Senior Financial Controller

3cat; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 240,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

3cat in Kuala Lumpur seeks a Senior Financial Controller to build a robust financial foundation for rapid growth. You are a hands-on leader turning ambiguity into clarity, and you will implement scalable systems and strong controls across retail and distribution.

You will partner with the CEO and leadership, drive FP&A, budgeting, and commercial insights, mentor a growing finance team, and own multi-entity consolidation and cross-border tax to support expansion to 50+ stores.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of experience in retail or inventory-heavy finance
• Accounting/Finance degree and professional qualification (ACCA, CPA, or CIMA)
• Ability to lead multi-entity consolidation and cross-border tax

Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership with the CEO, leadership team, and investors to drive business planning, investment decisions, and operational strategy.
• Lead accounting operations, cash management, and inventory-related finance processes across retail and distribution, with robust controls and governance.
• Manage accurate and timely financial reporting, month-end closing, audits, tax matters, and statutory compliance.
• Drive FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, and scenario modeling to support expansion, pricing, and profitability.
• Build, mentor, and manage the finance team, fostering accuracy, accountability, and integrity.
• Implement process improvements and automation to enhance scalability as the business grows.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Financial analysis

Forecasting & budgeting

Team leadership

Education

Accounting/Finance degree

ACCA/CPA/CIMA qualification

Tools

ERP software

Job description

We are looking for a Senior Financial Controller who is a strategic expert who can help us build a robust financial foundation for our next phase of growth. This is a role for a hands-on leader who thrives on turning ambiguity into clarity, creating the scalable systems and financial discipline that a rapidly growing business needs to succeed.

As a key partner to our CEO and leadership team, you will bridge the gap between day-to-day financial operations and high-level strategy. You will be comfortable working in a fast-paced, inventory-rich environment, where agility and precision are equally important. This role is a unique opportunity to define our financial roadmap, mentor a growing team, and take ownership of our commercial strategy as we scale.

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Why This Role Matters To Us

3cat is growing fast as we expand from 22 to over 50 stores. To keep up with this growth, we need better systems, stronger financial controls, and reliable data. You will be essential in helping us scale responsibly, ensuring that every business decision is backed by the clear financial insights we need.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Partner with the CEO, leadership team, and investors to drive business planning, investment decisions, and operational strategy.
• Finance Operations & Governance: Lead all accounting operations, cash management, and inventory-related finance processes across retail and distribution, while maintaining robust internal controls and governance.
• Financial Reporting & Compliance: Manage accurate and timely financial reporting, month-end closing, audit coordination, tax matters, and statutory compliance.
• FP&A & Commercial Insights: Drive financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and scenario modeling, providing commercial analysis to support expansion, pricing, and profitability.
• Team Leadership: Build, mentor, and manage the finance team, fostering a culture of accuracy, accountability, and high integrity.
• Systems & Scaling: Implement process improvements and automation to enhance operational efficiency and scalability as the business grows.

Key Requirements

We are looking for a builder, not just an administrator. We value problem-solving and commercial impact over specific tenure, though 7–10 years of experience in retail or inventory-heavy finance is ideal. You must be comfortable with multi-entity consolidation and cross-border tax, and hold an Accounting/Finance degree plus a professional qualification (ACCA, CPA, or CIMA). Above all, we need someone who:

• Thrives in high-growth, entrepreneurial environments and can scale finance systems alongside business expansion.
• Balances financial control and governance with operational agility.
• Is commercially minded, capable of bridging the gap between financial data and strategic business decisions.
• Leads with accountability, integrity, and a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Builds, mentors, and manages high-performing teams.
• Communicates effectively with CEOs, founders, and investors, acting as a true business partner.

If you have a track record of driving results and taking on bigger challenges, we want to hear from you, even if you don't tick every single box.

Expected Outcomes from this Role

• Establish Robust Financial Governance: Implement scalable controls, systems, and reporting to ensure clear performance visibility as we scale to 50+ stores.
• Drive Strategic Growth & Partnerships: Act as a core business partner to the leadership team, utilizing financial planning, modeling, and team mentorship to enable sustainable profitability and informed decision-making.