Finance Manager

About Stonewood Group

Stonewood Group is a privately held New Zealand investment and operating group with interests across property, financial services, construction (Stonewood Homes franchise network), and technology. We are a sharp team that manages a complex portfolio — if you want big-company politics, this is not the place. If you want real responsibility from day one, keep reading.

Our finance function supports multiple operating entities across New Zealand and Australia. We are building out the team and putting the right structure in place to support the next phase of growth.

The Role

This is a hands-on Finance Manager role sitting within the central finance team. You will own four key areas: the financial management of the Stonewood Homes franchise network, treasury and cash management across the group, finance operations including leadership of an offshore team, and tax compliance.

This is not a role where you sit in a corner reviewing other people’s work. You will process payments, file GST returns, manage franchise fee billing, run the daily cash position, and lead a small team. You need to be comfortable doing the work yourself and comfortable directing others.

We are also transitioning several entities to full IFRS RDR reporting — IRD now requires this for companies above the revenue and asset thresholds, and most of our entities qualify. You need genuine IFRS technical capability, not just an awareness of the standards.

You will report to the Financial Controller and the Managing Director. Below you, you will have a accountant, a finance admin/assistant accountant, and two offshore finance administrators.

Note: Reporting, variance analysis, financial modelling, and board-level analytical work sit with a separate Financial Analyst role — this JD is focused on operations, compliance, and getting the numbers right.

What You Will Do

1. Stonewood Homes Franchisor — Financial Management (25%)

• Own the end-to-end financial management of the Stonewood Homes franchise network (~20 NZ franchises, 3 Australian franchises)


• Calculate, bill, and collect franchise fees and royalties across the network


• Prepare monthly and quarterly financial reporting for the franchisor entities


• Ensure franchise financial reporting is accurate, timely, and compliant with franchise agreements


• Liaise with franchisees on financial queries, fee schedules, and payment issues


• Manage the Australian franchise financials including cross-border considerations

2. Treasury and Cash Management (25%)

• Process bank payments including ASB batch payment runs


• Manage multi-bank cash positions across all group entities on a daily basis


• Prepare daily cash position reports for management


• Coordinate inter-entity funding, transfers, and loan account reconciliations


• Manage banking relationships and ensure payment systems and authorities are maintained


• Monitor and manage group liquidity to ensure all entities can meet obligations

3. Finance Operations — Offshore Team Leadership (30%)

• Lead and manage a team of four: accountant, one finance admin/assistant accountant, and two offshore finance administrators


• Oversee and quality-check bookkeeping and transaction processing across the group


• Set workflows, deadlines, and standards for the offshore team


• Own the month-end close process across all entities


• Ensure Xero is maintained accurately across all group companies


• Drive continuous improvement in finance processes and controls

4. Tax Compliance (20%)

• Prepare and file GST returns for all group entities on time, every time


• Coordinate income tax obligations and manage the relationship with PwC for tax advisory and compliance


• Manage FBT calculations and returns in coordination with PwC


• Ensure all IRD compliance obligations are met — filing, payment, communication


• Support the preparation of IFRS RDR financial statements for entities meeting the revenue and asset thresholds


• Maintain a compliance calendar and ensure nothing falls through the cracks

What We Are Looking For

Must Have

• CA or CPA qualified (or equivalent)


• Minimum 4–5 years’ post-qualification experience in a finance operations or management accounting role


• IFRS technical capability — you must be able to prepare or review financial statements under NZ IFRS RDR. This is non-negotiable given current IRD requirements across our group entities


• Hands-on experience with Xero across multiple entities


• Proven experience processing bank payments, batch payments, and managing daily cash positions


• Experience preparing and filing GST returns and managing IRD compliance


• Experience managing or supervising a small team, including offshore/remote team members


• Strong Excel skills


• Organised, reliable, and able to manage multiple deadlines across entities without dropping balls


• NZ tax knowledge (GST, income tax, FBT)

Nice to Have

• Experience in a franchise or multi-entity group environment


• Experience with ASB batch payment systems


• Familiarity with consolidated financial reporting


• Experience managing transitions from outsourced to in-house finance functions


• Exposure to Australian GST/BAS or cross-border financial management


• Experience with property or construction sector financials

What You Get

• Salary: $100,000 – $120,000 gross per annum, depending on experience


• KiwiSaver: Employer contributions on top of salary


• Location: Shed 19, Princes Wharf — waterfront office in Auckland CBD


• Team: A capable finance team that is being purposefully built out


• Responsibility: Real ownership of your areas from day one — no waiting around


• Development: Exposure to a diverse portfolio across property, franchising, financial services, and AI Automation