Finance Manager

About the role

Put your financial expertise to work where it matters most with a flexible, family-friendly part-time (0.6FTE) role balancing numbers and nurturing futures at Life Education Trust.

At Life Education Trust NZ, our mission is simple and powerful: to help tamariki and rangatahi across Aotearoa grow confident, healthy, and resilient. Every year, our work reaches more than 225,000 primary-aged children and 55,000 secondary students — teaching health, life skills wellbeing, and critical thinking for the lives that they deserve. Behind this impact is strong financial stewardship. That’s where you come in.

A Role With Heart — and Real Influence

We’re looking for a Finance Manager who wants their work to mean something. Someone who sees numbers not just as data, but as the engine that powers social good. Someone who wants to go home each day knowing their mahi helped shape the future of young New Zealanders.

As our senior finance professional, you’ll lead the financial systems, insights, and stewardship that keep Life Education Trust NZ strong, sustainable, and future‑focused. You’ll be a trusted adviser to the Chief Executive and Board — ensuring the integrity of financial management, reporting, budgeting and forecasting and audit preparation, while also supporting regional Trusts with financial guidance and best practice. You'll work with a high degree of autonomy and minimal administrative support, so this role suits someone who's comfortable using sound judgement, and getting things done independently — while still being a hands-on part of a small team.

Key responsibilities

• Own the integrity and accuracy of financial records and monthly management accounts
• Prepare clear, board-ready reporting with meaningful narrative on performance and variances
• Lead preparation of the annual consolidated group accounts and manage the external audit process
• Lead the annual budgeting cycle and maintain rolling forecasts
• Manage debtors and oversee payroll processing
• Ensure compliance with IRD, Charities Services, Incorporated Societies Act and XRB reporting standards
• Act as trusted financial adviser to the CE and Board on risk, performance and sustainability
• Provide financial leadership, support and guidance to regional Trusts
• Provide light oversight of part-time administration support (up to 3 hours/week)

About you

• Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) or equivalent recognised qualification, with current good standing
• 3–4 years' experience in a finance manager role
• Strong knowledge of NZ financial and accounting reporting standards
• Familiarity with the not-for-profit / charity sector, including the Charities Act 2005 (as amended 2023), Charities Services reporting obligations, XRB / PBE standards, the Incorporated Societies Act, and NZ tax requirements
• Confidence working autonomously and making sound, independent decisions
• A collaborative mindset and genuine interest in supporting a mission-driven organisation

About us

We're a national charity whose network of regional Trusts delivers school-based programmes, and provides professional development for teachers nationwide and supports programme delivery to more than 120 secondary schools. We're a small, close-knit team where every role genuinely shapes what we achieve.

Benefits

• A permanent, part-time role (0.6 FTE) with flexible hours by mutual agreement
• A meaningful role at the heart of an organisation supporting hundreds of thousands of tamariki and rangatahi
• Genuine autonomy and variety — from strategic financial advice to hands-on reporting
• A supportive, purpose-driven small team based in Wellington CBD