Costing & Financial Controller

About This Role

Costing & Financial Controller OVO Signature · Dubai, UAE · Full-Time

About the Role

OVO Signature operates a production factory unit in Dubai specialising in luxury evening ready-to-wear and haute couture. We manufacture garments across multiple fashion brands and are at a stage of growth where we need to build a strong, structured, and intelligent finance and costing function from the ground up. We are looking for an experienced Costing & Financial Controller who combines solid financial knowledge with deep manufacturing cost experience, and who has the capability to build systems, automate workflows, and create SOPs that will form the backbone of our finance and costing department for years to come.

What You'll Do

Garment & Production Costing — Build and maintain detailed cost sheets for every style and collection covering fabrics, trims, embellishments, embroidery, lining, labour, workmanship, finishing, packaging, and all direct production costs

Net Margin Analysis — Calculate and monitor net margins per style, per collection, and per brand; present clear margin reports to management and flag any styles or orders where profitability is at risk

Overhead & Indirect Cost Allocation — Allocate factory overheads including rent, utilities, and running costs across production orders to ensure the true cost of manufacturing is always reflected accurately

Salary & Labour Cost Apportionment — Break down employee and worker salaries into per garment and per order costs based on time and output; ensure all workmanship costs are captured in every cost sheet

Financial Reporting — Prepare regular financial and costing reports for management including cost summaries, margin analysis, budget versus actual comparisons, and spending variance reports

Inventory & Materials Costing — Oversee costing of all incoming fabrics, trims, and materials; ensure purchase prices are accurately recorded and immediately reflected in cost sheets

ERP System Management — Own and manage all costing and financial data within Zoho Inventory and Zoho Books; ensure all entries, stock movements, cost allocations, and financial records are accurate, up to date, and properly structured

Workflow Automation — Design and implement automated workflows using Zoho Flow, Zoho Creator, or similar tools to eliminate manual data entry, reduce errors, and connect the factory floor, inventory, and finance seamlessly

AI Integration — Utilise AI tools to automate repetitive costing tasks, generate intelligent financial reports, identify cost patterns, and provide management with proactive margin and spending insights

SOP Development — Document and formalise every process within the finance and costing department; create clear, detailed standard operating procedures covering materials receiving, cost sheet creation, inventory management, margin reporting, and financial controls so the department operates independently of any single individual

Cost Control & Waste Reduction — Monitor fabric and materials wastage on the factory floor; set consumption benchmarks, measure actual versus planned usage, and work with the production team to reduce unnecessary costs

Supplier Cost Management — Track and maintain an up-to-date database of all supplier pricing; renegotiate where possible and update cost sheets immediately when material prices change

Cross-Department Collaboration — Work closely with the production manager, sample room, design team, and senior management to ensure cost awareness is embedded throughout the entire manufacturing process

What We're Looking For

5 to 10 years of experience in finance, costing, or financial control within a manufacturing, garment, textile, or fashion production environment Strong hands-on knowledge of garment manufacturing costing including fabric consumption, CMT costing, BOM, workmanship allocation, and overhead apportionment Proven experience building and managing SOPs within a finance or operations department Proficiency in Zoho Inventory, Zoho Books, and Zoho Flow or demonstrated experience with similar ERP systems Solid understanding of financial accounting principles including cost analysis, budgeting, margin management, and variance reporting Familiarity with AI tools and automation platforms relevant to finance and operations High proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate complex cost data into clear management reports Detail-oriented, highly organised, and capable of building a department from the ground up Experience in luxury fashion or couture manufacturing is a strong advantage A degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred

How to Apply

Please send the following to be considered for this role:

Updated CV Brief summary or examples of previous costing, finance, or SOP work

Email: careers@ovosignature.com WhatsApp: +971 50 244 5270

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Job Type: Full-time

Application Question(s):

• How do you build a complete cost sheet for a garment? What do you include?
• How do you factor in rent, salaries, and overhead into the cost of manufacturing?
• How do you manage and track raw material inventory in a factory environment?
• Have you ever set up or restructured an ERP system for a business?
• What AI or automation tools have you used in a finance or operations role?
• Have you built SOPs for a finance or costing department? How did you approach it?

Work Location: In person