Financial Director

Finance Director

Dubai, UAE

FMCG UAE Based client hiring

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Finance Director / Deputy CFO to provide end-to-end financial leadership for a large FMCG business in the UAE. The role will have broad responsibility across FP&A, business finance, financial reporting, financial consolidation, legal entity finance, statutory accounting, treasury and cash flow management, audit, governance, financial controls and Board/lender reporting. A key aspect of the role will be the ability to manage sophisticated financial reporting and stakeholder requirements, including Group consolidation across both business and legal entities, reporting to banks and external Board members, preparation of Board and lender packs, leverage and covenant analysis, DSCR, ICR and 13-week cash flow reporting.

The successful candidate will work closely with the CFO, senior leadership, Board members, lenders, banks, auditors and business stakeholders to provide high-quality financial insight, strengthen financial controls and support strategic and commercial decision-making.The role requires a commercially strong finance leader who can operate across legal entity finance and business finance, while managing complex consolidation, reporting, governance, liquidity and stakeholder requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1.Financial Leadership & Business Finance

· Lead the end-to-end finance function across FP&A, business finance, financial reporting, controllership and consolidation.

· Manage finance activities across both legal entities and business operations, ensuring alignment between statutory requirements and commercial objectives.

· Act as a strategic finance business partner to the CFO, senior leadership and functional heads.

· Provide financial insights, recommendations and scenario analysis to support strategic, commercial and operational decision-making.

· Support business cases, investments, strategic initiatives and major commercial decisions through robust financial evaluation.

· Drive cost optimization, profitability improvement, working capital enhancement and overall financial performance.

2.FP&A, Performance & Management Reporting

· Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, long-range financial planning and periodic business performance reviews.

· Provide detailed analysis of revenue, margins, costs, profitability, working capital, cash flow and key business drivers.

· Develop and monitor financial KPIs, budgets, forecasts and management dashboards, identifying performance gaps and corrective actions.

· Produce high-quality monthly, quarterly and annual management reporting for senior leadership.

· Develop scenario analysis and financial models to support business planning and strategic decisions.

3.Group Consolidation & Financial Reporting

· Lead Group consolidation across multiple business units and legal entities, ensuring accurate, timely and robust financial reporting.

· Oversee consolidation adjustments, intercompany accounting, eliminations and reporting across the Group structure.

· Ensure alignment between business performance reporting and legal entity financial reporting.

· Oversee statutory accounting, financial controls, compliance and reporting requirements across relevant legal entities.

· Ensure high-quality and timely financial statements and management reporting in accordance with applicable accounting standards and Group policies.

4.Board, Bank & Lender Reporting

· Own and oversee Board and external stakeholder financial reporting, including reporting to external Board members.

· Develop and present comprehensive Board reporting packs covering financial performance, cash flow, profitability, working capital, risks, forecasts and key business drivers.

· Prepare and manage bank and lender reporting packs, ensuring accurate, timely and commercially relevant information.

· Maintain strong understanding of lender reporting requirements, financial covenants and key credit metrics.

· Monitor and report on leverage, DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio), ICR (Interest Coverage Ratio), liquidity and other relevant financial covenant metrics.

· Provide clear analysis of actual performance versus covenant requirements, forecasts and potential risks.

· Work closely with banks, lenders and other external financial stakeholders on reporting, information requirements and financial matters.

· Lead the preparation and review of 13-week cash flow forecasts, liquidity analysis and short-term funding requirements.

· Ensure senior leadership and relevant stakeholders have clear visibility of cash, liquidity, debt obligations and funding requirements.

5.Treasury, Cash Flow & Working Capital

· Partner with Treasury and senior management to optimize cash flow, liquidity and working capital.

· Oversee cash flow forecasting and liquidity planning, including detailed 13-week cash flow management.

· Monitor receivables, payables, inventory and working capital cycles and identify opportunities for improvement.

· Provide financial visibility on debt, interest costs, leverage and funding requirements.

· Support discussions with banks and lenders on liquidity, facilities, covenants and financing requirements.

6.Audit, Controls & Governance

· Lead internal and external audit processes and ensure timely resolution of audit requirements, findings and observations.

· Ensure robust financial, business and commercial controls across the organization.

· Develop and strengthen internal control frameworks, financial governance and risk management processes.

· Ensure appropriate controls are embedded across commercial, operational and financial processes.

· Identify control gaps and drive remediation and continuous improvement.

· Ensure compliance with applicable UAE regulations, accounting standards, Group policies and internal governance requirements.

· Partner with Legal, Tax, Treasury, Commercial, Supply Chain and other functions on key governance, compliance and business matters.

7. Commercial Finance & Decision Support

· Partner closely with Commercial and operational teams to evaluate pricing, margins, customer profitability, cost structures, investments and major business decisions.

· Provide robust financial challenge and insight to commercial and operational stakeholders.

· Assess financial risks and opportunities associated with major contracts, investments, strategic initiatives and business cases.

8.Finance Transformation & Team Leadership

· Drive improvements in financial reporting, consolidation, planning, forecasting and management information systems.

· Identify opportunities to automate and improve reporting, controls and financial processes.

· Support the CFO and senior leadership team on finance transformation, business planning and strategic initiatives.

· Lead, develop and mentor the finance team, building a strong culture of accountability, performance and continuous improvement.

Candidate Profile

· Chartered Accountant (CA) with 15–20+ years of progressive finance experience, including significant senior finance leadership experience.

· Strong experience within FMCG / consumer goods, with mandatory UAE market exposure.

· Proven expertise across FP&A, business finance, legal entity finance, Group consolidation, financial reporting, controllership and audit.

· Strong experience managing consolidation across multiple business units and legal entities.

· Demonstrated experience preparing and managing Board reporting packs and lender/bank reporting packs.

· Strong understanding of bank and lender reporting requirements, financial covenants, leverage, DSCR and ICR.

· Hands-on experience with 13-week cash flow forecasting, liquidity management and working capital.

· Strong understanding of audit, financial controls, business controls and commercial controls.

· Proven experience working directly with banks, lenders, auditors, external Board members and senior executive stakeholders.

· Strong experience in Board / executive reporting, financial governance, controls and strategic business partnering.

· Strong commercial acumen with the ability to translate financial information into actionable business insights.

· Excellent leadership, analytical, communication and stakeholder management capabilities.

· Ability to operate effectively in a complex, fast-paced and commercially driven FMCG environment.