Lead day‑to‑day finance for ODM manufacturer supplying to retailers and any other related business stakeholders. Ensure timely month‑end close, ERP monitoring & data integrity, practical product costing and inventory control, disciplined working capital, accurate trade‑spend accruals and MFRS‑compliant statutory/reporting.
Stakeholders: Operations, QA/RA, Supply Chain, Sales/Key Accounts (health and beauty retailers), IT/ERP vendor, External Auditors, Tax Agents & IPO Consultants
Expected to act as a business co‑pilot balancing financial prudence with strategic foresight to support the company’s growth and profitability goals.
The ideal candidate is meticulous, analytical, proactive, and committed to excellence in financial stewardship.
Duties and responsibilities
- Financial Reporting & Compliance (MFRS)
- Prepare monthly management accounts with variance analysis, budgets and rolling forecasts.
- Ensure statutory compliance under MFRS (incl. MFRS 15 revenue & trade spend, MFRS 102 inventories, MFRS 16 leases, MFRS 112 income taxes, MFRS 108 policies/estimates).
- Coordinate year‑end audit (PBC schedules, walkthroughs) and tax/SST filings; remediate findings promptly.
- Implement/review provisions for rebates, returns, listing/slotting fees, chargebacks and penalties.
- Maintain fixed asset registers, calculating depreciation and ensuring accurate asset tracking.
- Costing & Inventory (Practical Scope) – Maintain standard costs/BOM basics and quarterly cost roll‑ups; validate WIP & finished goods valuation; track PPV, usage/yield, scrap/expiry; work with Operations on corrective actions and NRV testing.
- Commercial Finance (Watsons/Guardian)
- Own trade spends accruals and deduction reconciliation; manage claims settlement and disputes.
- Cash & Working Capital
- Weekly cash outlook and 13‑week liquidity view.
- Drive AR follow‑ups, AP scheduling, and inventory hygiene (slow/near‑expiry monitoring) to improve CCC.
- ERP Monitoring & Data Integrity (Hands‑On)
- Perform daily ERP health checks: goods receipt/production/AR/AP postings, interface status and error‑queue clearance.
- Govern master data (item, BOM, customer, vendor, terms); maintain change logs and approvals.
- Reconcile sub‑ledgers to GL (AR/AP/Inventory) and WMS to ERP stock; investigate variances.
- Review user access & controls (joiners/movers/leavers), run the month‑end close checklist, and coordinate backups/simple DR drill with IT/vendor.
- Coordinate e‑Invoice mapping/posting and customer EDI where relevant.
- Document SOPs/quick guides; drive light automations (journals/templates/reports).
- Strategic Planning, Finance & Budgeting (Financial Leadership)
- Ensure data security by backing up financial records and adhering to cybersecurity policies.
- Supports the Acting CFO/FC/IPO Consultants in leading the annual budget, quarterly forecast, and long‑term financial planning for the company – coordinating inputs across departments, analysing business trends and preparing financial models to guide management decisions.
- Lead the annual budgeting cycle, consolidating departmental budgets and ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic plan.
- Prepare quarterly forecasts and variance analyses with actionable insights for management review.
- Develop and maintain financial models for pricing, product profitability, cost optimisation and capital investment decisions.
- Conduct scenario and sensitivity analyses to assess business risks and opportunities under different market assumptions.
- Present financial dashboards and strategic KPIs to management for decision‑making and performance tracking.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or a related discipline from a recognised university.
- Professional Certification: Preferably a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) or holder of ACCA, CPA Australia, CIMA, or equivalent qualifications (partially qualified candidates with experience may be considered).
- 5–8 years total experience especially in manufacturing/FMCG industry; external audit background strongly preferred.
- Manufacturing exposure (pharma/nutraceutical/cosmeceutical/FMCG) with standard costing & inventory basics.
- Advanced proficiency in accounting software ERP power user/super‑user (Monitor ERP, SAP B1, Oracle NetSuite, MS D365, Auto Count/SQL/UBS) with monitoring & troubleshooting habits.
- Solid working knowledge of MFRS; strong Excel; basic Power BI a plus.
- Background can be SME or MNC; prior listed‑company exposure is an advantage.
- Expertise in Microsoft Excel (e.g., pivot tables, formulas, charts) and Word for reporting.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills to interpret financial data.
- High attention to detail and accuracy in numerical work.
- Excellent time management to meet tight deadlines (e.g., month‑end closings).
- Effective communication skills (written and verbal) in English and Bahasa Malaysia.
- Regulatory Knowledge: In‑depth understanding of Malaysian tax laws (e.g., Income Tax Act 1967), MFRS, and IFRS.
- Ability to work effectively in a team and independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to mentor and guide junior staff and provide training on accounting processes.
- Experience in managing or supervising a small team and ensuring adherence to deadlines.
- Strong time management skills and ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
- Proactive attitude and willingness to take on new challenges or ad‑hoc tasks.