Finance Manager

Education First; Milano; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

International exposure within a global organization

Continuous learning opportunities

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

Education First is seeking a highly skilled Finance Manager in Milan to drive financial excellence. Your role will involve owning accounting integrity, ensuring accurate financial reporting, and managing audits while liaising with global teams.

We seek candidates with extensive knowledge of Italian statutory requirements, a Bachelor's degree in finance/accounting, and fluency in Italian and English. This opportunity offers growth in a dynamic, international environment with a supportive team.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of accounting experience in multinational environments.
• Self-starter with strong business judgment and independence.
• Experience with Oracle Fusion or other major ERP is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for all accounting activities for the legal entity.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial statements.
• Lead entity-level forecasting and projection processes.
• Own the legal entity control environment and ensure regulatory compliance.

Skills

Italian statutory and tax requirements

Fluent in Italian

Fluent in English

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Time management skills

Social skills

Business judgment

Open-mindedness

Solution-oriented

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or similar

Professional accounting qualification (Dottore Commercialista, ACCA)

Tools

Oracle Fusion

Job description

The role

EF is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Finance Manager to join our team.

You will drive financial excellence by owning accounting integrity, financial reporting, statutory compliance, and audits—ensuring accuracy and timeliness while working with operational teams to assess and document all activities.

As a key-role in a privately held and international company, this role coordinates closely with shared service centers, global process owners, and central finance functions across multiple countries. For the successful candidate, this position provides immense opportunities for growth and ownership, and opportunities to contribute to fast‑paced business decisions and planning activities.

We are looking for candidates that have strong knowledge in Italian statutory and tax requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Entity Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Accountable for all accounting activities for the legal entity, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, intercompany transactions, and cash and treasury activities of a complex multi‑entity structure.
• Ensure the completeness, accuracy, existence, and timeliness of all financial records and monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, in partnership with shared service centers.
• Review and approve financial results, providing clear explanations of variances, risks, and key judgments.
• Lead entity‑level forecasting and projection processes, including monitoring actuals vs projections and providing clear insights to stakeholders.

Controls, Compliance & Risk

• Own the legal entity control environment, ensuring adherence to accounting policies, internal controls, and regulatory requirements.
• Identify, assess, and escalate accounting, compliance, and financial risks in a timely manner.
• Apply accounting judgment on complex or non‑routine transactions, in coordination with central accounting or technical experts as needed.

Audit, Tax & Regulatory Matters

• Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors, coordinating and managing statutory and internal audits.
• Oversee tax, VAT, and regulatory filings, ensuring compliance with local laws and transfer pricing requirements.
• Coordinate with tax advisors and central tax teams, ensuring accurate and timely submissions.

Support to Business Teams

• Work closely with local business leadership and central FP&A teams, supporting accurate and timely capture of activities, contracts, and transactions.
• Provide guidance to stakeholders to ensure operations are structured and executed in line with accounting, tax, and regulatory requirements.
• Proactively engage with the business to prevent downstream accounting or compliance issues.

Process Excellence & Transformation

• Work effectively within a matrix organization, coordinating with shared service centers, Global Process Owners, and central finance teams.
• Retain accountability for outcomes while leveraging global processes and standardized solutions.
• Support continuous improvement of transactional and reporting processes, addressing gaps, inefficiencies, and control weaknesses.
• Manage and coach an international team to ensure quality and timeliness of deliverables, including identifying gaps in execution and providing corrective guidance.

Governance & Corporate Matters

• Support Board of Directors meeting preparation, including statutory financial materials and disclosures.
• Support corporate governance and structural matters, including regulatory and legal entity‑related requirements.

Requirements

• 8+ years of accounting experience in multinational environments.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or similar.
• Professional accounting qualification (e.g., Dottore Commercialista, ACCA, or equivalent).
• Strong knowledge of Italian statutory and tax requirements.
• Fluent in Italian and English.
• Experience with Oracle Fusion or other major ERP is an advantage.
• Open‑minded, solution‑oriented and adapts to change.
• Strong analytical, organizational and time management skills.
• Strong communication and social skills and with all levels of management.
• Self‑starter with strong business judgment and the ability to operate independently.
• The ability to thrive in an international and fast‑paced environment.

Why Join EF?

• International Exposure: Build valuable experience within a truly global organization, collaborating with colleagues and clients across multiple continents.
• Entrepreneurial Culture: Work in an environment that values initiative, innovation, and ownership.
• Career Development: EF invests in continuous learning to help you build expertise and perform at your best in this role.
• Dynamic Work Environment: No two days are the same—adaptability and creativity are key.
• Collaborative Team: Be part of a team of collaborative professionals committed to supporting each other and fostering a positive, professional work environment.

EF is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, caste, parental status, identity, experience and everything else that makes you unique.