About QCIF Digital Research

QCIF is a not-for-profit, membership-based organisation that enables research and innovation across Australia. Our mission is to accelerate research excellence and societal impact in collaboration with our partners in academia, industry, and governments. We do this by:

• Provisioning cutting-edge digital research infrastructure capabilities;
• Upskilling current and future researchers and innovators; and
• Catalysing partnerships across Australia and with international peers.

QCIF draws investment from its members and the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.

The QCIF team includes more than 40 specialists with expertise across cloud, high-performance advanced computing; data science, data curation and optimisation; sensitive data handling and deployment of trusted research/secure access environments; bioinformatics; software development; statistics, modelling and simulation; IoT and systems integration; and applied AI, machine learning, and quantum algorithms. QCIF’s operating budget is circa $10-11M per annum.

About QCIF Finance & Operations

QCIF operations are a critical enabler in delivering on the organisation’s purpose and mission. It encompasses business support across human resources; health and wellbeing; finances; procedures and operating systems; contracts and legal; outreach and engagement; policy, governance, and compliance; and management of select suppliers. The unit has carriage of developing and maintaining company policies and procedures.

Its financial functions include compliance and reporting against specific projects as well as formal whole-of-organisation compliance under external audit. In addition to preparing annual budgets and forecasts, the unit provides support to the QCIF Leadership in monitoring financial performance and acquittal of externally funded projects.

About You

First and foremost, you must be passionate about science and technology and appreciate nuances of operating within a highly entrepreneurial, SME-scale environment characterised by agility in responding to change at short notice. You will need to be hands-on and work through available internal resources and external partners in enabling the growth and sustainability objectives of QCIF (a copy of the Strategic Plan 2026-2028 will be provided upon request).

You are CA/CPA qualified and able to take charge of financial discipline and nurture the QCIF Leadership team in best practice for sound budget management and forecasting. Given that a key role of the COO&FC is to focus on our most important asset of people and lead a deliberate strategy of organisational development and positive work culture consistent with QCIF’s values, your prior experience and demonstrated track record in developing a workforce will be essential.

Together with the CEO, you will be the management conduit to the Board, supporting the Directors in meeting their fiduciary duties. Accordingly, you must possess skills and experience in working with external auditors and preparing financial reports and statements that are compliant to accounting standards and Australian GAAP.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with QCIF Executive (CEO, CDS, and CTO) in setting and driving the implementation of organisational strategy and operational priorities.
• Develop a consolidated whole-of-QCIF budget encompassing discreet budgets of business units; monitor financial performance over time and reforecast quarterly.
• Efficiently monitor QCIF’s finances and business operations to ensure ongoing sustainability.
• Lead and develop the Business Operations Support team.
• Oversight of operational and financial service excellence and achieving outcomes valued by our people and QCIF partners.
• Develop and lead an organisational development plan for QCIF focussed on nurturing a positive work culture reflected in high staff retention.
• Oversee development and implementation of appropriate governance, compliance, and risk controls for QCIF.
• Together with the CEO and Company Secretary, support the Board and any sub-committees.
• Conduct hands-on payroll, accounts payable/receivable, and financial reporting functions.
• Optimise QCIF operations under ethos of continuous improvement, leveraging fit-for-purpose systems.
• Other duties as instructed by the CEO.

Key Performance Indicators

• End of year financial performance landing within 2% of the forecasted net position
• Annual staff retention is 90% or better
• QCIF overall staff survey satisfaction NPS score of 80 or better
• No material concerns in external auditor reports as related to compliance with accounting standards
• Evidence of new measures that create operational efficiency and improve service delivery

Qualifications Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, management, or related fields
• Be a Certified Public Accountant or Chartered Accountant
• Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (Desirable)

Experience & Skills Requirements

• Deep skills and knowledge across budgeting and forecasting; financial analysis and reporting; use of accounting software and tools; managing cash flow and strategic investments; and organisational development, culture and people management
• Demonstrable skills and knowledge in contract law; marketing and communications; and corporate governance
• Proven track record in delivering excellent and optimised business, operational and finance support services, ideally in the not-for-profit, research, and/or higher education sector
• Proven experience translating strategy into measurable operational plans, ideally within the operating scale of a SME reliant on project-based funding
• Experience in developing and implementing formal organisational development plans in support of adaptability, resilience, and positive workplace culture and high staff satisfaction
• Record of effective leadership in a multi-disciplinary operations team
• Experience supporting a Board

Additional Requirements

Due to the inherent requirements of the role, government direction, and/or funding arrangements, you must:

• Consent to a criminal history check
• Consent to a solvency or similar check

Organisational Relationships

The COO&FC reports to the CEO. Peers are the Chief Data Scientist (vacant), Chief Technology Officer, and the Company Secretary.

The direct reports are Business Support Officer & Paralegal; Business Support & Systems Officer (Part Time); and Manager, Outreach and Engagement.

For matters of financial performance, the business unit Heads will also engage routinely with the COO&FC. The units are Applied AI & Quantum Algorithms; Bioinformatics; Statistics; Skills Development; Data & Software; and Sustainable Futures.

The COO&FC will be primary liaison and relationship manager between QCIF and key enabling suppliers, including tax agent, auditor, and lawyers.

Please no agencies or recruiters