3. 3
CONTENTS
Introduction 4
Key Survey Findings 5
Finance 12
Technology 18
Specialist Teams 27
About Ambition 28
Ambition Academy 31
Contacts and Support 32
About AccountAbility 33
Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
4. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
4
Welcome to our 2014
2H Market Trends Report
As we pass the financial year end, it is a good time to reflect on yet another
period of challenging business conditions. Some would say that this is the new
norm – that the relatively easier playing fields we all competed upon during
the “boom” economic times are just a thing of the past. I’m not so sure of
that. At some point the tide will turn and the world will again be consumed
with positivity and growth, but not just yet! Through cautious revenue growth
decisions and aggressive cost reduction strategies, many of us are forced to
carve out margins in our business.
What I can confidently say is that sentiment is a little better this year than it
was last. People and businesses are more adept with dealing with challenges
and most have cut as far as they can – which means increases in profitability
have to come via the top line. That’s a far more exciting concept than cutting
your way to success.
The recruitment market has been a tale of many different stories this year.
A degree of positivity has emerged over the technology sector due to an ever
increasing drive from businesses to implement new programmes of work to
increase productivity. The financial services sector has shown first signs in
years that it is again ready to embark on growth. The finance and accounting
market has shown slow but steady improvement. It’s hard to predict where
to from here, although we confidently think that there can be little further
headcount rationalisation for most companies. That should mean the bottom
of the cycle has past – at least the bottom of the hiring cycle. This in turn
means that we expect more hiring over the next 6 months than the last. It is
unlikely we will see churn in the employment market that leads to the talent
shortages of the late 2000’s – but it will certainly continue to increase the
ever present challenges that exist around finding top talent. At Ambition we
continue to evolve and innovate the way we source talent, but we remain
resolute in our goals – to build better futures for our candidates, clients
and employees.
David Bamford
Managing Director, Australia
INTRODUCTION
5. 5
KEY SURVEY FINDINGS
Methodology
The 2014 Ambition Market Trends Report is based on the online survey responses
of Finance and Technology employees and employers in Australia. During
May 2014, Ambition invited participants to complete the 2H 2014 Salary and
Employment Survey. The in-depth survey covered six core areas including:
• Remuneration & Benefits • Workplace & Productivity
• Diversity • Technology & Social Media
• Training & Development • Outlook
Respondents
The 2H Ambition Salary and Employment Survey was completed by 1,511
respondents nationally across Australia including 963 employees and 548
employers in Finance and Technology during May 2014.
Male
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Female Accounting & Finance
0
100
200
300
400
50
150
250
350
Accounting & Finance Technology
Gender
7. 7
Salaries and bonus payments remain
static despite the rising costs of living.
64% of employees indicated they have
not received a salary increase in the last
6 months whilst only 12% advised they
had received 6% or over.
46% of respondents believe
their remuneration is not
fair considering the
rising cost of living.
47% of respondents
advised “it is not about
the money” when
questioned how
much they would
switch jobs for.64%
11%
12%7%
5%
0%
0-2%10%+
3-5%6-10%
80% of respondents indicated
they have not received a bonus
in the last 6 months.
80%
Change jobs
Change careers
Perform better
Work longer hours
Get a promotion
Other
What is the best way
to get a salary increase?
Over half of respondents believe that
changing jobs will ensure a salary increase.
NOT
FAIR
12%
Gym
29%
Study
20%
Discounted services
20%
Ability to buy
additional leave
Benefits lead to study.
The most popular benefit being offered by
employers are:
However nearly half of employees advised they
are dissatisfied with their company’s benefits.
AND BENEFITSREMUNERATION
8. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
8
Lack of career progression increases
interest to change jobs or move location.
The majority (56%) of respondents advised they
would seek new employment if they felt their
career was coming to a standstill.
“Unclear Direction” – the biggest
challenge affecting workplace
productivity.
Respondents advised their biggest
challenge around workplace
productivity is ‘unclear direction’.
