Job Description
Our client is a marketing agency. They have built a strong reputation helping companies in the travel, fashion, luxury, and FMCG industries.
We’re looking for an Arabic speaking Financial Controller to take ownership of the accounts across their Middle East entities, covering both Dubai and Saudi Arabia. This is a senior, hands-on role that combines technical rigour with genuine business partnering.
The successful candidate will own end-to-end financial control at legal entity level, including P & L, balance sheet, and cash flow, while coordinating external providers and supporting management with clear, reliable financial information.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Monthly Closing and Reporting
- Own and strengthen the monthly close process, targeting completion by day six
- Ensure accurate P and L, balance sheet, and cash flow reporting
- Provide P and L by entity, consolidated P and L, and management views by business pillar
- Deliver clear commentary and analysis to management
Business Partnering
- Partner with operational teams across the end-to-end project flow, covering Salesforce, project management documents, expenses, purchase orders, and invoicing
- Ensure invoicing completeness and support resolution of operational gaps
Project and Campaign Profitability
- Monitor project margins and cost leakage
- Ensure all billable work, including prior periods, is invoiced
Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
- Own balance sheet reviews and reconciliations, identifying and addressing aged or unusual balances
- Provide monthly cash flow visibility and monitor short-term cash risks and AR and AP ageing
Invoice Approval and Payment Control
- Own the invoice approval tracker
- Approve invoices in line with the Delegation of Authority, supporting documentation, and accounting rules
Audit, Tax, and Compliance
- Coordinate audits for the UAE and KSA entities
- Oversee external accounting and tax providers
- Ensure compliance with IFRS, UAE VAT and Corporate Tax, and KSA VAT, withholding tax, and Zakat and CIT requirements
- Maintain master finance files including P & L, budget and forecast, and cash flow, with alignment to HQ numbers
Team and Provider Management
- Support, guide, and develop two direct reports and other contributors within scope
- Set clear expectations and review the quality of work delivered by external teams
- Act as the primary point of accountability for delivery quality, timelines, and issue resolution with third parties
Requirements
- Arabic speaker strongly preferred
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent)
- At least 5 years of post-qualification experience in a financial control or senior finance role
- Prior experience working across the UAE and or KSA
- Experience managing external audit processes
- Background in a fast-paced, international environment
- Solid understanding of UAE VAT, Corporate Tax, and KSA tax and Zakat requirements
- Proficiency with ERP systems;
- Advanced Excel
Personal Attributes
- High ownership mindset, taking accountability for outcomes rather than just activities
- Collaborative and solution oriented, with a track record of building strong relationships between finance and the business
- Strong communicator, able to translate complex financial data into clear management narratives
- Proactive in identifying issues and escalating early
- Comfortable working across multiple entities and with external partners