About the job
As the finance manager in our Riyadh office, you will lead a team of 3 specialists and impact our invoicing and collections activity in the Kingdom. You will build a clear strategy, have weekly transparency on team objectives, know who to speak with and how to get payment blockages unlocked. We need an experienced hire who is a self-starter and a true professional committed to delivering an improvement in our DSO. This means we invoice quicker and get paid on time.
The position reports directly to the ME Financial Controller and functionally to the Head of Client Finance & Operations. The position also works closely with Finance teams in Dubai, South Africa, Turkey, London, and Chicago; as well as other local functions such as HR, Staffing, Office Management, and Legal.
Key responsibilities
Working Capital:
- Improve our WIP/AR routines with a view to driving a decrease in our DSO.
- Micromanage processes, both internal and external, to drive the invoicing of our WIP and the collection of our AR on time.
- Decide how your team will spend their week. Have 100% transparency on the portfolio of balances. Strategize pathways to payment by either using the project teams as a lever or visiting the client.
- Interface with partners on project teams. Pressure test explanations and drive change proactively.
- Create your own reporting environment that gives your team and line managers the transparency on what everyone is working on and where we are struggling with recommended paths for escalation.
- Decide on collection targets for the team; support them in their efforts, raise the pressure on process points where needed. Be resilient in your quest to deliver results and raise the bar.
- Provide counsel to your finance counter parts on how to structure things better. Use your experience to develop best practice.
- Be a true team leader. Motivate your colleagues and develop a culture of excellence. Leadership is relying on you to drive your plan without oversight.
Management
- Providing support, information, and solutions on financial topics relevant to the region partners
- Supports financial planning and forecasting, reporting and other analysis for KSA.
- Consults and advises management on financial issues, business development, compliance, risk management.
- Supporting Strategic Middle East Initiatives, e.g., around cost optimization/localization in KSA, new full market entries and acquisitions
- Manages, coaches, develops, and evaluates the Middle East Finance team.
Who you are
After nearly 100 years, we know this business is fundamentally about making connections—between facts, figures, insights, strategies, tools, technologies and above all, people. That’s why, we look for proactive, positive, and flexible individuals who are always unapologetically their unique selves.
We want to hear from you if you:
- Have a university degree or equivalent in Accounting and Finance and have a chartered accountant qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA
- Have a minimum 7 years of Big 4 and / or management accounting management experience in a sizeable global organization in the Middle East region. Professional services industry experience desirable, but not essential
- Have a strong knowledge of general ledger and subledger activities, budgeting, and financial modelling.
- Have strong accounting, analytical, numerical and structural skills
- Have Strong knowledge of regulatory compliance and accounting standards -IFRS a MUST. Local GAAP (among ME countries) an advantage
- Possess good knowledge of audit and tax
- Have a good understanding of modern accounting software systems and workflow, ideally SAP. SAP R3 financial application experience preferred.
- Have team management experience.
- Possess strong excel skills and a good working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite.
- Have a strong command of verbal and written communication skills in English and Arabic.
- Are commercially minded and are willing to be hands on where necessary in various areas of the accounts but also able to operate effectively amongst consultants.
- Have strong organization skills
- Are robust and determined individual with a relentless approach
- Are a team player, but has the ability to work independently
- Are a self-driven, highly motivated team player who understands the implications of collaborating in a truly global environment
- Have an ability to maintain highest degree of precision even under significant time pressure
