Financial Accounting Specialist

Canaan Inc.; Penang; On-site; MYR 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the Southeast Asian market is looking for a Shared Services Accounting Specialist to support accounting operations across Malaysia, Singapore, and other overseas locations. The role encompasses tasks such as managing accounts payable and receivable, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, and providing critical support during audits and financial closings. The ideal candidate should have a degree in Accounting or Finance, experience within a regional finance environment, and strong analytical skills to enhance process efficiency.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years relevant accounting experience in a shared services environment.
• Basic knowledge of tax laws and regulatory requirements in Southeast Asia.
• Familiarity with ERP/accounting systems through academic or internship experience.

Responsibilities

• Handle day-to-day accounting across Singapore, Malaysia and others.
• Ensure timely and accurate month-end, quarter-end and year-end financial closings.
• Act as finance liaison between business teams in Singapore and Malaysia.

Skills

Attention to Detail

Analytical Mindset

Problem Solving

Communication

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

CPA, ACCA, or equivalent professional qualification

Tools

SAP

Oracle

NetSuite

Job description

Role Summary:

We are seeking a detail-oriented and organized Shared Services Accounting Specialist to assist with the accounting operations across Malaysia, Singapore and other overseas markets. The role is responsible for supporting the full spectrum of accounting tasks for Singapore, Malaysia or other overseas entities, ensuring accurate financial reporting, compliance with local regulatory standards (e.g. IRAS, LHDN), tax obligations, and efficient processing of daily accounting functions. The ideal candidate should be experienced in cross-border finance operations and capable of leading process standardization across entities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Regional Accounting Operations

• handle day-to-day accounting activities across Singapore, Malaysia or other overseas, including:
• Accounts Payable (AP): Vendor processing, tax coding (GST/SST), payments scheduling.
• Accounts Receivable (AR): Invoicing, collections, customer aging analysis.
• General Ledger (GL): Journal entries, reconciliations, monthly accruals.
• Fixed Assets Accounting: Capitalization, depreciation, disposals.
• Intercompany Transactions: Reconciliations and proper elimination for consolidation.
• Bank & Cash Management: Bank reconciliations, treasury coordination, foreign currency handling.

2. Month-End, Quarter-End, and Year-End Closing Support

• Ensure timely and accurate financial closings.
• Review balance sheet reconciliations and file supporting documents.
• Liaise with internal and external auditors for annual audits.
• Coordinate group reporting and local statutory reporting timelines.

3. Basic Compliance & Regulatory Supports Assist in ensuring adherence to:

• Singapore financial regulations (IRAS, ACRA, GST) oMalaysia financial regulations (LHDN, SSM, SST)
• Prepare draft tax returns for GST and SST submissions.
• Maintain basic internal controls records as per company policies and local laws.

4. Process Support & Documentation

• Help standardize accounting processes by maintain updated SOP documents.
• Identify minor process inefficiencies and report to the team for improvement.
• Track and report basic KPIs for shared services tasks (e.g., invoice processing time).

5. Stakeholder Communication

• Act as a finance liaison between business teams in Singapore and Malaysia.
• Provide timely and proactive support to regional and local stakeholders.
• Help to resolve escalated accounting or finance-related issues from both business units and external parties (vendors, auditors, tax agents).

6. Audit, Tax, and Statutory Reporting

• Coordinate with local audit firms and tax agents for timely completion of annual statutory audits and tax filings.
• Ensure all financial reporting and disclosures are aligned with local standards (Singapore FRS & MFRS).
• Support the preparation and review of statutory financial statements.

7. Development Expand technical skills in AP/AR/GL operations across SEA markets, gaining hands-on experience with local tax systems (GST/SST) and ERP workflows.

• Participate in cross-functional projects (e.g., system upgrades, process documentation) to build holistic finance knowledge.
• Promote a collaborative and knowledge-sharing environment between the teams handling Singapore and Malaysia portfolios. lls with the ability to work across cultures and functions.

Qualifications & Skills

1. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field. CPA, ACCA, or equivalent professional qualification is preferred.
2. 3-5 years of relevant accounting experience, preferably in a shared services or regional finance environment.
3. Basic knowledge of accounting standards, tax laws, and regulatory requirements in Southeast Asia.
4. Familiarity with ERP/accounting systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) through academic or internship experience.
5. High attention to detail, analytical mindset, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Preferred Skills

1. Experience working in fintech, semiconductor, or technology-driven industries.
2. Track record of leading finance transformation or automation initiatives.
3. Ability to work in a multicultural team with guidance.
4. Strong communication and interpersonal skills.