Financial Controller, Southern Europe

Overview

To provide temporary cover supporting the accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of end-to-end reporting activities, including month-end and quarter-end close, general ledger integrity, statutory and indirect tax reporting, balance sheet reconciliation, financial controls, and audit support.

Responsibilities

• To provide temporary financial control support for the Italian entity, with responsibility for overseeing day-to-day activities, coordinating the assistant controller team and ensuring timely, accurate and compliant month-end close, control and tax-related activities
• Oversee day-to-day finance and accounting activities for the Italian legal entity, ensuring operational issues are identified, followed up and escalated where required
• Maintain focus on completeness, accuracy and compliance of accounting records and supporting documentation for the entity
• Manage and coordinate the work of three assistant controllers, setting priorities, reviewing progress and providing guidance on accounting, close, controls and reporting matters
• Review outputs prepared by the assistant controllers to ensure quality, consistency and timely completion of assigned activities
• Coordinate and support month-end close activities for the Italian entity in line with the agreed reporting timetable
• Review month-end files and supporting schedules before submission, including key reconciliations, journals, explanations of movements and evidence required for reporting purposes
• Ensure that any close issues, unusual balances or incomplete support are followed up and resolved before submission or appropriately documented and escalated
• Perform applicable SOX and internal financial controls for the Italian entity accurately and within required deadlines
• Review SOX controls and supporting evidence prepared by the assistant controllers, challenging gaps and ensuring appropriate remediation of exceptions
• Review withholding tax and agents' commission calculations, accounting entries and supporting documentation, ensuring they are appropriately recorded and supported
• Review tax payment requests and related documentation before submission for payment, ensuring amounts, approvals and supporting evidence are complete and consistent
• Check the company's legal email mailbox on a regular basis and ensure relevant correspondence is reviewed, routed to the appropriate stakeholders and followed up promptly
• Maintain appropriate evidence of legal mailbox correspondence and follow-up actions where such correspondence impacts accounting, tax, controls, reporting or statutory matters