Associate Partner - Finance Transformation

International Business Machines Corporation; Köln; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM Consulting seeks an Associate Partner to lead finance transformation programs for CFOs across Germany, based in major IBM locations. You will shape finance transformations and drive AI-enabled finance initiatives with the IBM ecosystem.

Responsibilities include building client relationships, originating new business, leading multi-workstream programs, and mentoring delivery teams of 10–30+ consultants to deliver measurable business value.

Qualifications

• 12–15+ years of finance transformation experience, including several years in management or technology consulting.
• Expert knowledge of end-to-end finance processes: FP&A, S2P/Procure-to-Pay, and R2R; finance operating models and governance.

Responsibilities

• Own CFO relationships and shape the finance transformation agenda across FP&A, S2P, and R2R.
• Originate and win new business; build and manage a pipeline; lead proposals and orals as engagement lead.

Skills

Finance transformation leadership

Finance process expertise

AI/data/workflow transformation

Business development

Executive presence & leadership

German & English fluency

Education

University degree in business/finance/economics or related field

MBA, CPA, ACCA, CIMA, CFA or German equivalent

Job description

Introduction

A career in IBM Consulting is built on long-term client relationships and close collaboration worldwide. You'll work with leading companies across industries, helping them shape their hybrid cloud and AI journeys. With support from our strategic partners, robust IBM technology, and Red Hat, you'll have the tools to drive meaningful change and accelerate client impact. At IBM Consulting, curiosity fuels success. You'll be encouraged to challenge the norm, explore new ideas, and create innovative solutions that deliver real results. Our culture of growth and empathy focuses on your long-term career development while valuing your unique skills and experiences.

Your role and responsibilities

As an Associate Partner in our Finance Practice Transformation team, you will own relationships with CFOs and finance leadership teams and lead large-scale programs that transform how finance functions plan, buy, pay, close and report. You combine deep finance process expertise with a clear vision of how AI, data and intelligent workflows reshape the finance function, and you drive the growth of our practice in Germany through new business, offerings and talent. The role can be based at our locations in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Ehningen (near Stuttgart) or Munich.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Own CFO Client Relationships: Act as trusted advisor to CFOs and heads of accounting, controlling and procurement, and shape their finance transformation agenda across Financial Planning & Analysis, Source-to-Pay and Record-to-Report.
• Originate and Win New Business: Build and convert a pipeline of finance transformation opportunities, lead proposals and orals as engagement lead, and own sales and revenue targets for your accounts.
• Lead Large-Scale Transformation Programs: Take end-to-end responsibility for multi-workstream programs from strategy and target operating model to implementation, including scope, budget, quality, risk and commercial results.
• Shape the AI-Enabled Finance Function: Define vision and roadmaps for AI-, data- and workflow-driven finance, e.g. autonomous close, touchless procure-to-pay, predictive and driver-based planning and agentic finance workflows, anchored in a scalable data foundation.
• Orchestrate the IBM Ecosystem: Bring together IBM Consulting, IBM Software (e.g. watsonx, Planning Analytics) and strategic partners such as SAP, Oracle, Anaplan, OneStream, Coupa and BlackLine into integrated client solutions.
• Develop Offerings and Thought Leadership: Build the practice's offerings, assets and points of view on the future of finance, and represent IBM at client events, conferences and in publications.
• Build and Lead Teams: Lead delivery teams of 10-30+ consultants across onshore and global delivery centers, and recruit, coach and develop Managing Consultants and Senior Managing Consultants.

Required technical and professional expertise

• Finance Transformation Leadership: 12-15+ years of experience in finance transformation, of which 8+ in management or technology consulting, including several years leading large engagements at Senior Manager / Associate Partner level or equivalent.
• Deep Finance Process Expertise: Expert knowledge of end-to-end finance processes - Financial Planning & Analysis, Source-to-Pay / Procure-to-Pay and Record-to-Report - as well as finance operating models, shared services / GBS, internal controls and governance.
• AI-, Data- and Workflow-Driven Transformation: Proven track record of scaling AI, data and workflow solutions in finance functions beyond the pilot stage, and the ability to explain their business value, risks and regulatory and audit implications to C-level stakeholders.
• Business Development Track Record: Demonstrated ability to originate, shape and close consulting deals, with a personal sales track record and established relationships with CFO organizations in the German market.
• Executive Presence and Leadership: Trusted by C-level clients; experience leading large, multi-disciplinary and distributed teams and managing complex program economics.
• Education and Languages: University degree in business, finance, economics, business informatics or a related field; business-fluent German and English.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Expert Negotiation Skills: Ability to effectively negotiate with various stakeholders to drive project success and achieve desired outcomes. Proven ability to leverage negotiation skills to enhance and improve processes. Experience in using negotiation to influence people and coordinate activities.
• Advanced Business Acumen: Understanding of business measurements, customer satisfaction, and cost management. Experience in contributing to activities that impact these areas and driving team objectives.
• Professional Development: Experience in focusing on individual/team objectives and development of professional effectiveness. Ability to quickly absorb professional knowledge and develop skills.
• Industry Depth: Recognized expertise in at least one industry such as financial services, industrials, automotive, consumer or public sector, including its regulatory requirements.
• Platform and Ecosystem Expertise: Strong understanding of SAP S/4HANA Finance, Oracle Fusion, EPM platforms (Anaplan, OneStream, Oracle EPM) and S2P / close platforms, and established relationships with these partners.
• IBM and AI Technology: Familiarity with IBM technology such as watsonx, Planning Analytics or Cloud Pak for Business Automation, or with comparable hyperscaler AI stacks.
• Professional Qualifications: MBA, CPA, ACCA, CIMA, CFA or a German equivalent (e.g. Wirtschaftsprüfer, Steuerberater).

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.