Senior Finance Manager at Wabtec Corporation in Rydalmere, NS, Australia

Job description

• The Senior Finance Manager is a strategic finance business partner to the Vice President and senior leadership team of Wabtec’s Signalling & Systems business segment, providing financial leadership across budgeting, forecasting, strategy, bids and tenders, and project performance.
• Working closely with project teams, operational and commercial leaders, and executive stakeholders, this role leads the financial planning, analysis, and commercial evaluation of projects and growth opportunities, ensuring initiatives are financially viable, delivered within budget and achieve targeted returns.
• As a people manager, this position requires a hands-on proactive approach also providing end-to-end tender support through to execution, reporting, risk management, and post-implementation review, while supporting strategic decision making and driving business performance.
• Rydalmere, NSW

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain financial models for projects.
• Evaluate project feasibility, profitability and cash flow requirements.
• Prepare scenario analyses, sensitivity testing, and risk assessments to support decision-making.
• Lead project budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning processes.
• Oversee project financial performance, ensuring alignment with approved budgets and business objectives.
• Monitor project expenditures, commitments, accruals, and cost forecasts.
• Establish financial controls to ensure effective project governance and compliance.
• Partner with project managers to identify and resolve financial risks and performance issues.
• Lead the preparation of business cases, investment proposals, and capital expenditure requests.
• Present financial recommendations to senior leadership and executive committees.
• Validate assumptions, financial benefits, and project value realization targets.
• Act as the key finance partner to project sponsors, operational leaders, and executive stakeholders locally as well as globally.
• Collaborate with procurement, legal, tax, treasury, accounting, and commercial teams.
• Provide clear communication of financial performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Identify and assess financial, commercial, and operational risks within project portfolios.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, accounting standards, and financial regulations.
• Support internal and external audit requirements relating to project activities.
• Implement and maintain robust project financial governance frameworks.
• Deliver monthly project financial reports, dashboards, and executive presentations.
• Analyse variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Conduct post-project reviews to evaluate financial outcomes against approved business cases.
• Mentor and develop project finance analysts and finance business partners.
• Drive continuous improvement in project financial management processes and systems.
• Support strategic initiatives and enterprise transformation programs.

Requirements

• Education
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related field is mandatory.
• CPA, CA, CMA, CFA, MBA, or equivalent professional qualification preferred.
• Experience
• 15+ years of progressive finance experience, including significant project finance, capital investment analysis, FP&A, or commercial finance experience.
• US GAAP experience
• Experience managing large-scale capital projects, strategic initiatives, or transformation programs.
• Demonstrated experience developing complex financial models and business cases.
• Experience partnering with senior executives and cross-functional leadership teams.

Skills

Required

• Financial modeling
• Project budgeting and forecasting
• Risk assessment
• Financial reporting and dashboards
• Business case development
• Capital expenditure analysis
• Financial governance and compliance
• US GAAP
• Communication with senior leadership

Preferred

• CPA, CA, CMA, CFA, MBA or equivalent