Organisation: Department of Health
Job Title: APS Level 5 – Accounts Payable Team Leader
Word Limit: Maximum of one A4 page (no smaller than size 10 font)
Location: Canberra, ACT
Possessing over twenty years of experience in the delivery of quality financial and administrative services in a variety of business contexts, I have developed the ability to interpret and apply relevant financial legislation and guidelines, particularly in relation to Accounts Payable (AP) functions. These legislation and guidelines apply to the way in which I deliver AP service and include Australian Taxation Office regulations, Goods and Services Tax (GST) regulations, as well as codes of practice, finance legislation, and privacy laws. Upon commencement of my role with ANU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, I gained over two years of experience in AP where I applied my ability to interpret and apply relevant financial legislation and guidelines to ensure that ANU’s bills and invoices to be paid were legitimate and accurate. Responsible for the supervision and management of a team of AO3 and AO4 Finance Officers, I undertook quality checking to make certain that all invoices that were entered into the financial management system ESP Financials and scheduled for payment, reflected what the College had ordered and received, as well as the correct unit costs, calculations, totals and terms.
Throughout my career, I have verified my ability to plan and prioritise workflow within a team environment, whilst effectively managing conflicting deadlines and demands to ensure the achievement of operational goals. When I commenced working as Finance Officer, ANU was in the process of a financial system upgrade. This meant that all financial data was to be completed and entered into ESP Financials before the system closed. Working collaboratively with my team, we identified and prioritised the timeline for the completion of necessary tasks before the closing deadline, and together we worked on updating asset information, raising invoices, purchase orders and journal entries. As a result of our organisational ability, prioritisation and time management skills, all deadlines were met and the systems upgrade commenced as planned.
All of my previous positions have been focused on customer service and delivering beyond expected outcomes. Whether it is providing assistance to colleagues, or advice to clients, my primary goal has been to deliver a prompt, efficient, and courteous service at all times. My skills have paved the way for positive feedback from my supervisors, who have commended me on many occasions for the thoroughness and accuracy of my work, and my ability to provide a consistently high level of customer service. Having worked as the main point of contact for all enquiries relating to the finance and accounts of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) and Research School of Physics and Engineering (RSPE) ANU, I am confident in my ability to respond to complex enquiries and follow through on outcomes to resolve issues to the satisfaction of both clients and ANU.
For example, currently managing the budgets for external grants at ANU, it is imperative that I uphold high levels of customer service, whilst leveraging my communication skills to explain funding policies and eligibility to clients. In doing so, I demonstrate high standards of professionalism and integrity by remaining empathetic and sensitive to my clients’ situation, as they are often in a position where they have assumed they can spend funds on ineligible items. This is often due to their lack of skills in interpreting their financial statements, and I have come across some clients who have not spent their funds for two or three years as they did not understand what they could spend them on. As such, I ensure that I take the time to clearly explain terminology and the funding categories that they are eligible for, using plain English and unambiguous language. This ensures that they receive the maximum benefit from the allocated funding.
With a comprehensive understanding of financial administration processes, I am able to quickly identify processing issues in need of organisation and attention in order to maintain the smooth operation of the department. Working in a senior capacity has provided me with the opportunity to apply my logic and good judgement through strategic thinking and the use of quantitative statistics, forecasting methods and financial modeling to resolve financial and management issues. For example, part of my current role involves calculating the minimum expenditure for each fund and contacting fund providers to advise them of the total amount overspent or underspent. Additionally, I estimate the encumbrance income and expenditure for funds using historical information or grant contracts, to ensure accurate numerical data is recorded on our management funds. In order to anticipate potential issues, I analyse budget patterns and by completing a thorough analysis, I am able to take proactive action and improve expenditure patterns. I have proven ability managing data integrity and flow of information between areas in order to provide authoritative advice and recommendations to key stakeholders on current and future state of business performance, both orally and in writing.
