Finance Business Partner

Stantec; Dubai; On-site; AED 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global professional services firm seeks a Middle East Finance Business Partner to manage project portfolio performance, budgeting, and ensure compliance with financial policies. The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with experience in a large company, strong leadership skills, and an operationally-minded approach. They'll support financial reporting, develop management analyses, and collaborate with various teams to drive performance and improvements. This role offers the opportunity to play a key part in the company's growth and financial health.

Qualifications

• Several years of experience in a professional services environment.
• Experience improving controls and processes in a hands-on manner.
• Good understanding of IFRS and financial reporting.

Responsibilities

• Support business performance management and budgeting.
• Develop management reporting and analysis for business performance.
• Prepare variance analysis on operating financial performance.

Skills

Operational and commercial mindset

Strategic thinking

Leadership skills

High emotional intelligence

Excellent communication

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent)

Tools

Major ERP business systems

Job description

Job Responsibilities

The Middle East Finance Business Partner will work closely with the business, supporting a specific business within the Middle East. The primary purpose of the role is to support the business in actively managing project portfolio performance, growth, budgeting & forecasting. Other key priorities will include ensuring that the business operates in a way that is compliant with Stantec's accounting policies – in particular, IFRS 15 and Stantec's revenue recognition policies. The business partner will advise the business on how to establish and sustain business models in ways that are efficient, effective, and compliant.

Specific day-to-day responsibilities include:

• Work closely with the Finance team and the operational business to manage business performance, budgeting, and forecasting, and be an active member of the operating management team. Also, provide ongoing financial support to Project Managers and Project Controllers.
• Develop management reporting and analysis to support transparency over the key drivers of Middle East business performance and participate in discussions with the business on how key aspects of performance - growth, profitability, and cash generation – can be improved.
• Prepare concise commentaries and variance analysis on operating financial performance for their line of business.
• Carry out commercial finance processes that support the monthly, quarterly, and year-end accounting close & reporting processes, including working closely with the financial accounting team.
• Ensure adequate quality control measures are taken over all aspects of financial reporting.
• Work with the business to prepare and aggregate detailed forecasts for the business lines for which the role is responsible, and support the Group planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes as required. Be able to explain the forecasts, and to explain key assumptions, areas of sensitivity, risk & opportunity as needed.
• Support, where required, on the development of price and costing models and strategies to support large and complex project bids to support the BOURC process.
• Work closely with the Finance team to actively manage the Middle East cost base, including developing options for cost reduction where appropriate and possible.
• At all times, ensure you work within the Stantec risk and control framework, which operates to SOX standards.
• Collaborate with Project Accountants (PAs) and Project Managers, and assist with the coordination of their monthly project review cycle; also work with PMs and PAs to analyse project financial performance to identify challenges and solutions.
• Provide financial support to Project Managers and Project Control Specialists as required.
• Work with the tax team to ensure tax compliance and other taxation risks are appropriately addressed, as necessary.
• Support external and internal audit activities, as necessary.
• Maintain a strong understanding of key contractual agreements with clients.
• Instil a culture of continuous improvement and lean management across key business processes, roles, controls & technology, including integration with Pune to improve effectiveness and efficiency across commercial finance activities.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be an operationally and commercially minded qualified accountant with several years of experience, ideally in a professional services environment. The company is seeking an individual who is capable of high-level strategic thinking, whilst also being able to roll up their sleeves when required to ensure smooth operation of key business processes across a diverse business portfolio. Strong leadership skills and the ability to communicate clearly at different levels of the business are essential.

Other specific required qualifications include:

• A finance professional with experience of working in a similar large company environment.
• Ideally, a qualified accountant (ACA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent), or part-qualified and actively studying a professional accounting qualification.
• Experience improving controls, processes, and procedures in a hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves manner.
• Good understanding of IFRS
• Major ERP business systems experience.
• Natural demonstration of high emotional intelligence and ability to establish and maintain a highly professional team culture and environment.
• A project-orientated finance professional with strength of personality and conviction in one's own decision-making to drive high performance and deliver results.
• Credibility, professional integrity, and gravitas to challenge at the highest level will be taken as a given.
• Ability to clearly present quantitative information to all levels of management and effectively interact and communicate, both verbally and in writing, with a diverse workforce in multiple countries.

The ideal candidate will be strategic, change-oriented, innovative, and always seeking to improve. They will be someone who will thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, working with high energy and resilience.

The candidate will have a unique opportunity to play a key role in delivering continued profitable growth of the company.