Finance Director – Building Materials Distribution, Madrid

Approach People Recruitment; Madrid; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Approach People Recruitment is seeking an accomplished Finance Director to unify the financial and administrative setup across its Spanish operations. You will champion robust reporting, governance and strong financial control while guiding a small team of managers across four operating companies.

The role focuses on improving processes, driving harmonisation, and supporting key management decisions with insightful analysis and reliable financial information.

Qualifications

• Seasoned finance and management control professional with 15+ years of relevant experience in Spain.
• Broad view of business management across finance, sales, logistics and operations.
• University degree in Economics or related field; postgraduate studies valued.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to drive improvements and governance.
• Proven leadership, training of teams and cross‑functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Management control, reporting and KPI ownership across multiple companies.
• Oversee accounting and payroll, month‑end close and internal controls.
• Drive process improvements, budgeting, forecasting and financial analyses.
• Lead ERP implementation and monetise business needs within Dynamics 365 FO.
• Ensure regulatory compliance, tax reporting and governance.
• Participate in strategic decisions as a senior financial partner.

Skills

Finance management

Management control

Leadership

Analytics

Education

Economics degree

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 FO

Job description

About the company

A leading distributor in Spain of building materials for professionals. The company offers a wide range of products, including acoustic and thermal insulation solutions and HVAC systems.

About the role

As the company continues to grow in Spain, it is looking for a highly experienced finance professional to strengthen and unify the financial and administrative organisation of its various companies in the country. The role will drive process improvement, support business harmonisation initiatives and ensure robust financial reporting and corporate governance.

The Finance Director will lead and develop a team of three Management Control and Finance managers across four operating companies, fostering alignment, consistency and the sharing of best practices across the organisation.

The main mission of the role is to ensure strong financial control, accurate accounting and reliable financial information. As the main financial partner to the General Management, you will provide analysis, advice and guidance to support key management and business decisions.

Main responsibilities

1. Management control, management information and reporting.

2. Accounting and administration.

3. Other responsibilities.

1. Management control, management information and reporting

• Regularly provide management information, financial indicators and KPIs to the management teams and to the parent company in Belgium.

• Take ownership of the main financial and operational indicators, safeguarding margins and analysing profitability by customer and product. Identify areas for improvement and advise management and sales teams on the actions to take.

• Analyse monthly results, including sales, prices, margins and costs, as well as trends in the main indicators. Compare actual results with budget together with the management teams and implement the necessary corrective actions.

• Own the preparation of annual budgets, monthly performance monitoring, variance analysis and the updating of financial forecasts.

• Assess potential investments and prepare financial analyses to support decision‑making.

2. Accounting and administration

• Oversee day‑to‑day financial and administrative management, including general accounting, payroll administration and month‑end closing.

• Ensure the efficient organisation of internal administrative processes and related controls covering orders, production costs, deliveries, payments, invoicing, inventories and other operational activities.

• Ensure compliance with all accounting, tax and financial reporting obligations under current regulations.

• Act as the main point of contact for external parties, including tax authorities, auditors, banks and legal advisers.

• Lead small administrative teams, providing guidance, coaching and ongoing on‑the‑job training.

3. Other responsibilities

• Review the current structure of the finance function, working methods and key processes, and propose improvements to increase efficiency, scalability and overall performance.

• Identify process optimisation opportunities in other areas of the business, such as logistics, sales, purchasing and operations, and advise on their implementation.

• Play an active role in the implementation, optimisation and continuous improvement of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations ERP, making sure business needs are translated into effective solutions.

• Oversee ESG (environmental, social and governance) and compliance matters, ensuring internal standards are applied and regulatory and reporting requirements are met.

• Define, strengthen and monitor internal control procedures to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and corporate obligations.

• Be part of the management team, actively contributing to the company’s strategic and operational decisions.

Profile required

• Seasoned finance and management control professional with more than 15 years of relevant experience in Spain, preferably in distribution or manufacturing companies.

• Broad view of business management, with solid knowledge of finance, sales, logistics, human resources and technology.

• University degree, preferably in Economics or a related field; postgraduate studies are valued.

• Strong analytical skills and a good understanding of the key drivers of financial performance.

• Strong personality, with leadership and communication skills and experience developing and training teams.

• Ability to handle a variety of day‑to‑day issues and prioritise effectively.

• Proactive, practical and problem‑solving attitude.

• Project management experience and skills.

• Willingness to travel, mainly within Spain.

• Fluent Spanish and English.