Senior Finance Administrator

Job Description:

Te Ratonga Ahumoni | Financial Services

Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

• 4 weeks annual leave +5 days university holidays
• Generous superannuation provisions (up to 6.75% employer contribution)
• Fixed-Term position (12 Months) Parental Leave Cover
• 37.5 hours per week

Kia hiwa rā, kia hiwa rā!
He hiahia, he pūkenga nōu ki te mahi a te Senior Finance Administrator? Nāia te pōwhiri nā Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha kia tono mai i te tūranga nei.

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do
The Senior Finance Administrator works in a Shared Services team model and will contribute proactively to identify opportunities for operational efficiency, innovation and process improvements to university systems, processes, and service culture.

As the Senior Finance Administrator, you will provide proactive, responsive, and professional financial administration support. Key responsibilities include entering and processing bank statement data, maintaining accurate financial records and Excel spreadsheets, reconciling accounts, following up on outstanding payments, and processing refunds using approved systems. All activities are carried out in accordance with University policies, procedures, and financial controls.

Mōu | Who You Are
You are a customer-focused finance administrator who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. You enjoy building positive working relationships with a diverse range of people and take pride in delivering accurate, timely work while providing exceptional customer service. Highly organised and detail-oriented, you can confidently manage competing priorities, communicate effectively, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.

You’ll also bring:

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook and Excel.
• Experience working with accounts receivable or finance administration within a busy organisation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Fast and accurate data entry skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong organisational, problem-solving and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing tasks.
• A commitment to following established policies and procedures while identifying opportunities to improve processes and service delivery.
• A collaborative approach, a positive attitude, and the ability to contribute effectively as part of a supportive tea
• An alignment with our organisation’s values and culture, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With
The purpose of our Financial Services team is to provide central procurement, accounting, business partnership, advice, process improvement, and processing of financial transactions. Everyone is making a difference to the University by helping shape and build a sustainable environment for our students.

For more information about our team, please visit us at Financial Services

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC
At UC, being part of our team means more than just a job. We are committed to supporting our kaimahi | staff’s career and wellbeing with benefits designed to help our kaimahi grow and feel connected, supported and valued.

UC’s Benefits approach is shaped by Ngā Uara | Our Values Whanaungatanga, Tiakitanga, and Manaakitanga. They are designed to be relevant, support and inspire our people, they include:

• 4 weeks annual leave +5 days university holidays
• generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%) (If over 9 month)
• flexible working arrangements
• professional development opportunities
• supportive working environment
• a wide range of retail discounts across shopping, entertainment and travel
• on-campus staff discounts
• living in revitalised Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand
• a unique working environment in a beautiful campus with access to UC facilities such as UC RecCentre and Staff Club at discounted rates plus onsite cafés and eateries, and more.

For more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc

For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/

We offer a range of benefits, for more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc . (For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/ )

The closing date for this position is: 2 August 2026 (midnight, NZ time)
Please note, applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place before the close date.

Pēhea te tono mai | How You Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted via our careers website and should include a cover letter and resume.

Please note, we do not accept applications by email, however we are happy to answer your queries in relation to the application process, please forward these to [email protected]

You must have Aotearoa New Zealand or Australian citizenship/permanent residency or hold a valid NZ work visa to be considered for this role.

Please note, this is an onsite position.