Who is VAGO?

The Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) is a critical part of Victoria’s integrity system. Independent to Parliament, VAGO ensures the accountability of the State Government through audits and assurance reviews of public sector agencies. To achieve this, VAGO annually conducts over 530 financial audits and numerous performance audits across a diverse range of portfolios including infrastructure, transport, health and social services, education, water, local government, insurance, justice, treasury and superannuation. Such a broad range of portfolios allows our people to gain unrivalled audit experience working throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria.  

Why VAGO?

Our organisation is filled with people who love what they do, enact change and uphold our values. We are a workforce of highly motivated, empathetic and collaborative people, who encourage innovation and knowledge sharing.  

We strive to build and maintain an inclusive workplace that brings out the best in our people. We encourage and celebrate our diversity, and actively support work life balance and flexibility across all our roles.  

We have two audit portfolios within VAGO: Parliamentary Reports and Services and Financial Audit. Our audit support function is split into the Office of the Auditor-General and Corporate Services.  

What's the role?

The Financial Reporting Advisory (FRA) team comprises of accounting standard specialists who: 

• Help the financial audit engagement teams navigate through the requirements of accounting standards and broader financial reporting requirements by responding to their queries and providing expert accounting advice on complex transactions.   
• Contribute towards uplifting the capabilities of the financial audit teams by undertaking training programs  
• Play a significant role in advocating and influencing better financial reporting through our direct participation and engagement with professional bodies   
• Manage internal and external stakeholder relationships  

The role is ideal for individuals who enjoy advising audit teams on complex accounting matters and coaching them on the requirements of accounting standards and the broader financial reporting framework.     

Who we're looking for

We are inviting applications from people who have demonstrated experience in:  

Technical advisory  

• Able to provide well-researched, commercially grounded and technically sound accounting advice to engagement teams on complex accounting and financial reporting issues. This includes the ability to make sound professional judgements and decisions on areas where specific guidance may not be available or where there may be divergent views.   
• Participate and make meaningful contribution to technical discussions with stakeholders.   
• Undertake impact assessment of latest accounting developments and keeping stakeholders informed  

Training  

• Design, develop and deliver training at internal and external forums including the development/overseeing the development of various contemporary learning tools.  

Stakeholder engagement  

• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders through proactive engagement.   

Strategic leadership  

• Lead, strategize and deliver results on various financial reporting improvement projects   
• Identifies opportunities for improvement in stakeholder relationships   
• Proactively identify emerging trends, issues, risks and opportunities to better target FRA’s activities and public sector accountability   
• Identify opportunities to contribute to the organisation's strategic vision and direction   
• Initiate and contribute to plans that address current and future capability requirements  

People Management  

• Lead and manage team members including delegation, providing clear direction, coaching and feedback  
• Commitment to continuous professional development of self and the team members by promoting a culture of knowledge-sharing to enhance the overall team’s capability.   

Don’t tick all the boxes? We’d still love to hear from you. You don't need to tick all the boxes to be amazing.  

Skills and qualifications:  

• You have a full professional membership with CAANZ/CPA Australia or equivalent and relevant tertiary qualifications  
• Excellent knowledge of Australian Accounting Standards and broader financial reporting framework  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills which includes providing clear and accurate explanations and conveying technical concepts in an easily understandable manner to a diverse range of stakeholders.   
• Intuitive and sound judgement skills when managing complex and sensitive projects and issues   
• Ability to process concepts and complexity comfortably, using analytical skills and professional scepticism to reason through problems   
• Experience in managing teams fostering a sense of common purpose. You are driven, accountable, lead by example, modelling collegiate, resilient and flexible work behaviours. 

What VAGO can offer you

We are a diverse bunch at VAGO so you'll be part of an organisation where the different backgrounds, perspectives and life experiences of our people are celebrated. We are committed to building a workplace that welcomes applicants of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds, people with disability, neurodiverse individuals, and Indigenous Australians.   

Within our collaborative and team-oriented environment, you will have the opportunity to take on a leadership role, providing guidance and creating growth opportunities for our junior staff. Your direct involvement with our SMEs will also afford you valuable exposure to the strategic aspects and project planning processes.  

We welcome applications from everyone and encourage you to talk to us about any adjustments you may require to our recruitment process or the role itself. If you are a candidate with a disability or access requirement, let us know how we can provide you with additional support. 

If you would like to learn more about this role or life at VAGO, we encourage you to contact our Talent Acquisition team, via recruitment@audit.vic.gov.au. 

Next Steps

Sound like you or someone you know? Don’t hesitate....‘Apply Now’.  

Applications close at 11:59pm on 28 January 2024 

Position Description: PD: Manager/Senior Manager, FRA - VAGO