Business Controller & EMEA Finance Lead (m/w/d)

The businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany; Gernsheim; Vor Ort; EUR 70.000 - 100.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading multinational company in the pigments industry is seeking a Business Controller & Regional Finance Lead. This role involves providing financial analysis and support to the Surface Solutions Business, leading forecasting processes, and collaborating with regional management. The ideal candidate will have a strong finance background with experience in business controlling, excellent communication skills, and a proactive attitude.

Qualifikationen

• 6-8 years of relevant experience in Business Controlling or Business Partnering roles.
• Fluency in English; German is a plus.
• Previous experience in a mid-sized company is desirable.

Aufgaben

• Provide financial analysis and decision support to the Surface Solutions Business.
• Lead global forecasting processes and drive efficiency.
• Conduct Capex investment analysis and support month-end and year-end closing activities.

Kenntnisse

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Strategic thinking

Pragmatic mentality

Resilience

Ausbildung

University Degree in Economics or Finance

MBA or equivalent

Tools

MS Excel

SAP FI/CO

BI tools

PowerPoint

ThinkCell

Jobbeschreibung

Your role :

We are seeking a highly experienced Business Controller & Regional Finance Lead to join our Surface Solutions Finance Team.

The Surface Solutions business Unit, a mid-sized multinational leader in the pigments industry, is subject to a planned divestment to the company Global New Materials International (GNMI) as of summer 2025. GNMI is headquartered in China. Surface Solutions is planned to become a standalone business under GNMI ownership. In this context, a fully-fledged, dedicated Finance function for Surface Solutions needs to be build-up. For this function we are looking for a Business Controller. This role is subject to a transfer to GNMI with the business unit in August.

The successful candidate is a trusted, critical Finance Business Partner to the Surface Solutions Business providing relevant financial analysis, recommendation and decision support on a wide scope of strategic and operational matters. Additionally, the candidate will support the MDs in the EMEA region as the Key Finance Partner, covering local finance topics across four countries, interacting with other finance teams and shared service center.

The ideal candidate will have a strong finance background and act as a trusted business partner to the Surface Business, leading global forecasting processes and driving efficiency. They will provide insightful management reporting and performance analysis to support strategic decisions and resource allocation. The candidate will conduct Capex investment analysis, ensure accurate setup and maintenance of cost structures in ERP systems across EMEA, and support month-end and year-end closing activities. As the Regional Finance Lead for EMEA, they will collaborate closely with Managing Directors, offering financial guidance on a wide range of local topics including payment approvals and liquidity planning

Who you are:

• University Degree in Economics or Finance (MBA or equivalent Is preferred) with 6 - 8 years of relevant experience in Business Controlling or Business Partnering roles
• Previous experience in a mid-sized company is highly desirable
• Mastery in MS Excel, and SAP FI/CO (as a user) & BI, PowerPoint / ThinkCell
• Very good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across different regions, cultures and functions.
• Strong analytical skills and strategic thinking, combined with the willingness to implement.
• Pragmatic, hands on mentality and a positive “can do” attitude with high commitment to the team and the tasks.
• Resilient, able to manage multiple tasks under time pressure while keeping deadlines & high accuracy.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken); German is a plus.

EL-PS-F Finance & Controlling

AT /Expert 3