FPA Specialist -Expressions of Interest - Ballarat

The Decision Support Lead is responsible for leading and delivering high-quality financial insights, analysis, and outputs that drive informed decision-making for the client business. This role provides direction to the Decision Support Analyst, ensuring consistency and quality in all deliverables, while remaining actively involved in the execution of complex analytical work. 
 
The Decision Support Lead acts as the final reviewer and owner of all decision support outputs, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and alignment with business objectives. They are accountable for setting direction on work products, overseeing quality, timelines, and ensuring deliverables meet both client and organisational standards. This position combines leadership and hands-on contribution—the Lead is expected to manage, mentor, and contribute directly to the development and execution of analyses, models, and insights. 
 
The role also involves mentoring and developing the Decision Support Analyst to enhance technical capability, business understanding, and analytical maturity.  

Primary accountabilities 

The Decision Support Lead is expected to balance strategic leadership and hands-on analytical contribution across all key areas of responsibility, ensuring outputs are insightful, accurate, and actionable. 

Strategic Financial Leadership 

• Lead decision support activities, ensuring analytical work aligns with client and organisational financial priorities. 

• Oversee and actively contribute to financial scenario modelling, forecasting, and long-term planning processes. 

• Set direction on work products and review the quality and relevance of outputs before submission to stakeholders. 

• Ensure financial insights are timely, accurate, and support effective business decision-making. 

• Set priorities and allocate resources effectively to deliver against strategic objectives while maintaining quality and consistency. 

• Identify opportunities to improve analytical methodologies, data models, and tools. 

Financial Analysis and Insight Generation 

• Conduct and oversee complex financial analysis to evaluate business performance and future scenarios. 

• Interpret financial and operational data to generate actionable insights and meaningful outputs. 

• Collaborate with and guide the Decision Support Analyst in building models for pricing, costing, and investment decisions. 

• Maintain direct, hands-on involvement in advanced modelling, forecasting, and deep-dive financial analytics. 

• Ensure consistency, clarity, and accuracy across all decision support outputs. 

Stakeholder and Relationship Management 

• Own and manage relationships with client stakeholders and senior colleagues in the partnered delivery centre. 

• Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders, providing clear financial recommendations and scenario-based insights. 

• Communicate analytical findings effectively, influencing strategic and operational decisions. 

• Represent the Decision Support function in key client and internal finance forums. 

People Leadership and Mentorship 

• Provide leadership, guidance, and coaching to the Decision Support Analyst. 

• Develop team capability in data interpretation, storytelling, and business partnering. 

• Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented environment focused on excellence and continuous improvement. 

• Support succession planning and skill development within the decision support function. 

Qualifications required 

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Statistics, or Data Science. 

• Accounting qualifications may also be considered. 

• CA / CFA certification desirable but not mandatory. 

Skills, knowledge, and experience required 

• Minimum 3+ years’ experience in financial planning, analysis, or decision support. 

• Strong understanding of complex financial data, ERP systems, and modelling tools. 

• Excellent MS Excel skills. 

• Demonstrated ability to lead analytical processes and manage stakeholder relationships while contributing to execution. 

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. 

• High level of maturity, analytical acumen, and business judgment. 

• Experience working with cross-functional and offshore teams. 

• Strong proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and data visualisation tools. 

• Ability to balance strategic leadership with active, hands-on analytical execution.