Senior Business Controller

Akkodis; Dubai; On-site; AED 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Akkodis in Dubai seeks Senior Business Controller to lead budgeting, forecasting, and performance management across business lines, working with leadership to optimize margins and internal controls.

You will drive monthly close, reporting packages, and dashboards, partner with commercial teams on contracts, and advance digital transformation with SAP S/4HANA, ensuring compliance and cost savings.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration.
• 6–8 years in business controlling, FP&A, or corporate finance.
• Experience with SAP S/4HANA (FI/CO) required.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual budgeting and financial planning in alignment with strategic objectives.
• Develop department and business line budgets with operational managers.
• Maintain monthly rolling forecasts to identify variances, risks, and drivers.
• Drive month-end close, ensure data integrity and timely reporting.
• Analyze actual vs budget/forecast and deliver insights to executives.
• Produce monthly financial reporting packages and executive dashboards.
• Partner with commercial teams on contract renewals, pricing, and negotiations.
• Identify cost-saving initiatives and drive improvement plans.
• Design and maintain internal control frameworks and ensure compliance.
• Lead SAP S/4HANA-driven automation of reporting and controls.
• Track project and client contract profitability and reforecasted revenue.
• Monitor cost drivers and flag budget overruns with corrective actions.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial analysis

Management reporting

Internal controls

Cross-functional collaboration

MS Excel

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance/Accounting/Business Administration

Tools

SAP S/4HANA (FI/CO)

Job description

The Senior Business Controller leads financial oversight, operational planning, and performance management across business lines. Working closely with leadership and cross-functional teams, this role drives budgeting, rolling forecasts, project profitability, and internal controls using SAP S/4HANA to optimize margins and support strategic decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead annual budgeting and financial planning in alignment with strategic objectives.
• Develop department and business line budgets in close collaboration with operational managers.
• Maintain monthly rolling forecasts to proactively identify budget variances, risks, and performance drivers.

2. Month-End Closing, Performance Analysis & Reporting

• Drive month-end financial closing processes, ensuring data integrity and timely reporting.
• Analyze actual vs. budget/forecast/prior-year performance, delivering actionable insights to executive leadership.
• Produce monthly Group, Management, and Departmental financial reporting packages and executive dashboards.
• Partner with commercial teams on contract renewals, pricing structures, and financial negotiations.
• Identify cost-saving initiatives and drive operational improvement plans to resolution.

3. Financial Governance, Controls & Digital Transformation

• Design, implement, and maintain robust internal control frameworks to safeguard company assets.
• Conduct internal control assessments to ensure strict compliance with corporate policies and financial regulations.
• Support financial, quality, and internal audits, serving as a primary point of contact.
• Lead process optimization and leverage SAP S/4HANA to automate financial reporting and control workflows.

4. Project & Contract Financial Management

• Track and optimize project and client contract profitability against target margins.
• Collaborate monthly with Project Managers to validate reforecasted revenue, gross margins, and cost variances.
• Monitor project cost drivers, flag potential budget overruns, and execute corrective action plans.

Qualifications & Skills

Professional Experience & Technical Skills

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related fields.
• Experience: 6-8 years of progressive experience in business controlling, FP&A, or corporate finance.
• ERP Knowledge: Hands-on experience with SAP S/4HANA (FI/CO modules) required.
• Financial Expertise: Deep knowledge of financial principles, risk management, internal controls, and project accounting.
• Advanced Analytics: Advanced MS Excel skills (financial modeling, data automation) and proficiency across the MS Office Suite.

Key Competencies & Soft Skills

• Strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving mindset.
• Clear executive communication and presentation skills.
• High attention to detail with an emphasis on accuracy and reporting integrity.
• Proven ability to manage deadlines and thrive under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and change-adaptability.