Financial Controller

Financial Controller

The Financial Controller for the DIFC office will be responsible for managing daily accounting operations, ensuring compliance with UAE financial and tax regulations, and maintaining accurate financial reporting. The role includes handling VAT and Corporate Tax filings, preparing financial statements, managing cash flow, and supporting audits and financial analysis to aid business decisions.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee day-to-day accounting operations and being accountable for the integrity of our financial data, including accounts payable, receivable, manual journals and general ledger maintenance.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with the financial reporting requirements in line with local accounting standards.
• Perform balance sheet reconciliations in line with company policy.
• Manage cash flow and payments in line with company policies.
• In conjunction with the HR team, ensure that the companies payroll data is accurately recorded.
• Manage all VAT and Corporate Tax matters for the entities, ensuring timely and accurate submissions.
• Manage and reconcile intercompany balances with counterparties.
• Maintain proper documentation and audit trails for all tax-related filings and reconciliations.
• Coordinating and ensuring accurate financial reports on Unit4 / OneStream (company global reporting system) adhering to specific reporting deadlines
• Analyze business monthly results and investigate significant variances to previous year, plan and forecast; review monthly P&Ls and work with the regional CFO to identify adjustments to reflect proper position as needed.
• Continuously identify opportunities to streamline accounting processes and improve accuracy.
• Prepare all supporting information for the annual audit, lead issues relating to audits and liaise with internal and external auditors for proper planning/resourcing.
• Communicate with the leadership team on the understanding and interpretation of financial results.
• Develop and maintain timely and accurate financial statements and reports that are appropriate for the users and in accordance with GAAP/IFRS.
• Ensuring compliance with corporate tax laws and regulations, including timely filing of corporate tax returns.
• Ensure all financial transactions comply with policies, audit requirements, and internal controls.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3–4 years of experience in accounting or finance.
• Prior experience in the insurance, financial services, or professional services sector will be an advantage.
• Proven experience in VAT returns and Corporate Tax regulations.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel.
• Understanding of UAE financial regulations, including VAT, Corporate Tax, and international standards such as IFRS.
• Ability to use BI tools to develop data visualizations and dashboards that help track business performance metrics (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Integrity and accountability in handling financial information.

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define, supported by a strong commitment to technical and soft skills training.

We offer a comprehensive package of rewards and benefits - including great medical insurance, competitive salary, and more.

We provide a workplace where everyone has a voice, where volunteering in the community is part of the day job, and where everyone is encouraged to play a part towards our sustainability goals. We want people who want to make a difference - not just in the workplace, but in the industry and in the wider community.

Our Culture: People First

Our core values dictate how we live and work. We are a group with independence and people at its heart and we are a home for talent with a unique culture: the biggest small company in the world.

The focus on being a People First business has always been at the very heart of the Group; Our vision was to create an independent business with a unique culture and one that would survive and thrive as a business controlled by the people working for it. And finding the most talented and entrepreneurial people to join the Group has been and will continue to be key.

Diversity & Inclusion

At HOWDEN we consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness and respect, regardless of their age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, marital status or family circumstances.