There are more companies offering
flexible working though has it increased
productivity?
68% of respondents advised their company
offers flexible working and 50% believe it has
increased productivity in their workplace.
1 in 2 respondents
advised that staffing
numbers have been
reduced in their business
in the last 6 months.
32%
Believe they
can progress to
the next level in
their company.
More than half (62%) would move
location to further their career.
62%
38% Unclear direction
23% Slow systems
18% Too many meetings
8% Disruptive
4% Lack of office facilities
68%
50%
9. 9
4 in 5 respondents advised their
company practises and promotes
workplace diversity.
1 in 2 respondents advised their
company has a clear diversity
strategy focusing on the future
workforce.
3 in 5 respondents believe that
more can be done within their
organisation to support
workplace diversity.
9 in 10 believe the main benefit
of workplace diversity is ‘diverse
perspectives’.3/5 9/10
4/54/5 1/2
57%
69%
6%
69%
More than half of respondents use social media
platforms to professionally network.
Most (69%) companies now have formal rules and
regulations on employee social media behaviour.
An increasing number of employers (69%) now view
the social media profiles of potential recruits and
employees, with 6% advising they had spoken to their
employees about inappropriate use.
TECHNOLOGY AND
SOCIAL MEDIA
10. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
10
Communication Leadership Skills core
to my role
Project
Management
Management
When was the last time you received
formal training or development?43% of respondents
believe that their company
does not invest enough in
training and development.
43%
Less than 3 months
3-6 months
6-12 months
12-18 months
More than 18 months
65% of respondents
advised their employer
paid for their training
whilst 25% advised they
paid and the remaining
respondents advised
both parties paid”.
35% of respondents believe their training has improved their career
prospects, 25% believe it is too early to tell and 41% believe it
hasn’t improved their career prospects.
Respondents advised the training most needed in
their organisation is:
21%
28%
15%
11%
12% 12% 19% 11% 37%
16%
Has training
increased career
prospects?
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
11. 11
Global economic conditions
still affecting businesses.
65% of respondents advised that
global economic conditions are
impacting on their business with
21% advising of significant impact.
Confidence in second half
Nearly half (47%) of respondents advised they believe their company outlook will improve for the
remainder of 2014, 36% indicated their company will perform the same and 17% believe their
company performance will decrease. Half of respondents advised their company
is performing as expected and 28% advised better than expected.
The majority of respondents advised it would
be competitive to difficult to find a new job in
the current market.
How easily do you think it would be to
find a new job in the current market?
12%
Easy
59%
Competitive
29%
Difficult
2 in 5 employees advised they are
likely to look to change jobs in the
next 6 months.
Now
3-6 months
6-12 months
1-2 years
2 years
23%
20%
23%
16%
18%
13. 13
Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014 – Finance
FINANCE
Market Overview
Regional Variations
Trends and Predictions
FINANCE
14. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
14
MARKET OVERVIEW
As predicted, 2014 brought with it a more stable market outlook during the first half.
With last year’s focus trending toward right-sizing, consolidation and business
efficiency, our client base has slowly but surely begun to look to the future. Hiring
activity in general continues to be anchored by a cautious outlook but confidence
returns to the market incrementally as the multitude of variables that faced us in 2013
are gradually stripped away. This in turn has driven overall demand toward a different
breed of finance candidate.
With fiscal restraint being the buzz-word of the previous calendar year, demand for strong
technical accounting talent grew as the market placed a premium on middle management
candidates with a track record of establishing a robust bottom-line, impeccable controls
and lean business models. As the business world slowly changes its focus from survival to
growth planning, this demand has waned but is slowly being replaced by a need for strong
teams of commercial and top-line focused professionals. Whilst middle management
demand has faltered, we are seeing a definite spike in requirements for “impact players”.
