1. RESUME
pg. 1 Cathy Branigan
Cathy Branigan, CPA
27 Queens Avenue Oakleigh Vic 3166
0408 598578 (Mobile)
Professional Profile
Over 20 years’ experience in Senior Finance, Management and Accounting roles for industries including
Wholesale, Retail, Construction, and Not for Profit for both large and small organizations. Key attributes
include accurate and timely Board & Management reports to ensure good decision are made, innovation
and systems improved through implementation and automated processes.
Excellent excel and word skills as well as broad experience in various Finance, Reporting and Payroll
software. I am a quick learner of new systems and enjoy challenges and adapt to change.I am an open,
enthusiastic and hardworking person who brings both empathy as well as insight that all organizations need
to be financially responsible for sustainability while still delivering quality services.
Areas of Expertise
Financial & Management Reporting
 Always makes deadlines ensuring accurate and timely reporting
 Improved reporting tailored to all levels management incorporating key performance indicators
 Confident in presenting to Board and management key drivers of performance.
 Willingness to train and mentor all levels of management on their reports to improve their
understanding and accountability.
Innovation and SystemProcess Improvement
 Automation of processes reducing mistakes and increasing efficiency
 Identification of unnecessary and inefficient processes that add no value
 Actively works to improve policy and procedures for transparency and ease of use
 Identifying and utilization unused systemfunctionality
 Innovation and continuous improvement within all functions
 Project Management particularly for implementation of systems
 Looks for simple cost effective or income generating ways of improving performance that does
not affect quality
 Researches, gains knowledge and models solutions
Building Relationships
 Collaborative manner with all levels of management
 Close working relations with Senior Managers
 Networked with Finance Managers in like organizations
 Supportive to direct reports and works to “bring them along on the journey”
 Liaising with External Auditors and end of year process reporting
CAREER HISTORY
Finance and Operations Manager Bayley House
Finance Manager(Tsunami) Australian Red Cross
Senior Management Accountant Origin Energy
Group Management accountant Caltex Petroleum Distributors
Management Accountant
& Financial Controller Mid North Petroleum
Treasurer and Board Member Benalla and District Hospital
Accountant Trewin Luck & Co
Management Accountant Colls Mann Constructions
Assistant Accountant Trewin Luck & Co
Management Accountant DJ Wade and Co
Accounting Clerk Smith O’Shannessy Accountants

2. RESUME
pg. 2 Cathy Branigan
October 2009 to Current
Finance and Operations Manager for Bayley House a disability provider based in Brighton. This is a
challenging role in that systems and processes were very much manual or non-existent. Reporting
rudimentary and poor understanding throughout the organizational of importance of fiscal responsibility.
The organization has now grown from a cottage industry to a 21st Century forward thinking organization.
Monthly Board reporting, Senior Management and Middle Management reporting in a few days after
month end, and statutory reporting to Corporate Affairs, Department of Human Services, and the ACNC.
Also includes all compliance such as BAS and ensuring all key compliance tasks are completed as well as
maintenance during the year and year end all Balance sheet reconciliations required by auditors.
Key accomplishments include –
 Turning the operating loss over around $250K - $500K to break even and overall entity surplus. I
also understand that the organization needs to deliver quality outcomes to stakeholders whilst still
making some surplus to fund future operations.
 Identifying loss cost Centre’s and putting strategies in place to address by (1) identifying whether
core service and (2) to either close or (3) turn into surplus or break even service.
 Identification of the underlying funding model and maximizing the earning capacity of the
organization including matching funding to wages/hours.
 Implementation of Time & Attendance including Electronic timesheets, award interpretations and
automation of Payroll, the biggest cost influencing results. Apart from the efficiency
accomplished in payroll (i.e. mistakes, rework, manual award interpretation over 3 complex
awards and staff working over 18 hours per day, 7 days a week), inefficient roster practices,
employee work practices and timesheet slippage were all significant efficiencies achieved which
meant the project payback was less than six months.
 Implementation of SAP B1 Accounting software (from MYOB) for more enhanced reporting and
costing required in readiness for NDIS. This also allowed for automation of processes billing,
accounts payable, and general journals
 Implementation of Meridian Payroll (from MYOB) to assist with costing structures as well as
sophisticated reporting of exceptions for over 140 employees
 Cash flow and interest monitoring and investment to maximize returns and resulting in additional
$200K income as well as liaising with bankers regularly for better interest rates and services.
 Co-Coordinating the IT functions and placing all critical data at a Hosting Centre, introducing
VOIP phones,and web based systems.
 Improving Debtors performance from 50% overdue to less than 20% (all underarrangement)
March 2008 to July 2009 (end of contract)
Employed with Australian Red Cross as Tsunami Finance Managerthis contract role finished
31st July as most projects are completed and appeal money has been expended. I also worked on a casual
basis on the Carbon Foot Print Audit Program.
The main tasks done within this role reporting to the General ManagerTsunami, monthly reporting to the
Board and International committees on Tsunami activities (and for a period International Operations as
well), cash flow, monitoring project progression i.e. in terms of activities and outcomes to the amount of
budget left, managing people in Australia. The Accounting systemused was Iscala for project management
as well as a tool I developed to report the outcomes in excel.
The role also required travel 5 times to Indonesia for various purposes including mentoring and assisting
the finance team there and forecasting as well as investigation of potential fraud resulting in discipline
action for the employees involved.

