We are looking for someone who is committed to contributing to our vision of better public services, and our mission of independent and valued assurance and insights.

You will bring a passion for excellence, attention to detail, and desire to add value to your team and the organisation. The role of Principal Finance Officer reports to the Finance Manager, you will mentor a small team.

As the Principal Finance Officer, you will provide senior specialist leadership and authoritative advice across QAO’s procurement, budgeting and core finance functions. The role exercises a high degree of independent professional judgement and is responsible for leading complex financial activities, ensuring strong governance, compliance and financial risk management outcomes, and providing trusted advice to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). 

You will have experience in developing and monitoring budgets which will allow you to efficiently and effectively deliver QAO’s budget process and budget updates to Queensland Treasury, provide written briefs to QAO’s Audit Risk Management Committee, the ELT and CFO.

Your written and verbal communication skills will be strong, and you will use these to engage senior leaders across the business to understand budget drivers and deliver finance services. You may need to engage with external stakeholders, such as Queensland Treasury, to discuss budget process and outcomes.

You have excellent attention to detail which will allow you to excel in playing a significant leadership role in designing procurement processes and delivering procurement services for audit services and general supplies and services. A significant portion of QAO’s expenditure is contracted out audit services.

Your knowledge and understanding of risk management in finance services is extensive. Your skills will help you implement and enforce financial controls, undertake risk management activities, and your critical thinking skills will arm you to provide authoritative analysis and advice to the CFO and ELT on your subject matter areas.

About us

As the independent auditor of the public sector and local governments, we are vital to Queensland’s integrity system. We provide independent, professional audit and assurance services, giving parliament and the public trusted assurance and insights.

We have hundreds of audit clients from a wide range of industries across the beautiful state of Queensland. We help them improve their financial management and performance, so they can deliver better public services for the community. We support the Queensland Parliament in holding entities to account for the effective, efficient, and economical use of public resources. We also engage with many other stakeholders, such as integrity bodies, accounting standards boards, and Australian and international audit offices.

Innovation, teamwork, and client relationships are at the heart of what we do.

Working at QAO

QAO is an inclusive employer. We encourage flexible working and aim to create a work environment where all employees are respected, connected, and can contribute, regardless of age, culture, disability, family and caring responsibilities, gender identity, Indigeneity, religion, or sexuality. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of marginalisation who meet our eligibility requirements to apply.

We aim to represent the community we serve and greatly value the diverse experiences our people bring. QAO’s culture sets our workforce up for success – we invest in our people so they can be best in their field. We are passionate about innovation, we welcome new ideas, and we invest in advanced audit capabilities such as data analytics.

We also offer:

• A Brisbane based role with hybrid work arrangements – work from the office and from home.
• Salary commensurate with experience $152,658 to $163,539 (includes 12.75% superannuation and 17.5% annual leave loading)
• Continuous learning opportunities, including formal learning and personalised career development.

Role description

You will be a valued member of our collaborative, diverse, and fun team, where everyone is supported to be their best.

We will provide: 

• comprehensive, hands-on learning opportunities 
• on-the-job training in a supportive team
• regular professional development sessions
• mentoring and a dedicated buddy as you start working with a variety of clients
• support to achieve your professional accreditation (such as CA, CPA, or IPA)
• flexibility and a 36.25 hour work week to promote work–life balance
• a variety of opportunities, experiences, and work to build your skills and knowledge.  

As a Graduate Auditor, you will work across different teams, engage with a range of clients throughout Queensland, and apply our technology and tools to glean unique insights. Effective communication skills, the ability to identify and solve problems and achieve results, a sense of adventure, and a passion for pursuing better public services are desirable qualities for the role. 

Unlock your potential while you help improve public services for all Queenslanders – from the local government services you use in your community, to your hospitals, energy providers, universities, and more. 

We also offer:

• a Brisbane-based, hybrid working model – work from our head office, client sites, or from home
• a starting salary of $89,215, which includes 12.75 per cent superannuation and 17.5 per cent annual leave loading
• continuous learning opportunities, including formal learning and personalised career development.

If you graduate before January 2027, or have graduated within the previous 2 years, join our team and make a real difference to people’s lives.

You have a choice of commencing in October 2026 or February 2027, depending on your university graduation date. 

About us

As the independent auditor of the public sector and local governments, we are vital to Queensland’s integrity system. We provide independent, professional audit and assurance services, giving parliament and the public trusted assurance and insights.

We have hundreds of audit clients from a wide range of industries across the beautiful state of Queensland. We help them improve their financial management and performance, so they can deliver better public services for the community. We support the Queensland Parliament in holding entities to account for the effective, efficient, and economical use of public resources. We also engage with many other stakeholders, such as integrity bodies, accounting standards boards, and Australian and international audit offices. 

Our employee value proposition offers meaningful work, supportive leadership, a collaborative culture, opportunities for professional growth, and a genuine commitment to work-life balance.

Working at QAO

QAO is an inclusive employer. We encourage flexible working and aim to create a work environment where all employees are respected, connected, and can contribute regardless of age, culture, disability, family and caring responsibilities, gender identity, Indigeneity, religion, or sexuality. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of marginalisation who meet our eligibility requirements to apply. 

We aim to represent the community we serve and greatly value the diverse experiences our people bring. QAO’s culture sets our workforce up for success – we invest in our people so they can be best in their field. We are passionate about innovation, we welcome new ideas, and we invest in advanced audit capabilities such as data analytics.

Role description

You will be a valued, permanent staff member of our collaborative, diverse, and fun team, where everyone is supported to be their best.  