Those who can drive change, position businesses for growth and stimulate both front
and back office transformation. Sales optimisation, customer engagement and pricing
enhancement project skills are highly sought after along with demonstrable experience
in the “front-line”. This is usually a very positive market trend which can be a pre-cursor
to raised activity levels across the hiring spectrum. The key being market sentiment
continuing to edge northward, thus liberating the budget and headcount needed by these
commercial change-agents to galvanise their businesses.
In order of importance to Finance professionals:
FINANCE
18%
Company
culture
8%
Flexible
working
5%
Company
strategy
15%
Career
progression
8%
Location
8%
Benefits
27%
Salary
6%
Relationship
with manager
5%
Company
brand
15. 15
REGIONAL VARIATIONS
Victoria
The Victorian finance employment market in 2014 started slowly. Unfortunately,
all of the positive sentiment in the marketplace from our clients at the end of
2013 did not provide the anticipated uplift in demand for finance professionals.
Reassuringly, the market has picked up post-Easter and there are promising signs
that this will continue for the remainder of the 2014 calendar year.
As companies become less cost-focused and start to drive top line growth,
demand for contracting services often increases. This has certainly been the
case in Victoria in Q2 with our finance teams experiencing the largest increase
in demand for contractors in over three years. We have also seen an increase in
demand for candidates with corporate development and strategic planning skill-
sets, particularly in areas to help head office teams achieve their growth targets
and developing new-market entry points.
Demand for senior finance leaders and middle level management is still at the
soft levels of late 2013. We are yet to see the amount of churn required to create
sufficient opportunities for the senior finance community to progress careers
outside of their current organisations.
Over the past two years there has been a constant demand for commercial
business partners at the three-five year post-qualification level. This has continued
in 2014, but we are also starting to see a spike in demand for candidates with core
technical skill-sets, particularly in statutory accounting and tax. This has resulted
in more applicable positions for first movers from Big 4 and second tier chartered
firms at the senior consultant to senior manager level.
FINANCE
16. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
16
Queensland
The Finance Accounting sector in Queensland is slowly starting to pick up but it is still
a fairly subdued market compared to the more buoyant Technology sector. Right sizing
measures remain in place for most companies as they look to maintain their low cost
base despite slowly increasing revenue streams. We are seeing very little new headcount
growth with most hiring being replacement hires or backfill hires for people seconded
onto business transformation projects. This is driving a slight increase in contract hiring as
companies are still reluctant to add to their headcount instead opting for the flexibility of
bolstering their teams with a contingent workforce.
There is still very little opportunity for people at the senior end of the market, there has
not been much movement in recent years so when a senior role does come up it is very
competitive. This is driving a lot of senior candidates to pursue opportunities interstate
or overseas.
At the technical level, there is still strong demand for Management Accountants and
Business Analysts who can partner effectively with the business. With an increase in
Technology enabled business transformation projects, people with previous system
implementation experience are in high demand especially those with either SAP or
Microsoft Dynamics. Microsoft Dynamics in particular is becoming increasingly popular as
companies opt for perceived “low cost, low risk” solutions over the large scale costs and
lengthy implementation times associated with an SAP or Oracle implementation.
Industry-wise, it has been relatively quiet across the mining sector but a bright light
has emerged within the Oil Gas sector as a number of large scale projects are nearing
production phase which will provide a much needed revenue boost to the local economy.
With the approval for Adani Mining $16.5 billion Carmichael mine and rail project in central
Queensland’s Galilee Basin we are hoping this is a sign that the resources sector has turned
the corner and will be a much needed boost to the states mining and infrastructure sectors.
Greater Western Sydney
The story in the West for a number of years has been one of rationalisation, process
improvement and enhancements that reduce fixed expenses. Whilst many businesses
continue to keep a close eye on keeping the bottom line tight, a shift has occurred
recently toward top line and market share growth. Finance professionals at all levels that
can identify, drive and deliver change whilst simultaneously engaging as true business
partners to support overall business advancement are in increasing demand. With a
handful of top-tier employers building a significant presence in the Greater Western
Sydney region, we have seen a marked elevation in demand for Commercial and Business
Analysts, particularly in the “newly to 4 years qualified” bracket which has in turn pushed
market rate salaries northward.
