Head of Finance

Role Purpose

1. Finance Function Setup & Governance

• Design and implement the
• end‑to‑end finance operating model
• for the Group across all markets.
• Establish strong
• financial governance frameworks
• , internal controls, and approval matrices aligned to family business structures.
• Develop and document
• finance policies, SOPs, and compliance frameworks
• .
• Lead audit readiness and act as primary liaison with
• external auditors, tax advisors, banks, and regulators
• .

2. Financial Planning, Budgeting & Performance Management

• Lead the
• annual budgeting, forecasting, and long‑range planning
• processes across business units and countries.
• Develop
• management reporting, dashboards, and KPIs
• to track profitability, cash flow, margins, and working capital.
• Provide regular
• insights and variance analysis
• to support decision‑making by ownership and senior management.
• Support new store openings, country entry planning, and investment appraisals.

3. Accounting, Reporting & Compliance

• Ensure accurate and timely
• monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting
• .
• Oversee
• multi‑currency, multi‑entity accounting
• across UAE, Iraq, and Egypt.
• Ensure compliance with
• local accounting standards, tax laws, VAT, customs duties, and statutory requirements
• in each jurisdiction.
• Manage
• group consolidation
• and intercompany accounting.

4. Cash Flow, Treasury & Banking

• Drive strong
• cash flow management
• , liquidity planning, and working capital optimization.
• Establish and manage
• banking relationships
• , credit facilities, guarantees, and trade finance.
• Oversee
• treasury operations
• , FX exposure, and risk management across countries.
• Put in place cash controls suited to high‑volume retail operations.

5. Systems, Processes & Digital Enablement

• Lead the selection and implementation of
• ERP / finance systems
• suitable for retail and multi‑country operations.
• Integrate finance systems with
• POS, inventory, procurement, and supply chain
• platforms.
• Automate reporting and strengthen data integrity across the Group.

6. Strategic & Commercial Support

• Act as a trusted advisor to ownership on
• growth strategy, market entry, pricing, margin optimization, and capex decisions
• .
• Balance
• growth ambitions with financial discipline and risk management
• .

Qualifications

• Chartered Accountant (CA), CPA, ACCA, or equivalent is highly desirable.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business (MBA preferred).
• **15+ years of progressive finance experience**
• , with at least
• 5–7 years in a senior leadership role
• .
• Proven experience in
• setting up or transforming finance functions
• from scratch.
• Strong background in
• retail, consumer electronics, FMCG, or F&B
• preferred.
• Experience working in
• family‑owned, privately held, or entrepreneurial businesses
• is highly desirable.
• Exposure to
• multi‑country operations
• , ideally within the
• Middle East and emerging markets
• (Iraq / Egypt exposure is a strong advantage).
• Willing to travel to Iraq (once in every 3 months)