3. RESUME
pg. 3 Cathy Branigan
Key Achievements include –
o Streamlining processes,by reducing reporting times and automating reports to the field
o Implementation of Activity reporting to gauge the services and outcomes to be delivered within
the remaining budgets.
o Achieving a balanced cash flow (and taking into account falling AUD, other exchange issues,
falling interest rates, program time overruns, inefficiencies etc.)
o Reconciliation and support for contract management for the construction of 1650 houses in
Indonesia, ongoing issues with contractors and logistics.
o Instigating rolling cash and forecast budgets.
o Mentoring and training staff (2 in Melbourne and 6 in Indonesia) and ensuring adherence to
deadlines, streamlined processes.
o Accounting for overhead and project support
November 2007 to March 2008
Employed on a six months contract with Origin Energy as a Senior Management Accountant in the
Electricity division. Duties include preparation of Gross Margin Reports, journals for Cost of Goods sold,
Cash Flow, Balance Sheet Reconciliations and analysis of reports. Systems used Oracle, Excel and
Hyperion Financial Management System.
February 2007 to November 2007
Not employed, from February to June 2007 undertookfull time study and completed my Masters of
Business Administration with Deakin University. From July to October travelled overseas.
Caltex South East, Mulgrave
Nov 2001 – February 2007 Group Management Accountant
Reporting to Wholesale and Card Accountant Sydney,and General ManagerMelbourne, the combined
entity has a turnover of $350 million per annum and is based throughout Victoria, NSW border and South
Australia.
During this time my role required extensive travel throughout ourlocation while rolling out a service
station system, I used this time to also audit both wholesale depots,service station commission agents and
also company operated service stations. Through this time there were a number of discrepancies identified
including non-banking of cash,under reporting of stockand sales and theft of service station goods. As a
consequence there were some staff dismissed and charged, and commission agents sued for the losses
identified.
Other Responsibilities include: Reporting for 250 individual Profit Centre’s both Retail & Wholesale,
company operated and commission agent. Compilation of Profit & Loss, Balance Sheets and other
financial reports by 8th of each month. This includes reconciliation of all Balance Sheet accounts in
formatted pack and ongoing IFRS maintenance. Also includes all taxation requirements including GST,
FBT and Income tax returns. Ongoing analysis of the business to improve Profitability and explore
opportunities.
Key Achievements
 Merged six companies with considerable economies of scale. This required precise accounting
skills to align all businesses good people skills to merge the six cultures into one team.
 Automating collection of Commission Agent Data through web based system, required bringing
togethermany sectors of the organization marketing (retail), logistics, credit collection and
OH&S.
 Timely and accurate reporting within deadline times.
 Provided leadership, training and support to the accounting team.

4. RESUME
pg. 4 Cathy Branigan
 Ensuring processes in accounting systems and integrity, including the specification and Testing of
a retail interface sales and accounts payable into ERP which achieved both greater accuracy and
savings in time.
 Automating the Bank Reconciliation saving up to 2- 3 weeks work by an accounting staff
member, a daily upload and reconciliation process and posting.
 Budgeting upload from Excel to Distributor System saving weeks of key punching
 General Ledger journal upload via excel used particularly to cost allocation and apportionment
 A costing model to show true costs ofdelivery to customers.
 Specification, analysis and implementation of new payroll system
October 1995 to Nov 2001
Mid North Petroleum - Management Accountant and Financial Controller
Responsibilities
The same company as the above (pre-merger) and prior to moving to Melbourne Monthly management
reporting entity turnover$140 million per annum. Reporting to Wholesale and Card Accountant Sydney,
and General Manager in Albury and Merging of two entities.
Key Achievements
 Meet monthly deadlines for Financials by reporting in 8 working days
 Meet otherdeadlines for Taxation and compliance issues
 Team member of IT distributors systemVictoria & Tasmania who was actively involved in
Specification, testing and sign off of
Year 2000 changes
GST changes
Electronic trading (i.e. payment and reconciliation with Major supplier (Cyclical Billing)
and was flown around Australia to teach 70 otherdistributors.
1994 – to October 2008 Treasurer Benalla & District Hospital
Honorary position with meetings held twice monthly. This role was rewarding both personally and
professionally. The Board has embraced Corporate and Clinical Governance. The Boards’ focus is
Strategic long term goals,controls and plans all Capital expenditure and investment strategies.
During my time on the Board and 9 years as Treasurer, the Hospital has recorded good surpluses of over $1
Million pa (this is a great achievement for a Public Hospital). This means the Hospital has sufficient funds
not to rely on Government for major capital or equipment needs. As a member of the Audit Committee,
assisted with planning internal audit programs and these were viewed as an opportunity to improve
processes.
1988-1994 Accountant for Independent Distributor
COLLS MANN CONSTRUCTIONS
Management Accountant / Financial Controller
TREWIN LUCK & Co.
Assistant to Accounting, Management Accountant Taxation
DJ WADE CONTRACTORS Pty Ltd
Management accounting and payroll
SMITH O’SHANNESSY & Co. ACCOUNTANT
Accounting Clerk Taxation, Corporate Law & Auditing

5. RESUME
pg. 5 Cathy Branigan
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Business Accounting Charles Sturt University
CPA 1991
MBA (Deakin University) 2007
IMPAC 2009 Australian Red Cross
Interests:
Travelling, gym, walking dogs,gardening, theatre, concerts and dining out.
Referees: Provided on request