Head of Finance

Role Overview

We are seeking a Head of Finance to lead the finance function for a fast-growing, high-transaction business based in Dubai (full-time, on-site). This role carries full ownership of financial planning, reporting, compliance, and cash management, with a mandate to strengthen financial controls and build a high-performing finance team as the organization scales. We are particularly interested in candidates with finance experience in high-transaction, high-volume industries — including ride-hailing, mobility, delivery, marketplaces, fintech, or e-commerce — where rigorous reconciliation, unit economics, and financial controls are essential to the business.

This is a hands-on role. The successful candidate will be expected to perform core accounting and closing work personally, not solely direct a team to do so.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Planning

• Develop and implement financial strategies aligned with business objectives and long-term growth.
• Lead the financial planning process, including annual budgets, forecasts, and scenario analysis.

Financial Control & Reporting

• Identify and remediate deficiencies in existing financial processes, establishing controls that ensure accuracy and prevent recurrence.
• Personally own the month-end close process for a multi-entity structure, targeting a close cycle of five working days or fewer, with a clear plan to reach and sustain that timeline.
• Ensure accurate, timely preparation of financial statements and management reporting.

Financial Analysis & Decision Support

• Translate financial data into unit economics and performance dashboards that inform leadership decision-making.
• Analyze financial results to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and present clear recommendations to the executive team.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, tax regulations, and internal control frameworks, including VAT, corporate tax, and audit requirements.
• Manage relationships with external auditors and regulatory authorities, and oversee the implementation of audit recommendations.

Treasury & Risk Management

• Oversee liquidity, receivables, payables, and treasury operations to maintain financial stability.
• Identify and manage financial risk, including currency and interest rate exposure.

Technology & AI Enablement

• Maintain direct, hands-on involvement in financial data and reconciliations, including the use of SQL, data warehouses, or equivalent tools.
• Apply AI tools (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT) to accelerate financial analysis, reporting, and reconciliation work, with a demonstrated ability to translate AI adoption into measurable efficiency gains.
• Identify where AI tools are appropriate to use and where human judgment and review remain necessary, applying appropriate safeguards.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build, mentor, and develop the finance team, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the executive team, providing candid financial perspective to support key decisions.

Qualifications

• Professional accounting qualification (CA, ACCA, CPA, CMA, or CIMA), fully qualified with an active practice history.
• 6–10 years of progressive finance experience, with demonstrated ownership of the finance function within a high-transaction business (ride-hailing, mobility, delivery, marketplace, fintech, or e-commerce strongly preferred).
• Demonstrated, personal (not delegated) experience closing books end-to-end, including financial reporting and liaison with external auditors.
• Demonstrated experience identifying and remediating a broken financial process, with a measurable outcome.
• Strong working knowledge of IFRS and relevant financial regulations.
• Direct, hands-on experience with financial data, including SQL, data warehouses, or reconciliation at scale.
• Practical, hands-on experience using AI tools to improve finance workflows, with concrete before-and-after examples of efficiency or accuracy gained.
• Experience with VAT and tax compliance in at least one jurisdiction; UAE Federal Tax Authority experience is advantageous.
• Proficiency with ERP and accounting systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or similar).
• Strong leadership, analytical, and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Comfortable operating against firm deadlines in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.