Senior Financial Accountant - Financial Reporting & AFL Compliance (Fixed Term)

Senior Financial Accountant - Financial Reporting & AFL Compliance (Fixed Term)

Introduction

The GIANTS are on an exciting journey both on and off the field. With teams in the AFL, the AFL Women’s League and Super Netball competitions, the GIANTS truly are a club like no other.

On field, the AFL team has quickly grown into one of the competition’s most exciting teams with several players becoming household names across the country. Likewise, the on-field achievements of our AFL Women’s and GIANTS Netball teams are seeing the club connect with more fans and followers than ever before.

Off field, the club’s exciting, innovative, and fresh brand is growing as it engages with members, fans, the community and key stakeholders across Western Sydney, Canberra and nationally.

The GIANTS’ AFL and AFL Women’s teams are based at the club’s elite training and administration facility in Sydney Olympic Park, with GIANTS Netball based adjacent at Netball
Central.

At the heart of our brand, there’s a GIANT in all of us, is the belief that everyone is a GIANT and by living our values and commitments we will deliver on our purpose – To create a club like no other that delivers the best family entertainment, wins premierships, and enriches the lives of people in Western Sydney, Canberra and broader communities.

Position Purpose

The Senior Financial Accountant – Financial Reporting & AFL Compliance will play a critical role in supporting the Club's financial reporting, AFL compliance obligations and annual budgeting processes during a significant reporting and planning cycle. Reporting to the Head of Finance, this fixed-term position will lead the preparation and coordination of AFL financial submissions, end-of-year reporting requirements, assessable revenue reporting and key compliance reconciliations across the Club's football and commercial operations.

The role will also support the development and administration of the Club's annual budget process, including Workday budget uploads, reporting structures and financial analysis. In addition, the position will support the Club's external audit process where practicable, assisting with audit preparation, documentation and stakeholder coordination. This position is ideally suited to a technically strong Senior Financial Accountant who can quickly integrate into a dynamic sporting environment and operate with a high degree of autonomy.

Position Overview

Reports to:

Head of Finance

Other Key Relationships

Internal:

• GIANTS Executive and Management team
• GIANTS Employees from Finance, People & Culture, Commercial, Consumer, Media, Community, Football, and Facilities
• All three playing groups: AFL, AFLW & GIANTS Netball

External:

• Australian Football League (AFL)
• AFL NSW / ACT
• Club auditors

Whilst the role itself has no direct reports, it is expected you will be a leader within the overall finance team and lead reporting workstreams and coordinate stakeholders across the organisation as required.

Roles and Responsibilities

AFL Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Coordinate the preparation and submission of the AFL Club Financial Review, including Soft Cap reporting, healthcare reporting and other AFL financial compliance requirements.
• Prepare and maintain the Statement of Assessable Club Revenue and all supporting documentation.
• Manage AFL and other governing body financial reporting requirements, ensuring completeness, accuracy and compliance with reporting deadlines.
• Liaise with AFL representatives, auditors and internal stakeholders regarding financial submissions and compliance matters.
• Prepare ad hoc financial reports, reconciliations and analysis required by the AFL and other external stakeholders.
• Ensure supporting schedules, reconciliations and audit documentation are maintained to a high standard.

Year-End Financial Reporting

• Assist with the annual financial reporting process.
• Prepare year-end workpapers, reconciliations and supporting schedules.
• Facilitate the rollover and maintenance of financial statement models and reporting templates.
• Assist in drafting the Club's annual financial statements and associated disclosures.
• Support the external audit process, including preparation of audit workpapers, reconciliations and supporting documentation.
• Coordinate responses to auditor requests and ensure information is provided accurately and within agreed timeframes.
• Assist the Head of Finance with audit-related matters and implementation of audit recommendations where practicable.
• Ensure reporting outputs align with relevant accounting standards and AFL reporting requirements.

Budgeting & Financial Planning Support

• Support the annual budgeting and forecasting process across all business units.
• Coordinate budget submissions, reviews and consolidations with operational stakeholders.
• Assist with budget uploads, administration and report development within Workday.
• Develop and maintain budgeting templates, management reports and reporting packs.
• Provide financial analysis to support budget reviews and decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to improve budgeting processes and reporting efficiency.

Reconciliations, Controls & Reporting Frameworks

• Develop and maintain key financial reconciliations, reporting schedules and commercial tracking tools to support accurate reporting, compliance and financial control.
• Ensure integrity and consistency of financial data used for AFL reporting, budgeting and statutory reporting purposes.
• Assist in improving financial controls, documentation standards and reporting processes across the finance function.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential:

• CA or CPA qualification.
• 3–5+ years' experience in financial accounting, reporting, audit or finance management.
• Demonstrated experience in year-end reporting and external audit processes.
• Strong technical accounting and financial reporting capability.
• Ability to operate independently and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working within complex or fast-paced organisations.

Highly Desirable:

• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365 F&O).
• Experience with Workday.
• Experience in sport, entertainment, membership-based or not-for-profit organisations.
• Experience preparing financial reporting for governing bodies, leagues, grant providers or regulators.
• Previous experience acting in a senior finance leadership capacity or supporting an executive finance function.

GIANTS Commitments & Values

Engage

• We entertain in all that we do
• We enrich ourselves and others by being open and accessible
• We communicate and collaborate.

Grow

• We will build our club and our people
• We strive for greatness
• We celebrate our wins.

Challenge

• We hold ourselves and others accountable to the highest standards
• We will innovate, create and lead
• We are resilient.

Respect

• We celebrate our diversity and promote inclusion
• We own our story to enhance our legacy
• We are authentic and act with integrity in all we do.

The GIANTS are proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a flexible and safe working environment. We do not discriminate against any applicant because of race, colour, national origin, sex, gender, disability, religion, marital status, parental status, nor any other protected personal characteristic.