Play a key role shaping financial strategy and supporting growth in a highly dynamic business and a leading deep tech innovation ecosystems
AXR are excited to be partnering with one of Australia’s leading deep tech innovation ecosystems
Are you a commercially minded finance professional looking to step into a role with real impact, visibility, and purpose? Excited to work in a one-of-a-kind heritage building surrounded by ambitious founders?
Cicada Innovations is Australia’s home of deep tech. Based in the heart of the South Eveleigh innovation precinct, Cicada works with some of the country’s most ambitious science and engineering-led start-ups, helping founders transform world-changing ideas into globally scalable businesses.
For more than two decades, Cicada has supported pioneering ventures across climate technology, health, advanced manufacturing, space, quantum, robotics, food systems, and clean energy. Their community includes founders, researchers, corporates, investors, and government partners all working together to solve meaningful global challenges through innovation.
As the organisation continues to grow and evolve, Cicada is now seeking a proactive and commercially astute Finance Manager to lead and modernise the finance function.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting directly to the CFO/COO, this is a high-impact role where you will sit at the centre of the business, partnering with operational leaders while overseeing the day-to-day finance function across a multi-entity environment.
You will partner with the CFO/COO to build a strong platform and play a key role in driving financial visibility, operational efficiency, and scalable processes across our team of about 30 employees. This is a unique opportunity to combine hands-on finance leadership with strategic business partnering in one of Australia’s most innovative environments.
The business is also heavily focused on leveraging AI and automation to improve finance operations, making this an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys process improvement, technology, and forward-thinking ways of working.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Are you a commercially minded finance professional looking to step into a role with real impact, visibility, and purpose? Excited to work in a one-of-a-kind heritage building surrounded by ambitious founders?
Cicada Innovations is Australia’s home of deep tech. Based in the heart of the South Eveleigh innovation precinct, Cicada works with some of the country’s most ambitious science and engineering-led start-ups, helping founders transform world-changing ideas into globally scalable businesses.
For more than two decades, Cicada has supported pioneering ventures across climate technology, health, advanced manufacturing, space, quantum, robotics, food systems, and clean energy. Their community includes founders, researchers, corporates, investors, and government partners all working together to solve meaningful global challenges through innovation.
As the organisation continues to grow and evolve, Cicada is now seeking a proactive and commercially astute Finance Manager to lead and modernise the finance function.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting directly to the CFO/COO, this is a high-impact role where you will sit at the centre of the business, partnering with operational leaders while overseeing the day-to-day finance function across a multi-entity environment.
You will partner with the CFO/COO to build a strong platform and play a key role in driving financial visibility, operational efficiency, and scalable processes across our team of about 30 employees. This is a unique opportunity to combine hands-on finance leadership with strategic business partnering in one of Australia’s most innovative environments.
The business is also heavily focused on leveraging AI and automation to improve finance operations, making this an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys process improvement, technology, and forward-thinking ways of working.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the annual budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning process
- Build, maintain and enhance the 3-way forecasting models across multiple revenue streams
- Oversee end to end transactional workflows (AR/AP) including month-end reporting, reconciliations, and financial control across a multi-entity Xero environment
- Manage and mentor two offshore accountants, driving accountability and continuous improvement
- Partner closely with general managers and operational leaders to provide meaningful commercial insights and cross-functional workflows
- Deliver accurate grant reporting, acquittals, and compliance for government-funded programs
- Develop financial dashboards and reporting tools to improve decision-making across the business
- Drive process optimisation and AI-led efficiencies across finance operations
- Strengthen SOPs, controls, and scalable finance processes as the organisation continues to grow
- CA or CPA qualified
- Experience operating within an SME, scale-up, innovation, or multi-entity environment
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to influence non-finance stakeholders
- Hands-on leadership experience managing and developing finance teams
- Advanced financial modelling, forecasting, and analytical capability
- Systems savvy with exposure to automation, AI tools, and process improvement initiatives
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment with high levels of autonomy
- Proactive, curious, resilient, and solutions-focused in your approacH.
- Work at the centre of Australia’s deep tech and innovation ecosystem
- Exposure to cutting-edge start ups, founders, investors, and industry leaders
- High visibility role with direct access to executive leadership
- Opportunity to modernise and shape the finance function
- Flexible working environment based in South Eveleigh
- Purpose-driven organisation focused on solving real-world problems through technology and innovation
- Collaborative, entrepreneurial, and high-performing culture
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