17. 17
FINANCE
TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS
It has become quite tiresome hearing recruiters predicting market upturns.
More often than not it is what they hope not what they predict. However, all
the evidence suggests that we are now past the bottom of the cycle and slowly
starting to see some buoyancy return. We anticipate that the next 6 months will
see this slow, but steady incline continue. Typically, the refreshing of budgets at
financial year end brings with it a renewed ability to take on contractors – so we
expect a stronger second half in this space.
On the permanent side, companies are smarter than they have ever been before
regarding their corporate support functions and the resourcing costs associated
with them. So it would be unlikely for demand in finance to suddenly spike
significantly. But you can be sure that as companies search for, and find, new
ways to navigate the business landscape they will need to continue to attract
commercially minded finance professionals to aid them. The ones that can see the
challenges and opportunities ahead, can provide powerful analytics to support
decision making and can then assist in driving positive change into the business.
What this really means is that the best candidates need not be concerned – they
have a critical role to play. The rest need to make sure they are evolving and
capable of making a difference. It is a given that finance functions must get
the compliance right but 2014 and beyond is all about supporting and driving
profitable growth.
19. 19
Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014 – Technology
Market Overview
Regional Variations
Supply and Demand
Trends and Predictions
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
20. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
20
MARKET OVERVIEW
For what feels like some time coming, the ICT sector in 2014 started with its usual
enthusiastic promise but in a twist from the norm of recent years, has maintained its
swell of optimism as the year has progressed. So what is different from recent years that
is continuing to drive our happy pursuit of people resources in the industry, well into the
year? Perhaps not surprisingly the past few years really have been a testament to thrift,
as businesses almost without exception have sought to do more with less. Less budget,
investment, cost, resources and of course, less people. And now with moderate signs
of a stable economy those very same businesses have realised that they need to think
seriously about turning the investment tap back on or they’ll miss the boat.
It is still a sector cautious of the rampant speed with which the tide of optimism turns,
but nonetheless we have seen a considerable rise in year on year activity in the ICT
jobs market. Disciplines that have embraced and indeed embody the market we have
experienced over the past few years are those that are in full surge, from Change and
Transformation, to Process Improvement, Data Analytics and Business Intelligence. Add to
this the change in data consumption and we see a vibrant mobile and digital sector that is
offering promise to developers far and wide.
With the exception of the recent Federal Election which was tinged with a lack of support
for entrepreneurial activity, the ICT Industry feels like it’s getting itself back on track.
Of course as we know that track will in no time present the usual challenges of an aging
population, an overseas brain drain and the need to develop a sustainable talent pipeline
for the future. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, exciting and challenging times go
hand in hand. Read on to hear how each of the respective technical markets in which we
operate are shaping up in the back half of 2014.
The positive signs of hiring we’ve seen month on month are strongly driven by the
Financial Services industry returning to investment mode and applying that focus to its
ICT projects. This investment may be tempered somewhat against the highs of previous
peaks but compared to 2013 it is a positive step for many in the market for jobs.
NSW Government is one of the largest employers of ICT resources in the state and
has been active in hiring talent to support its State Government’s Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy. One of the objectives of the Strategy is the
Open Data objective. This initiative is focused on “making government data available to
stimulate the development of innovative approaches to service delivery”.
As a result, hiring has increased across a number of areas in support of this and other
objectives of the strategy. Whilst remuneration is often less than similar roles in the
private sector, the security of tenure is an attraction to many.
21. 21
TECHNOLOGY
In order of importance to IT professionals:
TECHNOLOGY
16%
Company
culture
8%
Flexible
working
4%
Company
brand
15%
Career
progression
9%
Location
10%
Benefits
32%
Salary
5%
Company
strategy
3%
Relationship
with manager
REGIONAL VARIATIONS
Victoria
In Victoria, the employment market is relatively shielded from the “Boom and
Bust” fluctuations in demand that the Banking and Finance market causes in
Sydney. That said the Banking sector has been focused on replacing the
traditional daily rate contingent workforce with permanent or fixed term hires,
which has driven a spike in project delivery roles across both the business and
technology areas.