We will provide: 

• Comprehensive, hands-on learning opportunities 
• On-the-job training in a supportive team 
• Regular professional development sessions 
• Mentoring and a dedicated buddy as you start working with a variety of clients 
• Support to achieve your professional accreditation (such as CA, CPA or IPA) 
• Flexibility and a 36.25 hour work week to promote work-life balance 
• A variety of opportunities, experiences, and work to build your skills and knowledge. 

As a Graduate IS Risk Auditor, you will have an interest in protecting Queensland’s important information assets with secure systems, advising our clients on how they can manage information technology (IT) security risks and protect their data. The ability to manage cyber security risks is critical to Queensland’s economic and security interests. 

You will work alongside a collaborative, diverse, and supportive team, engage with clients, and apply our technology and tools to glean unique insights. Effective communication skills, the ability to identify and solve problems and achieve results, and a sense of adventure are desirable qualities for the role.  

Unlock your potential while you help improve public services for all Queenslanders – from the local government services you use in your community, to your hospitals, energy providers, universities, and more. 

We also offer: 

• a Brisbane based, hybrid working model – work from our head office, client sites, or from home.   
• a starting salary of $89,215 including 12.75 per cent superannuation and leave loading 
• continuous learning opportunities, including formal learning and personalised career development. 

If you graduate before January 2027, or have graduated in within the previous 2 years, join our team and make a real difference to people’s lives. 

You have a choice of commencing in October 2026 or February 2027, depending on your university graduation date. 

About us 

As the independent auditor of the public sector and local governments, we are vital to Queensland’s integrity system. We provide independent, professional audit and assurance services, giving parliament and the public trusted assurance and insights. 

We have hundreds of audit clients from a wide range of industries across the beautiful state of Queensland. We help them improve their financial management and performance, so they can deliver better public services for the community. We support the Queensland Parliament in holding entities to account for the effective, efficient, and economical use of public resources. We also engage with many other stakeholders, such as integrity bodies, accounting standards boards, and Australian and international audit offices.  

Our employee value proposition offers meaningful work, supportive leadership, a collaborative culture, opportunities for professional growth, and a genuine commitment to work-life balance.

Working at QAO 

QAO is an inclusive employer. We encourage flexible working and aim to create a work environment where all employees are respected, connected, and can contribute, regardless of age, culture, disability, family and caring responsibilities, gender identity, Indigeneity, religion, or sexuality. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of marginalisation who meet our eligibility requirements to apply.   

We aim to represent the community we serve, and greatly value the diverse experiences our people bring. QAO’s culture sets our workforce up for success – we invest in our people so they can be best in their field. We are passionate about innovation, we welcome new ideas, and we invest in advanced audit capabilities such as data analytics. 

Role description

Join QAO as an Undergraduate Auditor and start building a rewarding and versatile professional services career before you graduate.   

You will be a valued member of our collaborative, diverse, and fun team, where everyone is supported to be their best. As a permanent staff member from day one, we will provide flexibility to help you balance part-time work with your final year university studies. After successfully completing your degree, you will have the opportunity to move into the full-time graduate program. 

With us, you will gain valuable experience while studying towards your degree. We will provide: 

• comprehensive, hands-on learning opportunities
• on-the-job training in a supportive team
• regular professional development sessions
• mentoring and a dedicated buddy as you start working with a variety of clients
• flexibility to balance study and work commitments
• a variety of opportunities, experiences, and work to put the skills and knowledge you learn at university into practice. 

As an Undergraduate Auditor, you will help our teams to complete financial and assurance audits of our clients and apply our technology and tools to glean unique insights. Effective communication skills, the ability to identify and solve problems and achieve results, a sense of adventure, and a passion for pursuing better public services are desirable qualities for the role.  

Unlock your potential while you help improve public services for all Queenslanders – from the local government services you use in your community, to your hospitals, energy providers, universities, and more. 

We also offer:

• a Brisbane-based, hybrid working model – work from our head office, client sites, or from home
• a starting salary of $76,283 full-time equivalent, which includes 12.75 per cent superannuation and 17.5 per cent annual leave loading
• continuous learning opportunities, including formal learning and personalised career development.

If you will be in your final year of university in 2027, join our team and make a real difference to people’s lives.

You have a choice of commencing in October 2026 or February 2027.  

About us

As the independent auditor of the public sector and local governments, we are vital to Queensland’s integrity system. We provide independent, professional audit and assurance services, giving parliament and the public trusted assurance and insights.

We have hundreds of audit clients from a wide range of industries across the beautiful state of Queensland. We help them improve their financial management and performance, so they can deliver better public services for the community. We support the Queensland Parliament in holding entities to account for the effective, efficient, and economical use of public resources. We also engage with many other stakeholders, such as integrity bodies, accounting standards boards, and Australian and international audit offices. 

Our employee value proposition offers meaningful work, supportive leadership, a collaborative culture, opportunities for professional growth, and a genuine commitment to work-life balance.

Working at QAO

QAO is an inclusive employer. We encourage flexible working and aim to create a work environment where all employees are respected, connected, and can contribute regardless of age, culture, disability, family and caring responsibilities, gender identity, Indigeneity, religion, or sexuality. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of marginalisation who meet our eligibility requirements to apply. 

We aim to represent the community we serve and greatly value the diverse experiences our people bring. QAO’s culture sets our workforce up for success – we invest in our people so they can be best in their field. We are passionate about innovation, we welcome new ideas, and we invest in advanced audit capabilities such as data analytics.

Role description

We are looking for talented and passionate people to join our team in audit and assurance roles throughout the year. Please contact HR via email at recruitment@qao.qld.gov.au to discuss employment opportunities. 

For information on our graduate program, please click here.