Financial Controlling Expert

AXA Group; Bristol, Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global insurance firm in Bristol is seeking a Financial Controller to oversee the financial control of Global Intermediate Products. Responsibilities include producing accurate financial information, managing budgets and expenses, and ensuring compliance with financial standards. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of financial experience, strong expertise in accounting, and exceptional relationship management skills. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to financial decision-making within a dynamic team environment.

Benefits

Diversity and inclusion programs

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a financial role, preferably in international settings.
• Strong expertise in accounting and financial controlling.
• Ability to manage relationships with senior managers and GSO team members.

Responsibilities

• Produce high-quality financial information and analysis for management.
• Coordinate and manage financial closing processes monthly.
• Monitor and control expenses across all activities.

Skills

Financial background

Accounting expertise

Controlling experience

Excellent relationship management

Tax knowledge

Tools

Coupa

Anaplan

Excel

PowerBI

PowerPoint

Job description

About AXA

As a world-leading insurance company, we act for human progress by protecting what matters. With 153,000 employees in 54 countries working for 105 million customers, we’ve created a truly dynamic and vibrant community. Inclusion and diversity link closely with our values, and together we’re nurturing a culture of respect, for each other, for our customers and the communities around us. Join AXA and you’ll feel like you belong, are included and can thrive. You’ll be able to shape the way you work and truly grow your potential as you seek out new opportunities, push boundaries and benefit people in critical moments of their lives. This is your chance to build the tomorrow you want. Know you can.

About the entity

AXA is becoming a sustainable tech‑led company and at AXA Group Operations we are one of the major catalysts for this transformation.

We set the tone by triggering and empowering the evolution of our insurance business model through technology and innovation, driving its concrete implementation globally at speed, with a high quality of advisory and execution.

We are present across 17 countries with committed, highly qualified teams. We leverage technology, data, sourcing, security and investment allocation in a global way, but also achieve economies of scale and synergies when necessary.

At AXA Group Operations, we want to be recognized in three fields of action:

• State-of-the-art Data Technology to drive customer experience
• State-of-the-art Procurement & Sourcing to drive efficiency and better manage risks
• High-Performing Global Team for stronger partnerships with AXA entities

Job position pitch

The financial controller brings high level of expertise to manage the overall financial control (Plan Budget Results) of Global Intermediate Products (GIP), Global Platform Operation (GPFO), Global Process Operations (GPRO), HO & Operational Excellence scopes (HO&OE), part of the GSO scope in order to provide to the GSO management a clear and understandable view of the major financial parameters to support business decisions, minimize the financial risks, and optimize the value of GSO activities.

He/she has the very important role to ensure the full consistency of financial figures produced and analyzed for each covered business unit and then published to support fully informed strategic and organizational Executive decision process. It has to be done in full compliance with AXA Group Financial standards.

The GSO perimeter is growing over the years within AXA Group Operations strategy and contains currently several strategic initiatives on top of recurrent Light‑On activities. These projects are Transformation projects with complex funding set‑up, with teams hosted in all AXA GO Legal entities.

Where will you be in the organization?

You will join AXA Group Operations Finance. This division drives and monitors Group Operations strategic plan, sets budgets and efficiency targets, follows up and controls actuals versus budget targets, while providing timely, accurate and adequate financial information to enable thorough decision‑making and ensuring compliance with local regulations.

Our main missions

• Drive and monitor AXA GO strategic plan, budgets and efficiency targets. Track and control actuals compared to budget targets
• Establish and maintain cost accounting for AXA GO
• Define mechanisms for cost recharging to Entities, set rules to account for the financial implications of services provided, and monitor cash management
• Prepare and provide financial statements in compliance with regulatory requirements, ensure adherence to local and international tax regulations
• Coordinate and manage M&A projects (divestitures, internal transfer, business transfer) at AXA GO level

Our division is composed of several departments with respective accountabilities:

• Controlling
• Commercial Finance
• Accounting
• Corporate Finance
• Finance Transformation

About the job

Main missions

For GSO Scope (scope mentioned above) He/she is responsible:

• To produce a high quality and timely financial information and deliver accurate analysis to the management
• To support, challenge & control the expenses on all activities hosted in the scope
• To coordinate, monitor, manage and ensure the quality of the closing processes (on a monthly basis)
• Be the “gatekeeper” of financial processes (eg purchase orders,..), to directly manage specific cases requiring high level of expertise and organize support and training to smoothen the processes.
• Also make sure in relationship with GSO Monitoring teams that all employees are able to time track their activities, approve the POs,… (and understand the financial processes)
• Ensure up‑to‑date use of methodologies regarding controlling, accounting, taxes and proactively get trained on new standards
• To produce reports of actuals or others to answer to GSO operational needs
• To support Project teams during the rolling forecast activities per providing the key financial elements and parameters such MD rate per country, FX, VAT and TP. Also, to ensure the alignment of forecast parameters with Internal Projects Parameters and the Internal Project Governance decisions
• To support Project teams to get a consolidated view of their Budget vs Forecast vs Engaged
• To support the Engagement Committee preparation and to apply the committee decisions

KPI

• On time, on specifications to deliver the financial planning processes (budget, forecast pre‑close)
• On time, ...
• AXA GO budget in line with Management commitments (GSO perimeter)
• Transparent and actionable financial reporting to management and Heads of GSO scope
• Efficiency of controlling activities

Expected skills & experience

We are looking for someone with the following experience and skills:

Experience

• Financial background with at least 5 years proven experience in international environments
• Strong expertise of accounting and controlling
• Excellent relationship management; Most of partners to produce the budget are Managers/GSO LTM members
• Expertise and knowledge of tax aspects on international flows is a plus

Technical skills

• Financial expertise with at least 5 years of experience with focus on accounting, budgeting and controlling
• Very good level of expertise on controlling and budgeting
• Good level of expertise on various financial tools (Coupa, Anaplan), reporting tools (Excel, PowerBI) and presentation (PowerPoint)
• Good level of expertise on accounting and tax
• Proactive in being up‑to‑date in accounting, budgeting and controlling expertise
• Proficient in presentation, both oral and written
• IT sensibility is a real plus

Soft skills / transversal skills

• High level of maturity in interfacing with people, working both across cultures and at various levels of the organization; Assertive, persuasive and didactic
• Real aptitude for working in a multicultural and global environment
• Collaboration skills are critical to ensure all the stakeholders work in concert to deliver budget figures
• Communication skills (both oral and written) are important for managing meetings with executives.
• Sense of organization, reactivity…
• Ability to interpret complex data, analyze and give senior advise
• Ability to collaborate proactively with contacts all over the world. Raise questions, ask for help when needed
• Creation and management of a network of people to get the appropriate level of information and disseminate good practices
• Good level in English (speaking and writing), at least B2

What we offer

We bring together the expertise, cultural diversity and creativity of over 8,000 employees worldwide and we’re committed to equal opportunities in all aspects of employment (gender, LGBT+, disabled persons, or people of different origins) and to promoting Diversity & Inclusion by creating a work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect, and where individual differences are valued.