The past three months has also seen a steady increase in the demand for business
analysis skills, both technical and process focused. This positively suggests future
growth, as businesses seek to identify areas of improvement to their systems and
procedures, and plan how to spend budget that hasn’t been available to them for
some time.
We are also seeing bigger businesses start to embrace more open source
technologies and modern development methods. This is increasing demand
for skills in areas such as development operations, high end automation test
development and complex scripting languages.
22. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
22
Victorian businesses continue the demand for digital transformation professionals, which
mirrors the demand in other states. User interface, visual design, user experience and
product management are just a few of the areas in which companies are fighting to gain
market share. That market share gain rests in the ability to deliver the provision of more
intuitive and user friendly ways of accessing product and services online.
Finally, big data and analytics continue to hold steady demand for experienced talent as
medium size enterprise begins to unlock the power of their data.
Queensland
Similar to NSW, a resurgent Banking Finance sector is driving increased demand for IT
skills in Queensland as companies look to embark on their next round of modernisation
and consolidation programs. Many are moving from cost control measures to growth
strategies and often the key is customer loyalty through improved customer engagement
and collaboration. As such Digital channels are becoming the key battle ground as
companies look to emulate results from the Commonwealth Bank in particular who have
achieved impressive customer growth and increased profitability as a direct result of large
scale investment in Technology in recent years.
Queensland Government has also contributed to this increased demand with estimates of
400+ IT contract hires year to date. Most of this hiring is focused on critical services such
as in Education, Health and Emergency Services.
Increased hiring in these two industries is helping significantly re-balance the supply
demand of candidates in the local market which was badly needed after lengthy periods
of cost cutting by the previously buoyant resources sector.
While a lot of the high volume demand we are seeing is coming from larger corporates,
we are also noticing a resurgent start-up community particularly with companies looking
to be the next big thing in Digital Cloud. Both Queensland State Government and
Brisbane City Council have recently launched their Digital Strategies to help promote SEQ
as a vibrant digital economy. Their strategic plan includes investment in and support for
an increased number of local firms selling products and services online, improvements
in productivity growth achieved through digital technology, and support for a number
promising local digital start-up companies. So we expect to see more demand for digital
and cloud professionals and look forward to seeing the next big technology success story
to come out of Brisbane.
23. 23
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Applications
The positivity exhibited over the past 18 months in the development space
continues to thrive as mobility and digital create consistent demand for resources.
Hiring activity for both permanent and contract resources has been a strong
growth indicator for the ICT sector of late, tempered only by the sources from
which talent is being deployed. Whilst Australian businesses have a need for high
quality developers in a wide range of coding languages, the reality is that overseas
markets are highly competitive and therefore a risk to our domestic jobs market.
Localised experience is significantly important in many disciplines but perhaps
not such much in the provision of code. If a developer commands a third of the
cost for producing the same work but is based in India or Asia, a business would
be crazy not to consider the significant cost-savings they could perhaps deploy
elsewhere in their business.
Of course if you are highly skilled and know how to market yourself then you will
still fall into that elusive 10% to 15% of a talent pool that can command the higher
premium salaries and contract rates.
And as a developer where should you be directing your learning and development
right now? Well of course to the uninitiated, the picture appears dominated by
either iOS and its use of Objective C or Android and its use of Java, but the reality
is somewhat different. Today web and mobile apps development require more
than a single development language focus.
To be in that top echelon of the talent pool you need to have skills and experience
in security, UX design, responsive design, JavaScript, Web Application architecture
and API Integration. If you are competent and understand how to link your
development work to these facets then for now the future looks bright.
