Associate Director Research Finance in Melbourne

Role type: Full time, Continuing

Department: Office of the DVC Research (Chancellery)

Salary: Senior Manager 1 salary package including up to 17% super

Strategic research finance leadership / partner with executive faculty leaders / drive sustainable, high-impact funding decisions.

Investing in you – 17% superannuation, benefits package including salary packaging, health and wellbeing programs, discounted services, and professional development opportunities.

The University of Melbourne takes pride in our people, who all contribute to our mission to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research.

Your next career opportunity:

• Lead research finance partnering across faculties, institutes and strategic centres.
• Shape research investment planning, drive financial sustainability, and provide trusted advice to executive leaders.
• Mentor a specialised team, building capability and confidence in complex research funding environments.

What you will deliver:

• Lead a high-performing research finance partnering team, setting clear standards and fostering continuous learning and improvement.
• Develop and embed strategic finance frameworks, tools and performance indicators tailored to diverse research portfolios and stakeholders.
• Oversee research finance planning, budgets, forecasts and monthly reporting, interpreting results and driving operational and strategic performance.
• Provide high-level advice on funding proposals, business cases and compliance, ensuring quality, timeliness and stakeholder confidence.
• Identify emerging sector trends, lead improvement projects and champion innovative, data-driven approaches to research financial management.

You may be a great fit if you:

• Hold a postgraduate qualification in finance or accounting and a recognised CA or CPA professional designation.
• Bring extensive senior research finance management experience within large, complex research-intensive organisations such as universities or hospitals.
• Demonstrate success leading sizeable finance teams, handling challenging performance issues and building respect and engagement.
• Design and implement finance partnering models, strategies and frameworks that support executive decision-making and research sustainability.
• Apply strong analytical, commercial and project management skills to deliver insights, improvements and high-quality reporting.
• Utilise experience with enterprise finance systems, ideally Workday, to enhance processes and data integrity across research portfolios.

What we offer you:

• Build future financial security with 17% superannuation.
• Supportive flexible work arrangements underpinned by our commitment to inclusion and well-being.
• Career development opportunities, including access to a range of tailored programs, such as Academic Women in Leadership, and learning platforms including LinkedIn Learning.
• Progressive, considerate leave provisions to empower your work-life balance and well-being, including leading parental leave, gender affirmation leave and cultural leave.
• Salary packaging and access to a range of discounted services including Bupa health insurance, and access to unique cultural and recreational benefits such as discounts for the Melbourne Theatre Company.
• Health and well-being services including a leading Employee Assistance Program.

Your new team – "Research Finance":

You will join Research Finance, a specialist team enabling research excellence within the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research (DVCR) portfolio. The team partners closely with academics, faculties and external funders, providing end-to-end financial support for projects. You will experience a collaborative, feedback-rich culture that values big thinking, precision, professional growth and researcher success.

Be Yourself:

The University of Melbourne is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a child-safe organisation. The diversity of our community enriches us all, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and fair workplace where everyone is valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.

Application essentials:

• You must have current valid work rights for Australia. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
• A Working with Children Check is required for all positions. If successful, we will guide you through the process and reimburse you.
• Please upload your resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and experience, addressing the following 3 key selection criteria:

• Strategic finance and commercial leadership: Proven track record developing and executing finance and commercial strategies and frameworks, including designing and implementing contemporary solutions and services to meet large organisational objectives.
• Stakeholder engagement, influence and communication: Outstanding ability to build and maintain strong internal and external relationships, influence senior stakeholders, and communicate complex financial matters clearly through high‐level consulting, written and oral presentation skills. Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities.
• Analytical problem‐solving and delivery orientation: Demonstrated capacity for analytical and conceptual thinking to diagnose problems and deliver timely, innovative, practical solutions. Evidence of driving implementation, measurable performance improvements and successful change initiatives.

Want to know more?

For queries related to this specific position or our recruitment process, email Ethan Khamly. For recruitment adjustments contact Kim Groizard on +61 3 9035 3218.

Applications close: Sunday 30th August 2026 at 11:55 PM; Melbourne time zone.