Financial Planning & Analysis Manager

Lockton Companies; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the insurance and professional services sector is seeking an FP&A Manager for the MENA region. This pivotal role involves budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis, supporting decision-making across various business units. The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with extensive experience in the MENA markets, strong analytical skills, and the capability to drive financial strategies while maintaining compliance with local regulations.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of relevant FP&A experience.
• Strong background in financial planning and performance analysis.
• Experience with MENA markets and VAT compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis for MENA entities.
• Deliver management reporting packs and maintain KPI dashboards.
• Partner with regional business leaders on financial initiatives.

Skills

Financial Planning

Budgeting

Forecasting

Performance Analysis

Stakeholder Management

Education

Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

Oracle EPBCS

Hyperion

SAP BPC

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

The FP&A Manager – MENA will play a pivotal role in shaping financial strategy and performance management across the region. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer – MENA, this role is responsible for the delivery of budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and reporting. The successful candidate will partner with regional leadership, local finance teams, and the global head office to support decision-making and enhance financial visibility across business units.

Key Responsibilities

1. Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead the annual budgeting, quarterly reforecasting, and long-range planning cycles across all MENA entities.
• Prepare scenario modelling, shadow budgets, and financial impact assessments for new territories (e.g., Iraq, Morocco) and strategic initiatives (e.g., Claims Advisory Practice).
• Consolidate and validate submissions from local finance teams and ensure alignment with global FP&A standards and deadlines.
• Monitor budget-to-actual variances and provide commentary and recommendations.

2. Commercial Reporting & Insight

• Deliver monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc management reporting packs, including P&L, EBITDA, working capital, and productivity metrics.
• Build and maintain KPI dashboards that track revenue trends, cost structures, headcount ratios, broker productivity, and client profitability.
• Analyse financial performance and proactively identify areas for improvement or investment.

3. Business Partnering

• Act as the finance partner to regional business leaders across Broking, Operations, HR, Digital, and Compliance.
• Support client-level and segment profitability reviews, pricing discussions, and broker performance metrics.
• Provide analytical support to new initiatives, strategic reviews, and cross-border cost allocation models.

4. Governance, Compliance & Regulatory Awareness

• Ensure financial planning and analysis is fully compliant with MENA Regulatory landscape.
• Work closely with Tax, Regulatory Reporting, and Legal to embed governance controls into forecasting and reporting.

5. Systems, Tools & Automation

• Utilise enterprise planning platforms for modelling and reporting.
• Develop and maintain advanced Excel models and dashboards to support self-service analytics and reduce manual processes.
• Lead automation of recurring reporting deliverables and contribute to finance digitalisation initiatives.

6. Projects & Strategic Initiatives

• Support financial due diligence, market entries, JV assessments, and strategic cost reviews.
• Contribute to finance transformation projects, such as ERP upgrades, reporting rationalisation, and policy harmonisation across the region.
• Participate in cross-functional working groups driving improvements in operational efficiency and profitability.

Candidate Profile

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent with 5–8 years of relevant FP&A experience.
• Strong background in financial planning, modelling, and performance analysis within insurance, reinsurance, or professional services.
• Proven track record of managing multi-entity, multi-currency environments across international or regional hubs.
• Experience working with MENA markets, ideally with exposure to VAT, WHT, and regional tax compliance.
• Proficiency in Oracle EPBCS, Hyperion, SAP BPC, or similar FP&A systems.
• Advanced Excel skills including macros, pivot tables, and scenario modelling.
• Knowledge of broking revenue recognition, and IBA / non-IBA accounting treatment.
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or other BI tools.
• Strong presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work independently and lead complex projects in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

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