Regional Finance Director

Job description / Role

The Company

Robert Half are working exclusively with a services business who are looking to recruit a Finance Director for their Dubai operation.

The Role

My client is looking for a Finance Director Middle East, reporting to the Regional Managing Director, with a dotted line to the Divisional CFO - Middle East and Europe. The individual will be responsible for business partnering with the Regional Managing Director and have full responsibility for all aspects of reporting (management accounts, budgeting, KPIs, consolidation, cash, tax and statutory reporting) for this region

Key Responsibilities

* Commercial business partnering with the Regional MD
* Setting budgets, forecasts and targets for the region
* Monitor performance such that budgets and targets are achieved
* Identifying opportunities for growing enrolments
* Drive understanding and accountability of financial performance across region
* Consolidate and review the regional monthly results and reporting on variances against budget and prior year for all entities in the region
* Reporting on KPIs with commentary, making clear link to the key drivers, impacting the P&L performance versus budget assumptions
* Lead on the financial aspects of integration post-acquisition of new entities
* Responsible for ensuring that local cash management is optimised
* Working with the Group Head of Corporate Finance (Treasury) to ensure that cash flows are forecast accurately, and that surplus cash is repatriated to the UK
* First point of contact with Group and local auditors for the UAE, Qatar and other ME markets
* Ensure that the Statutory Reporting of all legal entities in these counties is completed on time
* Regular balance sheet reconciliations / Appropriate internal controls
* Maintain a reconciliation between statutory and management reporting
* Full ownership of Capex process for the region, including reporting to Group, tracking of actual spend vs. budget and coordination of regional budget submissions
* Work closely with regional functional directors in preparation and submission of project capex papers
* Work with Group Head of Tax on group tax matters such as transfer pricing and to ensure that the tax profile of the region is optimised
* Maintain a good technical knowledge of relevant tax policies and processes
* Support the Group Financial Systems team in maintaining fit-for-purpose Management Reporting Systems, for the region.
* Provide feedback, suggestions and input from the region to help develop the systems and facilitate efficient and consistent finance processes and reporting across the region.
* Work alongside Regional Managing Director to mentor and coach other regional functional managers and staff.

Requirements

The Candidate

* Qualified accountant, ideally Big 4 qualified with significant experience of operating at a senior level in a commercial environment, ideally in a senior financial role reporting into an overseas Head Office structure in either the USA or UK
* Fluent in English (Arabic would be an advantage)
* Comfortable in setting policy and direction and influencing others in the achievement of objectives, also in areas other than own expertise area
* Demonstrable success in previous roles requiring commercial, business and strategic understanding
* Experience of working at pace in a growing business
* Resilient and independent, with the ability to challenge and push back when appropriate
* Strong understanding of tax and statutory accounting issues in the region
* Knowledge of IFRS
* Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships at senior levels of the organisation and influence key stakeholders.
* Strong people management skills and emotional intelligence. Comfortable with ambiguity
* Oracle/NetSuite experience desirable but not essential
* Ideally will possess some international experience
* Flexibility and a willingness to travel across the region

Salary and Benefits
AED 50k/month

About the Company

Founded in 1948, Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE symbol: RHI) is the world\'s first and largest specialized staffing firm and a member of the S&P 500 index. We are a global leader in professional staffing and consulting services and the parent company of Protiviti, a leading independent internal audit and business and technology risk consulting firm. For 2006, Robert Half International reported revenues of $4 billion and now has staffing and consulting operations in more than 400 locations worldwide.