Head of Controlling (H/F)

Spherea Group; Toulouse; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Spherea Group seeks a Head of Controlling to lead the Controlling pillar through post-merger integration. You will own the monthly and annual consolidation, from local-GAAP to IFRS, and ensure audit-ready statutory and group reporting.

You will set group policies for IFRS 15 revenue recognition, build the group accounting manual, and drive EPM integration across entities while coordinating with auditors and regional teams.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with a master's in accounting or finance.
• 15+ years in group consolidation and IFRS reporting.
• Expertise in IFRS 15 revenue recognition for long-term contracts.
• Consolidation platform and EPM experience; integration & change-management track record.

Responsibilities

• Own the monthly and annual consolidation across all entities, including the intermediate sub-consolidation tier.
• Ensure traceability from local-GAAP statutory accounts to IFRS and to management reporting.
• Coordinate statutory account preparation across subsidiaries; liaise with group auditors.
• Own the group revenue-recognition policy for long-term contracts (IFRS 15), harmonising inherited methods, and define booking/billing/backlog definitions.
• Own PPA accounting on acquisitions; maintain the group accounting manual and IFRS policies.
• Coordinate on transfer pricing documentation feeding intercompany and statutory layers.
• Own the group's reporting processes for management and statutory accounts; shorten monthly close to d+5.
• Produce the consolidated figures and covenant calculations for SFA compliance.

Skills

Qualified accountant

IFRS reporting

Group consolidation

IFRS 15 over-time revenue recognition

Consolidation platform

EPM experience

Integration & change-management

Multi-entity, multi-currency

Education

Master's in accounting or finance

Tools

Amelkis

ERP systems

EPM tools

Job description

The Head of Controlling leads the Controlling pillar through the post-merger integration, accountable for accurate, audit-ready statutory and consolidated (IFRS) accounts on time. The role builds the group-level consolidation, reporting and control capability the enlarged group needs, as guardian of the group's financial information.

Key responsibilities :

Consolidation & statutory reporting

• Own the monthly and annual consolidation across all entities, including the intermediate sub-consolidation tier;
• Ensure traceability from local-GAAP statutory accounts to IFRS and to management reporting;
• Coordinate statutory account preparation across subsidiaries;
• Act as day-to-day counterpart to the group's co-statutory auditors and coordinate the group audit plan with the local auditors of each subsidiary.

Technical accounting & long-term contracts (IFRS)

• Own the group revenue-recognition policy for long-term contracts (IFRS 15), harmonising the methods inherited from Averna and Spherea - the basis for measuring operating performance;
• Set the group booking / billing / backlog definitions, consistent with IFRS 15 revenue recognition;
• Own PPA accounting on acquisitions - fair values, intangibles and related deferred tax;
• Build then maintain the group accounting manual, IFRS policies and internal finance procedures;
• Coordinate on transfer pricing documentation feeding the intercompany and statutory layer.
• Own the group's reporting processes, for both management and statutory accounts;
• Harmonise and shorten the monthly close (target d+5) and standardise the group reporting package;
• Produce the consolidated figures and covenant calculations for the compliance certificates under the Senior Facility Agreement (SFA).

Finance systems & processes

• Act as business owner of the group consolidation and reporting systems, from the local ERPs to the EPM;
• Set requirements for and validate the continuous improvement of the group systems in place (Amelkis); drive finance processes and documentation;
• As client of the target-system project, set requirements, arbitrate and validate delivery - a scalable EPM interconnected with the local ERPs.

Team & governance

• Build and lead the group controlling team (3-4 direct reports) and support local accounting teams proactively;
• Set group standards and the internal-control framework across entities and regions.

First 12 months - what success looks like

• Reliable monthly group consolidation by d+5; single entity-based reporting architecture live across regions;
• First combined group consolidation delivered by Q1 2027, ahead of the 30 June 2027 deadline;
• A harmonised group revenue-recognition policy for long-term contracts, consistently applied and validated with the auditors;
• Amelkis quick-win requirements set and delivery validated; EPM business requirements specified and target-solution selection validated.

Qualifications

Required

• Qualified accountant (DEC, CPA, ACA/ACCA, or equivalent) with a master's in accounting or finance;
• 15+ years in group consolidation and IFRS reporting (multi-entity, multi-currency); fluent English;
• Expertise in long-term & project contract accounting (IFRS 15 over-time revenue recognition);
• Consolidation-platform and EPM experience; integration & change-management track record.

Preferred

• Exposure to international tax and transfer pricing - intercompany flows and statutory impacts;
• Private-equity & LBO-backed environment; familiarity with senior-lender and sponsor expectations;
• Post-merger integration in an international group;
• Industrial or engineering-services sector (aerospace & defence a plus).

Core competencies

Technical & delivery: authority on IFRS consolidation and long-term contract accounting; rigour and full ownership of deadlines; ability to standardise and industrialise finance processes.

Relational & intercultural: builds trust and influences without direct authority across legacy organisations and different cultures; diplomacy, active listening in a sensitive post-merger climate; clear, adaptive communication across languages and finance-maturity levels; credible with auditors, regions and senior management.