- 12-month Contract
- $250k + super
- Hybrid
Interim Chief Financial Officer (12-Month Contract)
An opportunity has arisen for an experienced and commercially astute Interim CFO to join a highly specialised Australian SME organisation operating within a complex, project and contract-based environment.
This business plays a critical role within a growing and innovation-led sector and is entering a pivotal phase of transformation and growth. With a strong leadership team, sophisticated stakeholder landscape, and ambitious strategic agenda, the organisation now requires an experienced CFO to provide immediate financial leadership while driving a significant capital and funding strategy over the next 12 months.
This role will suit a hands-on, pragmatic and execution-focused finance leader who has successfully navigated businesses through periods of change, capital pressure, scale-up or turnaround environments.
A major focus of the role will be leading and supporting capital raising initiatives, strengthening financial visibility and partnering closely with the CEO, Board and external stakeholders to position the organisation for long-term sustainability and growth.
The Opportunity
Reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with the Board and executive leadership team, the Interim CFO will provide both strategic and operational financial leadership during a critical transition period.
The organisation has a small, close-knit and capable finance team in place; however, the environment requires stronger financial cadence, enhanced forecasting discipline, improved commercial insight and leadership across funding strategy and capital management.
A newly appointed Financial Controller has joined the business, and a key component of the role will involve mentoring and capability uplift, creating a structured transition model over time while ensuring strong financial governance and decision-making frameworks are embedded across the organisation.
The successful candidate will be comfortable operating in ambiguity, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on execution.
Key Responsibilities
Funding Strategy & Capital Raising
- Lead and execute the organisation's capital raising and funding strategy
- Partner with the CEO and Board on investor engagement and funding pathways
- Develop robust financial models, scenario planning and capital allocation frameworks
- Evaluate and pursue a mix of funding options including equity, debt, grants and strategic partnerships
- Support broader growth and expansion initiatives through commercially sound funding structures
Strategic Financial Leadership
- Provide strategic financial guidance to the CEO, Board and leadership team
- Strengthen financial visibility, reporting frameworks and decision-making capability
- Drive improved forecasting, budgeting and cash flow management disciplines
- Translate business strategy into practical financial execution plans
- Provide commercial oversight across pricing, margin management and contract profitability
Finance Function Leadership
- Stabilise and strengthen the finance function during a period of transition
- Mentor and support the Financial Controller and broader finance team
- Improve financial planning and analytical capability across the organisation
- Ensure existing systems and tools are fully leveraged to support operational and strategic decision-making
- Maintain strong governance, controls and risk management frameworks
Stakeholder Engagement
- Act as the key financial interface with Board members, advisors, auditors, funding stakeholders and strategic partners
- Support negotiation and structuring of complex commercial and funding agreements
- Build confidence and alignment across internal and external stakeholder groups
- Provide clear, concise and commercially grounded financial communication
About You
We are seeking an experienced CFO with a proven track record operating within complex, project-based, contract-driven or stakeholder-heavy environments and comfortable working in a small team environment.
You may come from industries such as advanced manufacturing, contract manufacturing, government-funded entities, engineering services or other environments where strong commercial discipline, funding strategy and cash flow management are critical to success.
This role will particularly suit candidates who have operated in businesses with:
- Project or milestone-based revenue models
- Complex customer or government contracts
- Fluctuating or constrained cash flow environments
- Capital raising or funding dependency
- Highly regulated operating environments
- Significant Board, investor or public-sector stakeholder engagement
We are especially interested in leaders who bring experience from:
- Contract manufacturing or specialised manufacturing environments
- Government-backed, grant-funded or public-interest organisations
- Commercial businesses operating alongside large public entities or institutional stakeholders
- Transformation, turnaround or scale-up environments
Candidates will ideally demonstrate:
- Proven experience as a CFO or senior finance executive within complex commercial environments
- Significant capital raising experience, including equity, debt, grants or hybrid funding structures
- Strong cash flow management and liquidity planning capability
- Experience operating in organisations with sophisticated stakeholder and governance requirements
- Ability to operate strategically while remaining highly hands-on
- Excellent Board, investor and executive stakeholder management capability
- Strong commercial finance and business partnering skills
- A calm, pragmatic and execution-focused leadership style?
Why This Role?
This is a rare opportunity to step into a genuinely impactful interim CFO mandate where you will play a central role in shaping the future direction and financial sustainability of a highly specialised organisation.
You will work closely with an experienced leadership team, influence strategic outcomes at Board level and lead a meaningful funding and transformation agenda during a critical phase of growth.
The role offers:
- A highly visible and commercially impactful leadership position
- Significant exposure to strategy, funding and stakeholder engagement
- Hybrid working flexibility
- The opportunity to drive real organisational change and capability uplift
- A collaborative, mission-driven and purpose-led environment
Contract Details
- 12-month contract engagement
- Melbourne-based hybrid working model
- Flexibility required during active capital raising periods
- Immediate or short-notice start preferred
Applications will be assessed on an ongoing basis. Due to high volume of applicants, only successful candidates will be contacted. Full Australian working rights required.
Job Reference: 06810-0013434046LH
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