The successful candidate will be responsible for multiple financial aspects for the region along with business partnering with the Regional Vice President. Responsibilities include but are not limited to maintaining and expanding banking relationships, local statutory audit and tax compliance, indirect management of department heads in the shared service centre, analysing business and market risks to support the Regional Vice President in business decisions.
The Financial Controller will also be responsible for the monthly actual financials and developing, interpreting and implementing financial planning, reporting, budget and control for the business unit to enhance governance, cost control and financial performance analysis against budget and quarterly reforecasts.
Principal accountabilities
- Develop trustworthy relationship with the Vice President to drive financial management and continuously improve finance processes.
- Responsibility for annual budgets and quarterly reforecasts ensuring all inputs are complete to timetable.
- Organise local statutory accounts production by Management Accounts team, ensuring local audits completed within associated reporting deadlines incorporating management of tax deadlines are met.
- Indirectly manage the Management Accounts team's month end reporting to ensure all key financial metrics are reviewed, reported and amended within working deadlines and ensuring Regional Vice President has approved final numbers. This includes frequent review of trial balances, general ledger activity and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Prepare variance analysis and recommendations on monthly financial figures from Country P&Ls compared to budget and last year and issue reports as required by the management.
- Analyse financial information to produce forecasts of business, industry and economic conditions to enable strategic and key business decisions.
- Evaluate new business proposals with complete analysis of economic impact on business, including cash flow requirements.
- Coordinate with Regional Treasury manager to ensure short-term cashflows are reviewed and tie in with P&L forecasts and front-end business expectations.
- Arrange, observe and control the P&L, balance sheet and recommend action.
- Provide internal control and ensure compliance with all Group Policies and Procedures.
- Instigate and participate in all process improvement initiatives related to the Region.
- Participate in relevant projects and Group activities (such as coordinating Group Audit requirements) as and when needed.
Skills, knowledge, and experience
Abilities required:
- Must have one of the following international qualifications: ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA or CFA and be minimum 5 years post-qualified.
- At least 3 years experience in recruitment, similar role or industry.
- Working knowledge of IFRS and ability to handle decision making regarding audit and tax queries.
- Ability to work autonomously, show initiative and proactiveness to ensure all legal entities are always fully compliant.
- Experience of regional laws and regulations pertaining to financial matters.
- Experience of co-ordinating remote teams and managing large teams.
- Experience of Group reporting and working to tight deadlines.
- Ability to work in a time-sensitive, pressured environment with non-flexible Group deadlines.
- Ability to be flexible and able to multitask with day-to-day workflow.
Person specification
- Must be located in the UAE.
- Qualified accountant as specified above.
- Minimum 5+ years post qualification.
- Work experience in Management Accounts role (or similar) of 5+ years.
- Ability to prioritise workload and work to strict deadlines. Must be able to manage own time efficiently.
- Previous experience working with either one or more accounting system, ideally Microsoft Dynamics 365.
- Knowledge of OneStream finance system preferred but not pivotal.
- Effective communicator who is articulate, professional and confident at all times, both with finance and non-finance colleagues.
- Confident in challenging existing processes and holding colleagues to standards set out by Senior Management.