TECHNOLOGY
24. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
24
Business Engagement
Whilst the economy rebuilds and reshapes itself, it’s perhaps not so much of an anomaly
that change and transformation sits so squarely in the spotlight. As business disciplines
they’ve been around for half a century, either as components of the role of a Project
Manager, or often of a group of other business operators. What perhaps is surprising is
the fact that despite the strong demand for talent in roles from process analyst to
change manager or communications specialist, the rate of project failure continues
to exceed 60%.
In Australia the focus that these disciplines are receiving is positive and is driving robust
discussion, practice and even certification in the areas most often linked to delivering
success or failure. We have been involved in co-facilitating a number of user groups,
training events or discussion forums that are proving pivotal to addressing challenges that
business is facing in current economic times.
Salaries and contract rates are up on average 5% to 10% on the same time last year as
competition for resources increases and good talent moves quickly.
With the acceptance that data consumption has never been higher, business
intelligence is (as predicted in our earlier reports) moving down from the sole domain
of multinationals to the boardrooms of much smaller operations. IDC research in 2010
looked at small 100 employee businesses and found that only 1.7% used any form of
business intelligence software. Fast forward to 2013 and that number had grown to
9.2%. Scalability and cost are the drivers and as a result are fuelling a new focus on
what a career in business intelligence can offer from sales roles to analysts or
implementation specialists.
Across the many roles in our business engagement space we are seeing competitive
salaries and contract rates, which whilst not leaps and bounds ahead of the market,
are reflective of a freshly found confidence in the way many businesses see the future.
Expect job applicants at present to hold multiple offers and to have a degree of
confidence in their ability to negotiate with you on terms and conditions of any job offer.
25. 25
Infrastructure
There is a challenge for any Infrastructure Manager to make the projects of their
craft sound compelling and appealing when compared to the development
initiatives of perhaps a new digital platform or mobile business application. But the
reality is that Infrastructure projects that encompass platform upgrades or hardware
refreshes are as essential as the cutting edge projects that garner more business
attention and lust.
Often seen as the engine rooms of the IT team the demand for solid Infrastructure
professionals has continued to grow amid the positive focus of the current ICT
market as a whole. The difference perhaps over how a career might have developed
ten years ago verses today however, is that now individuals are expected to possess
a much richer set of skills and experience.
Help desk operators are expected to be more attuned to the needs of their
customers, engineers are expected to be multi-disciplined and generally the market
expectations of infrastructure professionals has shifted from a “Tech geeky persona”
to one of critical business operator.
The challenges of driving down costs across businesses has not come without a
corresponding drive to reduce the costs of a business’s own infrastructure (i.e. its IT
team). And perhaps the challenge has been that those in this sector have not been
as quick to rise up and address the issues of salary and contract rate reductions.
Demand for entry level roles has undoubtedly reduced in recent times and that
has affected remuneration. On a more positive note however, those looking at
developing careers in the space of cloud, mobility, collaboration, security and
storage have a more optimistic outlook. Demand is increasing in these spaces and
for those who embody the multi-disciplined approach to career development, they
should be able to negotiate salaries and contract rates that are as competitive as
other areas of the ICT market including senior salaries for Managers in the $180k to
$220k range.
TECHNOLOGY
26. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
26
TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS
It’s a challenge to predict the direction of an industry with any confidence and perhaps
none more so than the ICT industry. What is evident by the demand profile for technology
and business resources currently, is that we continue to labour under the illusion that
our resource challenges will magically right themselves. The square-peg, square-hole
predisposition which we see in this industry shows no signs of disappearing despite the
ubiquitous problems in identifying, attracting and retaining talent in a timely fashion. In
short, we simply can’t meet our demand with supply and yet we continue to refuse to
compromise. There are more than a few persistent individuals and organisations, who
continue to challenge the ongoing, misaligned and underutilised resources that exist in the
ageing workforce, the return-to-work mums, the part-time workers and other fringe groups
of the workforce.
