Senior Business Controller

Job Summary:

The focus of this role is to provide strong commercial finance manager to a dedicated customer account of strategic importance to gateretail. You will be the financial lead for your account and will keep track of profitability, cost drivers, revenue development and assortment performance. With the counterpart in the airline, you will be jointly responsible for the full P&L, including presenting monthly packs to both internal and external stakeholders. You will work closely with the account director on seeking improvements of profitability to the business, forecasting, and the financial analysis. This is a front facing role, in direct collaboration with the customer on maximizing the profitability of the shared P&L. You will also present monthly results in front of an audience of senior management members, so good presentational and communicational skills are a must. We are looking for someone who is highly pro-active and who wants to team up with the rest of colleagues (finance and non-finance) to make things happen!

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Act as a finance manager for a strategic customer P&L
• Prepare and present Monthly reports and facilitation of monthly review meetings with relevant stakeholders
• Take lead in commercial discussions with the customer alongside account director
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with the wider business and the customer to improve communication of key information in a timely manner
• Manage the customer relationship from finance side, making sure we maintain a respectable partnership
• Act as a finance lead in contract extension discussions, supporting the account director in negotiation future contractual terms and conditions
• Act as a partner between business and finance when creating and submitting commercial initiatives
• Ensure targets are met when launching New Product Ranges. Working very closely with category managers. Providing commercial direction throughout the entire process 
• Preparation of annual budgets and monthly forecasts
• Profit Centre Analysis relating to the contract (monthly), variance analysis against Budget and/or Forecasts
• Work in partnership with the wider business stakeholders to provide substantive analysis and commentary explaining actual performance versus targets for relevant customer
• Support monthly Balance Sheet reconciliations
• Act as lead on stock reconciliation alongside the dedicated Stock Controller
• Prepare Intercompany Recharge Invoices and 3rd party accruals
• Ensure internal controls are followed as part of daily routine
• Work with Accounts Payable to ensure accurate coding and processing of relevant invoices
• Multi-Currency reconciliations
• Maintain all relevant records and provide support with External and Internal Audits.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement of processes, models, forms and templates relating to the review and reporting of the profit and loss account as required
• Lead the enhancement and compliance of Business Finance processes, standards and systems
• Provide ad-hoc assistance with other finance projects as and when required

Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred - Business, Economics, Math or Engineering

• ACCA/CIMA or local accounting qualified is strongly preferred

Work Experience:

• 7 years of relevant working experience in finance, with emphasis of reviewing reports (BS/P&L) and analyzing trends
• Experience in Intercompany reconciliation
• Experience with SAP and HFM is preferred
• Exposure to multi-currency FX calculations desired
• Knowledge of relevant accounting terms and concepts
• Experience of the preparation of forecasts and budgets
• Good understanding of Business strategy & methodology
• Understanding of International Accounting Standards (desirable)

Technical Skills:

• Use of accounting software (SAP/HFM – desirable)
• Advanced Excel

Language / Communication Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written English skills