Assistant Manager Finance

Job Purpose

To support the effective financial management of Spark by ensuring accurate accounting, timely financial reporting, robust budgeting and forecasting, effective cash-flow management and strong financial controls. The role will provide financial insight into operational and contract performance, with particular focus on manpower costs, payroll-related expenses, client billing, contract margins and working capital. The position requires relevant finance experience in the security guarding sector or a similar manpower-intensive service industry.

Key Responsibilities

. Financial Accounting & Month-End Closing

• Oversee day-to-day accounting activities and ensure transactions are accurately recorded in the general ledger and relevant sub-ledgers.

• Coordinate monthly, quarterly and annual closing activities, ensuring all journals, accruals, prepayments and provisions are recorded accurately and within agreed timelines.

• Review balance sheet reconciliations, investigate variances and ensure outstanding items are resolved promptly.

• Ensure proper classification of income and expenditure across entities, contracts, projects, departments and cost centres.

• Maintain complete and organised financial records and supporting documentation in line with company procedures.

2. Financial Reporting & Management Information

• Prepare and review monthly management accounts, profit and loss statements, balance sheet schedules and cash-flow reports.

• Prepare budget-versus-actual analysis and provide clear explanations for material variances, trends and areas requiring management attention.

• Develop and maintain financial dashboards and periodic reports covering revenue, costs, margins, collections and key financial indicators.

• Provide timely and reliable financial information to the Finance Manager, management and operational stakeholders to support decision-making.

3. Budgeting, Forecasting & Cost Control

• Coordinate the preparation of annual budgets and periodic forecasts in consultation with Operations, HR and other relevant departments.

• Monitor actual expenditure against approved budgets and highlight overspending, cost pressures and potential savings.

• Review manpower budgets, deployment plans, overtime, leave cover, allowances, accommodation, transportation and other employee-related costs.

• Analyse contract and site-level costs to identify inefficiencies, cost leakage and opportunities to improve profitability.

• Ensure expenditure is supported by appropriate approvals and is within approved budgets and delegated authority limits.

4. Contract Finance, Revenue & Profitability

• Monitor contract-wise revenue, direct costs, gross margins and profitability, with particular attention to security guarding and other manpower-intensive contracts.

• Review contract pricing assumptions, manpower deployment costs, service variations and additional works to assess their financial impact.

• Coordinate with Operations and Commercial teams to ensure contract revenue, variations and supporting documentation are accurately captured.

• Monitor client billing milestones and ensure invoices are raised accurately and on time in accordance with contractual terms.

• Track contract performance and promptly escalate margin erosion, unbilled revenue, disputed invoices and other financial risks.

5. Accounts Receivable, Payable & Working Capital

• Monitor accounts receivable, ageing and collection performance; coordinate with the relevant teams to follow up overdue and disputed balances.

• Review supplier invoices, payment requests and accounts payable ageing to support accurate and timely payments.

• Monitor cash flow, working capital requirements and bank balances, and prepare short-term cash-flow forecasts.

• Ensure customer and supplier reconciliations are completed regularly and discrepancies are followed up to closure.

6. Payroll & Manpower Cost Reconciliation

• Coordinate with HR and Payroll to reconcile monthly payroll costs against approved headcount, deployment records and contract budgets.

• Review payroll-related provisions, overtime, leave salary, gratuity, allowances and other employee cost components for accurate accounting.

• Ensure manpower costs are allocated correctly to the relevant contracts, projects and cost centres.

• Investigate variances between planned and actual manpower costs and highlight financial implications to Operations and management.

7. Compliance, Audit & Internal Controls

• Ensure finance activities comply with company policies, financial procedures, delegated authorities and applicable UAE statutory requirements.

• Support VAT returns and other statutory reporting by maintaining accurate records and coordinating with internal teams and external advisors.

• Coordinate internal and external audits and provide reconciliations, schedules and supporting documents within agreed timelines.

• Identify weaknesses in financial processes and controls and recommend practical corrective actions.

• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of finance policies, procedures and approval workflows.

8. Systems, Process Improvement & Stakeholder Coordination

• Use the approved ERP and finance systems to maintain accurate financial data and ensure transactions are supported by appropriate documentation.

• Identify opportunities to streamline finance processes, improve reporting accuracy and strengthen automation and controls.

• Work closely with Operations, HR, Procurement, Commercial and other stakeholders to validate financial information and resolve operational finance matters.

• Maintain confidentiality of financial, employee, client and commercially sensitive information.

• Provide guidance and day-to-day support to finance team members, where applicable, and ensure deliverables are completed accurately and on time.

9. Occupational and Workplace Health and Safety Responsibilities

• In addition to all job-specific responsibilities, all employees are required to adhere to all Spark health, safety and environmental (HSE) policies, procedures, practices, and relevant legal and statutory health, safety and environmental requirements and obligations.

• All employees are personally responsible to familiarise themselves with these policies, procedures, practices and updates. The Spark HSE Department regularly updates existing policies and introduces new policies, procedures and practices. Each employee is personally responsible for staying updated and complying with all such updates and additions.

10. Information Security Responsibilities

• Comply with Spark Information Security Policies.

• Be aware of and fulfil all information security responsibilities associated with the role.

• Ensure that anyone handling sensitive company information has completed the required Security Awareness Training.

• Know how to report an information security incident to the IT Service Desk or Information Security team.

• Do not disable the operating system firewall and/or antivirus protection.

• Restrict use of company systems and information to authorised purposes; protect access accounts, privileges and associated passwords.

• • Accept accountability for individual user accounts and maintain the confidentiality of company information.

Qualification:

Education & Professional Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce or a related discipline.

• ACCA, CPA, CMA, CA or an equivalent professional qualification is an advantage.

Industry & Functional Experience

• Relevant finance and accounting experience, preferably within the security guarding sector or a similar manpower-intensive service industry.

• Experience in contract-based or multi-site service operations, with exposure to manpower budgeting, contract costing and profitability analysis.

• Practical experience in financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, month-end closing, reconciliations and cash-flow monitoring.

• Experience coordinating payroll cost reconciliations, client billing, collections and supplier payments.

Technical Knowledge

• Good understanding of accounting principles, financial controls and management reporting.

• Knowledge of UAE VAT and relevant statutory finance requirements.

• Proficiency in ERP/accounting systems and Microsoft Excel; experience with reporting tools or dashboards is an advantage

Experience and Skills:

Experience and Skills:

Skills & Competencies

• Strong financial analysis, numerical, reconciliation and problem-solving skills.

• Good commercial awareness and understanding of contract margins and operational cost drivers.

• Strong attention to detail, organisation and ability to meet strict reporting deadlines.

• Effective communication and coordination skills, including the ability to work with non-finance stakeholders.

• Integrity, confidentiality, accountability and a proactive approach to process improvement