_{16th October, 2026}

Our client is a well-respected, independent science and research organisation. It is trusted across its sector for practical, evidence-based research and quality assurance. 

About the role

The General Manager Strategic Investment / Chief Financial Officer will strengthen the organisations’s financial resilience, commercial performance and long-term impact by shaping how the organisation invests, grows revenue and allocates resources.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the role provides strategic leadership, advice and challenge that supports evidence-based decisions, sustainable growth and reinvestment in research, services and industry-good outcomes.

The role also enables a cohesive strategic finance approach across the organisation, strengthening commercial disciplines, portfolio investment management and the financial mindset needed to support organisational performance and future direction.

• Shape strategic direction and decision-making — Partner with the Chief Executive, and ELT to provide strategic financial insight, constructive challenge and advice on organisational performance, priorities, sustainability and future direction.
• Lead strategic investment and resource allocation — Develop and implement the investment strategy, providing clear advice on investment priorities, affordability, risk, return, opportunity cost and long-term impact across the portfolio.
• Drive commercial performance and sustainable growth — Strengthen commercial performance across revenue-generating activities through disciplined approaches to pricing, costing, margins and profitability, while identifying opportunities for revenue growth, diversification and scalable or annuity-based income.
• Build financial and commercial capability — Embed a cohesive strategic finance approach across the business, enabling leaders to understand performance drivers, assess trade-offs and use data and commercial insight to make evidence-based decisions.
• Strengthen financial resilience and impact — Lead financial stewardship, risk and governance while ensuring capital and resources are deployed sustainably to support reinvestment, organisational resilience and industry-good purpose.

  
About you

• Proven experience leading strategic financial planning and investment decision-making across growth, transformation, resource allocation and long-term financial sustainability
• Strong and demonstrable experience providing strategic financial and commercial advice within medium to large-scale, complex organisations across public finance, commercial consulting or commercially driven environments
• Extensive senior-level experience driving commercial performance, including revenue growth, margin improvement, profitability, diversified revenue streams and value creation
• Strong understanding of portfolio investment management, with the ability to assess strategic alignment, affordability, risk, return, opportunity cost and long-term impact to inform investment priorities and capital allocation
• Demonstrated ability to use data, analytics and commercial insight to turn complex information into clear choices and evidence-based decisions across pricing, profitability, investment and reinvestment
• Proven experience partnering with the Chief Executive, Board and Executive Leadership Team’s as a trusted strategic adviser, contributing beyond the finance function to organisational direction, prioritisation and enterprise-wide decision-making

Ready to make a difference?

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in turning that ambition into impact, helping shape the strategy, performance and long-term sustainability of an organisation with a significant role in New Zealand’s building sector.


To apply
Rothley is working exclusively on this opportunity.

For a copy of the candidate pack please email info@rothley.co.nz or for a conversation in confidence please call Kirsty Brown on 021 660 757.

Applications close 28th October 5.00pm.

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