Senior Business Controller Germany Job Listing at Approach People Recruitment in Frankfurt am Main, Hessen

Staffing/Employment

As Business Controller and Financial Analyst, reporting to the General manager Germany, you will be responsible for the overall monitoring and directing of all financial aspects related to our client's German operations.

Specifically, you will take over the following areas:

1. Financial Analysis and Consultancy

- Long Term Planning
- Local Market Analysis
- Provide leadership to deliver against the Working Capital targets, including support Accounts Receivables and Inventory Management.
- Provide strong partnership to the Marketing Managers and Sales Director to identify ways to drive the profitability

2. Financial Planning and Reporting

- Work with all functions to prepare annual budget, leading and managing the total process through to approval.
- Prepare P&Ls based on Sales/Marketing input, and analyse and interpret them versus budget and last year.
- Prepare all monthly/quarterly reports as required by Corporate and Local Business Unit requirements.


3. Financial Control and Governance

- Act as the overall control owner for the German business, set the appropriate tone throughout the whole organisation and build capabilities, including clarity on responsibilities, adequate supervision and education.
- Ensure all corporate and accounting principles, particularly SOX, are followed. Ensure all approval processes are adequate and followed and monitored according to company guidelines, UK accounting standards and Local Business Unit needs.
- Ensure that actual costs are in-line with budgeted costs and work with department heads and sales/marketing to ensure appropriate controls and reporting are in place
- Ensure local execution of Regional Price lists and changes.
- Month End Closing: Verify and validate the P & Ls and balance sheet accounts. Ensure accruals are correctly recorded and entered into the P & Ls.
- Ensure accurate provision of the German Agent accounts in line with German accounting standards and relevant interaction with our auditors.
- Act as the key contact with the EMEA Support Service Centres to ensure we work together to create efficient and effective business processes. Pro-actively help to resolve issues, especially those requiring resolution with the local Sales/Marketing teams.


4. People Development and Coaching

- Local Finance Team: Lead, manage and develop the team to ensure they fully understand their responsibilities and have the sufficient tools and commitment to succeed. Provide regular feedback to team to help drive performance.
- Local Business Team: Provide sound business advice and influence effectively to drive the performance and progress of the affiliate. Work closely with Sales and Marketing Managers to help make them more financially and commercially capable.
- Global Finance Organisation: Build contacts and positive working relationships across the total Finance organization, including other Business Controllers, Geneva and the US teams.

5. Operations

- Ownership of the Sales & Operations planning process, managing team to ensure supply of saleable and non-saleable goods is effectively co-ordinated with the Geneva team.
- Manage the facilities and car fleet contracts and maintenance.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

- Quick learner
- Strong leader, confident to contribute at a senior level
- A logical thinker, who’s able to translate the complex into simple
- Excellent attention to detail and highly analytical
- Independent thinker who’s able to challenge Leadership team and International
- Influential relationship builder
- Strong project management skills
- Able to manage a high workload and juggle priorities in a fast paced retail environment
- Capable people manager who is able to raise the bar of performance

- IT skills : Excellent PC skills particularly within Excel
- Financial systems: Data Mining (Data Warehouse), Hyperion and JDE

- Travel requirements: Limited, mainly office based.

QUALIFICATIONS

- Graduate calibre
- CIMA/ACA/ACCA qualified. Likely to have at least 5 years PQE
- Fluent in German and English
- Experience within Consumer Goods/ prestige beauty business a significant advantage

Please send your application in English and in -doc to:
guenda@approachpeople.com