Change and transformation are the enduring and most pervasive buzzwords of the
knowledge economy. Driven into popularity post GFC, they were destined for an industry
that re-invents itself at such a pace as we do. Traditional business models now appear
destined for the academics, as the new technology age encourages, dare we say “forces” us
to think in a cycle of re-invention or disruption. This pattern is evident not only at a macro
level but also right down to the way individuals consume data, entertainment and other
forms of electronic content. What this all means is that job seekers and employers must
adapt to the new paradigms of speed and flexibility. Adapt to short termism, fractured
career paths, disjointed life experiences and sometimes obtuse goal achievements. If we
can do this we can gain benefits of skills and experience that as yet, we would not have
mapped against our current one dimensional job descriptions.
To make sense of how this will affect our hiring decisions and job seeking preferences is
yet unknown, but already there is a greater sense of creativity and expectation than the
recruitment industry has seen for some time. So our predictions are of optimism and
opportunity but also of unclear rules of engagement. Sure we can tell you digital will be
hot and mobile continues to demand resources but the disciplines in demand are of less
significance than the delivery mechanisms of matching supply to demand. The next twelve
months and beyond promise challenges that are not for the faint hearted, but when has that
stopped us in this industry.
27. 27
SPECIALIST TEAMS
The Ambition Banking, Finance and Accounting divisions recruit temporary
and permanent staff, from operations to Chief Financial Officers. The Ambition
Technology division mirrors the IT departments of our national portfolio of
clients, with four dedicated teams of consultants focusing on Infrastructure,
Applications, Digital and Business Engagement. Ambition recruit temporary
and permanent positions in:
Banking
Financial Services
Finance
Accounting
• Finance Accounting
• Funds Management
• Treasury
• Operations Settlements
• Risk, Audit Compliance
• Insurance
• Broking
• Superannuation
• Credit Lending
• Client Services
• Controllership CFO
• Treasury
• Tax
• Audit Risk
• Group Accounting
• Financial Management
Reporting
• Strategy Planning
• Commercial Finance
• Corporate Finance
• Infrastructure
• Software Development
• IT Support
• Project Services
• Business Process Data Analysis
• ERP
• Architecture Strategy
• Testing Quality Assurance
• Mobile Application Development
• Change Transformation
• Digital Web Design
• Business Analysis
Technology
28. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
28
ABOUT AMBITION
Ambition Turns Fifteen
2014 is a very special year for Ambition as it marks our 15 year anniversary. We would like
to take this opportunity to thank you for your support.
We were founded in 1999 with a belief that whilst we didn’t want to reinvent the wheel,
we did feel that there was a tremendous opportunity to carve a niche of our own and
build a special organisation. Now we are a leading global boutique recruitment business
servicing specialist markets across Sydney, Parramatta, Melbourne, Brisbane, London,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo.
We access hard to find, high calibre professionals in Finance and Technology and are
committed to building better futures for our clients, candidates, employees and the
wider community.
We are known for our specialisation and in-depth knowledge and expertise, well
established networks and deep relationships. We have the scale to undertake significant
projects for our clients yet deliver a personal customer experience with the soul and
personality of a smaller company. We passionately believe that everyone in the company
can make a difference and work relentlessly to reinforce our purpose, strive in our mission
and live by our values.
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Our Values:
Our values express the professional behaviours that we believe in as an
organisation. They are the standards by which we benchmark our decisions and
actions. They underlie everything we do as a business and form the bedrock of our
beliefs. Our values define what it means to BE GREEN.
P.R.I.D.E.
Passion: We are passionate about who we are, what we do and the way we do it.
Resourcefulness: We think creatively, working smarter, faster and harder.
Integrity: We are honest, respectful and straightforward.
Drive: Ambitious by nature, we are determined to excel and energetic in the way
we apply ourselves.
Enjoyment: Critical to our success, we strive to enhance the experience for
clients, candidates and employees.
