it before and you can own it here.
• Drive project financial control Track project budgets, monitor profitability, and compare actuals to budget and forecast.
• Identify margin leakage, billing delays, and delivery cost risks.
• Work with project leads to keep financial information accurate and current.
• Oversee payroll and bookkeeping Review and approve payroll before finalisation.
• Monitor payroll-related liabilities across both jurisdictions.
• Oversee transaction coding, accounts payable and receivable, debtor follow-up, and supplier payment batches.
• Provide clear guidance to bookkeepers and external finance support providers.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and commercial decisions Prepare annual budgets and monthly forecast updates.
• Provide scenario analysis and practical commercial recommendations.
• Support forward planning around cash flow, resourcing, and profitability.

What We're Looking For

• Core experience
• Significant experience as a Financial Controller, Finance Manager, or Senior Accountant, preferably within a professional services, consulting, or technology firm.
• Demonstrated experience in an Australian and New Zealand finance control environment.
• Strong cash flow management, Board Pack preparation, intercompany reporting, and project financial control experience.
• Solid understanding of payroll obligations and controls across ANZ.Skills and mindset
• Commercial acumen and the ability to turn financial data into practical insight.
• Hands-on, calm under pressure, and strong with deadlines.
• Clear and direct with CEOs, Boards, and external advisors.
• Proactive in identifying risks, gaps, and improvements.
• Nice to Have
• Experience in a project-based, billing-driven professional services environment.
• Familiarity with multi-entity ANZ group structures.

Preferred Qualifications

• CA, CPA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent.
• Relevant accounting or finance degree.
• Why Join Manuka AI?AI-native from day one.
• High-impact work - real finance control for a fast-growing business.
• Flexible work culture - part-time to full-time pathway over 6 to 18 months with genuine working hour flexibility.
• Competitive compensation that grows with the role.
• Direct access to leadership, you'll work closely with the CEO and report to the Board.
• We're a startup.
• No internal politics, no empire-building, no hiding behind process.
• We value people who take initiative, challenge ideas respectfully, and focus on real outcomes.

Our Commitment to InclusionManuka AI is committed to building a diverse, inclusive workplace where different backgrounds, perspectives, and paths into finance are welcomed and valued.

Ready to Build What's Next?

If you're excited about bringing financial rigour to a high-growth data and AI consultancy and working directly with a founder-led team, we'd love to talk.

Apply now and help shape the financial future of Manuka AI.