Job Purpose:

The Head of Finance / CFO will be responsible for managing the financial operations of the organisation, ensuring financial stability, regulatory compliance, and strategic financial planning. This role involves overseeing budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, risk management, change management, processes optimisations and leading the finance team across the group to drive business growth and efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Management & Reporting:

• Establish and maintain financial policies, procedures, and internal controls
• Develop financial models and analyses to support decision-making
• Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, including management accounts and statutory reports, including profit and loss, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

Financial Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with relevant financial regulations, tax laws, accounting standards (e.g., IFRS, GAAP), FCA and NFA accounting regulations and reporting requirements.
• Responsible for maintaining accurate records and adhering to compliance requirements
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Financial Strategy & Planning:

• Oversee monthly reporting, analysis and long-term financial planning at the group level
• Provide financial insights and recommendations to the CFO to support strategic decisions
• Develop and implement financial strategies to drive sustainable growth

Budgeting and Cost Control:

• Oversee the budgeting and forecasting process and ensure that financial resources are allocated effectively across different departments
• Works to control costs and optimise expenses to improve the organisation’s financial performance
• Monitor expenses and implement cost-saving initiatives

Risk Management & Compliance:

• Leads the Group’s Risk Committee and the related reporting
• Identify and mitigate operational risk, financial risks, including market risk, credit risk, foreign exchange risks and other financial exposures.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations, corporate policies, and tax requirements.
• Liaise with regulatory bodies, auditors, financial institutions and banks
• Maintain strong internal controls and financial governance

Team Leadership & Development:

• Lead, mentor and develop the finance team across multiple locations, ensuring that the team members are well-trained, motivated, and equipped to perform their roles effectively
• Foster a high-performance culture, ensuring continuous development of finance and drive process improvements
• Ensure continuous improvement in financial processes, systems, and finance personnel
• Implement best practices and automation in financial operations

Change management:

• Strong skills in navigating organisational resistance, communicating effectively, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement

Process Optimisation Expertise:

• Proficiency in redesigning finance processes, improving workflows, and implementing best practices for efficiency and accuracy

Cash Flow and Treasury Management:

• Optimise working capital and financial resources
• Evaluate and improve financial systems, software, and automation
• Oversee cash flow management, funding strategies, and liquidity planning
• Oversee treasury functions, ensuring liquidity and risk management
• Develop and implement foreign exchange risk management strategies to minimise the impact of currency fluctuations

Business Partnering & Stakeholder Management:

• Collaborate with senior management to drive financial performance
• Provide financial insights to senior leadership, board members, and investors
• Support mergers, acquisitions, and corporate restructuring initiatives

Mergers and Acquisitions:

• In cases where the organisation is involved in mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures, plays a role in financial due diligence, valuation, and integration planning

Capital Management:

• Oversees the management of the company’s capital structure, which includes decisions related to debt financing, equity financing and capital investments

Key Requirements:

Education & Qualifications:

• Professional qualification (such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA) required

Experience:

• Significant experience in a senior finance leadership role
• Experience in managing multi-entity financial operations in a multinational group structure
• Strong background in financial reporting, budgeting, and business partnering
• Experience in shipping and/or brokerage preferred
• Experience with a global audit process and tender
• Experience with shared service centres set up and leadership is an added advantage

Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent leadership, commercial mindset and ability to coach and develop team members at all levels
• Strong stakeholder management and excellent communication skills to engage with cross-functional teams and secure buy-in from key stakeholders
• Proficiency in financial software (ERP systems, HFM (Hyperion), Excel, Power BI), automation tools, and data analytics to drive digital transformation
• Strong knowledge of IFRS, FRS, tax regulations, FCA and NFA compliance and reporting requirements
• Strong financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, risk management and change management skills

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting
• Effective cost control and profitability improvements
• Cash flow and liquidity management efficiency
• Compliance with audit and regulatory requirements
• Group Finance team performance and development