Chief Financial Officer

• Lead financial decision making in the heart of the NSW Government
• Join a portfolio delivering frontline and digital services
• Be part of an executive team leading 14,000 people

The NSW Department of Customer Service is at the heart of how government works for the people of New South Wales. It is one of government's most complex and far-reaching portfolios. It’s one that encompasses digital government, AI and cyber policy, Service NSW, and a constellation of independent agencies. This is a portfolio that drives policy affecting every corner of the state. It is consequential, stimulating and, at this moment, in deliberate and committed motion.

The Opportunity
The appointment of a permanent Chief Financial Officer represents one of the most significant decisions for this portfolio. It has a clear-eyed view of what it needs: not a transactional finance executive, but a strategic leader who can set the financial direction for a large and diverse organisation, build the credibility to be a genuine partner to divisional and agency heads, and achieve budget discipline and sustainable performance. This is genuinely important work that will appeal to a dynamic, proven leader.

What You Will Bring
You will bring proven senior finance leadership, ideally within government or with substantial exposure to it. You will understand what good budget management looks like and have the acumen to apply that discipline in a public sector context.
You will have led substantial multidisciplinary teams, and you will be as comfortable in a minister's office as you are with your own team in Parramatta.

It is important that you have the gravitas to engage at Band 3 Deputy Secretary, CEO and ministerial level, while remaining genuinely collaborative and approachable with the people around you. It is critical that you bring the highest standards of integrity - this portfolio runs processes that demand it.
You will not need deep procurement expertise, but you will need enough strategic literacy to provide cover and direction to the procurement function, and the appetite to grow into a broader corporate leadership remit as the organisation evolves.

What We Are Looking For
You are an experienced CFO or equivalent senior finance leader, ideally CA or CPA qualified. You bring strong executive leadership with a deep track record of financial management, reporting, budgeting and forecasting at scale. You have led the hard conversations that come with budget repair, and you have held your ground without losing the room. You know how to build relationships across a matrix structure, how to earn the respect and make people want to work with finance as partners.
You are a calm, strategic presence who can build for the future while managing the pressures of today.

To Apply
This is a Band 2 position. The total remuneration package for this role is competitive and negotiable within that range for the right candidate.
Candidate information: Please click on the "Additional Information" button to download a copy of the Candidate Information Pack.
For specific enquiries, please contact Emma Alberici on 0419 683 660 or email publicsector@derwentsearch.com.au referencing 34637.
To apply: Please provide a cover letter of no more than two pages and a current CV of no more than four pages.
Applications close: Sunday 9 August 2026 at 23:59.