News and Research
As specialists we undertake numerous research projects to better understand
our community of candidates and clients. This involves various qualitative and
quantitative research activities throughout the year. This data plus our knowledge
enables us to better understand and comment on trends within the market giving
our community expert advice and opinions to make better and informed decisions.
Please visit our website and Ambition blog for the latest market news and research.
Please visit our website and Ambition blog for the latest market news and research.
www.ambition.com.au/news-and-research
www.ambition.com.au/blogs
30. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
30
Community and Events
Ambition host a series of client and candidate events globally each year. These
range from Women with Ambition, Sporting Ambition and Market Knowledge
breakfasts to intimate dinners with CFOs and CIOs from multi-national businesses.
All of our events aim to educate, be thought provoking and entertaining as well as
provide a great platform for networking.
We would love to welcome you to our next event, please visit our website for a list
of upcoming events: www.ambition.com.au/events
We are passionate about building better futures for our community and have
subsequently partnered with the Beacon Foundation, a non-profit organisation
working in around 130 secondary schools across Australia. Beacon Foundation help
inspire and motivate students to enable the successful transition to employment,
further education or training. Visit their website: www.beaconfoundation.com.au
Global Reach
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AMBITION ACADEMY
We are passionate about talent and are committed to investing in our future
About the Programme
The Ambition Academy is our global program for introducing potential consultants
to the world of recruitment. We are looking for talent that we can develop into
the next generation of high performing sales professionals. The Academy is
an in-depth 10-week program aimed at giving you the skills to be successful in
recruitment and talent management. Academy participants are employed full time
by Ambition and graduate into consultant roles in the business.
What does it take to be a successful Recruiter?
• Passion, drive and determination.
• Experience dealing with people, perhaps in difficult situations but always with
professionalism.
• At least one year post educational work experience in a full-time role.
• A questioning mind with a natural problem solving flair.
• Interested in building networks, reputation and social connections.
If you or someone you know is looking for an exciting journey, one that will teach
you the skills to be successful not just in recruitment but in life – then please refer
them our way.
Please contact:
Heena Geronimo
Academy Manager
D: 02 9248 6219
E: heena.geronimo@ambition.com.au
32. Ambition – Australia Market Trends 2H 2014
32
CONTACTS AND SUPPORT
David Bamford
Managing Director, Australia
D: 03 8629 1043
E: david.bamford@ambition.com.au
Andy Cross
Managing Director, Technology
D: 02 9248 6201
E: andrew.cross@ambition.com.au
Adam Edwards
Director, Western Sydney
D: 02 9633 7301
E: adam.edwards@ambition.com.au
Rory Herity
Director, Brisbane
D: 07 3020 0315
E: rory.herity@ambition.com.au
Can we assist?
We would be happy to discuss any further recruitment needs.
Please contact us at: info@ambition.com.au
Get Social
Ambition are committed to driving innovation and have a strong social media
presence allowing us to interact and engage through videos, whitepapers, surveys,
webinars, trends and blogs via LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Google +.
33. 33
ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY
AccountAbility is the Ambition Group’s specialist
accounting support and business support
recruitment brand. Organically established in
2004, they have thrived ever since. The have
access to a network of thoroughly screened,
skilled and experienced candidates that are
immediately available to satisfy their client’s
requirements. Quality aligned with speed of
service is at the core of what AccountAbility can offer.
What they do
AccountAbility recruits permanent, temporary and contract staff in Sydney,
Parramatta, Melbourne and Brisbane in the following functions:
For more information on AccountAbility please visit their website:
www.accountability.com.au
To download the AccountAbility Market Trends report please visit:
http://accountability.com.au/category/market-trends/
Accounting Support Business Support
• Accounts Payable*
• Accounts Receivable*
• Credit*
• Cash Collection*
• Payroll*
• Assistant Accountant
• Bookkeeping
• Accounts Clerk
*Up to and including
management level
• Executive Assistant
• Personal Assistant
• Receptionist
• Office Manager
• Customer Service
• Data Entry
• Administration Assistant
