Regional Financial Controller

Role overview

Financial control and business support

• Own monthly, quarterly, and year-end closes across MENA entities and deliver accurate, timely results and reporting.
• Prepare and review management accounts, reconciliations, cash flow reports, supporting schedules, and commentary on material movements and risks.
• Maintain the general ledger, chart of accounts, master data, and intercompany balances; apply Group policies and IFRS.
• Lead regional statutory audits and coordinate financial statements and external reporting.
• Work with the Finance Business Partner on project reporting, revenue recognition, contract arrangements, and margin treatment.
• Assess accounting, tax, and entity implications of contracts, bids, and cross-border activities, using external advisers as needed.

Treasury, compliance, and systems

• Maintain short- and medium-term regional cash forecasts and support funding and liquidity decisions.
• Review receivables, collections, billing, and payables, focusing on unbilled revenue and overdue receivables.
• Oversee payments, bank reconciliations, mandates, and treasury controls, including cross-border and intercompany transactions.
• Manage accounting, tax, and regulatory obligations and improve controls over purchasing, suppliers, expenses, payroll inputs, payments, and balance sheet accounts.
• Develop NetSuite use, automate finance processes, and document key procedures and controls.

Team and stakeholder leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of three; set responsibilities, priorities, and performance expectations.
• Build team knowledge, cross-cover, collaboration, accountability, and appropriate challenge.
• Develop effective relationships with regional leaders, business units, project teams, Group Finance, HR, Operations, banks, auditors, and advisers.

Experience and qualifications

• Qualified accountant with at least ten years of relevant finance experience.
• Significant controllership experience in multi-entity, multi-currency Middle East operations, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• Strong knowledge of IFRS, statutory and management reporting, audit, tax compliance, treasury, and working capital management.
• Project-based services business experience is essential.
• Sports, entertainment, events, sponsorship, marketing, media, or agency experience is highly desirable.
• Automation or AI tools experience is beneficial; Arabic is advantageous but not essential.

Capabilities

• Hands-on and comfortable handling detailed accounting alongside regional business priorities.
• Commercially aware, organized, and able to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Clear communicator who translates financial issues into practical actions for non-finance colleagues.
• Demonstrates integrity, sound judgment, ownership, resilience, and collaboration across cultures and locations.

Location

• The role is listed in Dubai, UAE.