Controlling Manager

Role Purpose

The Controlling Manager plays a pivotal role in driving financial performance management and strategic business partnership across ZEISS Korea’s diverse business portfolio, including MED, VIS, IQR, and SMT.

This role leads and develops the team of Business Unit Controllers, ensuring high-quality financial planning, reporting, governance, and business insight delivery across all divisions. In addition, the role oversees cost management for BSF (Business Supporting Functions), ensuring transparency, efficiency, and alignment with ZEISS Group financial standards and objectives.

Reporting directly to the Head of Finance, the Controlling Manager serves as a key finance business partner to local management and headquarters, balancing strong financial governance with proactive business enablement in a complex multinational environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Governance & Compliance Excellence

• Lead and manage the controlling function across ZEISS Korea business units (MED, VIS, IQR, SMT) through effective supervision and development of Business Unit Controllers.
• Drive budgeting, forecasting, strategic planning, and long-term financial planning processes across all business units.
• Provide insightful financial analysis and actionable recommendations to support business performance optimization and strategic decision-making.
• Monitor business performance through KPI dashboards, variance analysis, profitability analysis, and financial trend reporting.
• Act as a trusted finance business partner to Business Heads and functional leaders.

2. HQ Reporting & Financial Governance

• Lead preparation and delivery of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting packages to ZEISS Headquarters.
• Ensure reporting accuracy, transparency, and compliance with ZEISS Group policies, IFRS standards, and internal controlling guidelines.
• Lead Quarterly Business Review preparation and financial KPI discussions with Headquarters.
• Support management reporting with clear financial insights, risks, opportunities, and corrective action recommendations.
• Coordinate and support internal and external audit activities related to controlling functions.

3. CoOR & BSF Cost Management

• Oversee and manage CoOR(Cost of Operational Readiness) for Business Supporting Functions (BSF), ensuring cost transparency and operational efficiency.
• Lead planning, monitoring, and controlling of common/support function expenses, including allocation methodologies and cost optimization initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with functional leaders to ensure disciplined spending and effective resource utilization.

4. Process Excellence & Systems Enablement

• Drive continuous improvement of controlling processes, reporting automation, and financial analytics capabilities.
• Enhance financial visibility and operational efficiency through SAP FI/CO utilization and digital reporting tools.
• Support finance transformation initiatives, including process standardization, automation, and data-driven decision support.
• Develop and improve financial models, dashboards, and analytical tools to strengthen business insight generation.

5. Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop the controlling team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Build strong controlling capabilities across business units by developing analytical, business partnering, and leadership competencies within the team.
• Promote a high-performance culture aligned with ZEISS values and leadership principles.
• Serve as a key liaison between local finance organizations and global controlling stakeholders.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related fields; CPA or equivalent qualification preferred.
• Minimum 15+ years of relevant experience in controlling, FP&A, finance business partnering, or related finance functions.
• Proven experience managing multiple business units or complex business portfolios in a multinational environment.
• Strong understanding of financial planning, management reporting, profitability analysis, and corporate governance.
• Hands-on experience in SAP FI/CO and financial reporting systems.
• Strong knowledge of accounting standards, tax implications, and financial compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated people management and leadership experience with the ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across local and global organizations.
• Business fluent English communication skills (written and spoken).

What ZEISS Looks For

• A strategic finance leader who can balance strong financial governance with proactive business partnership.
• A people manager capable of leading and developing a diverse controlling organization across multiple business units.
• A commercially minded finance professional with deep understanding of different business models and operational drivers.
• A highly analytical and detail-oriented leader with strong problem-solving capabilities
• A collaborative leader who can effectively communicate with local management, regional stakeholders, and headquarters.
• A transformation-oriented professional who embraces digitalization, automation, and continuous improvement in finance operations.

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:

KyuYul Jung （정규열）, ShinBi Park （박신비）