Financial Controller

Flat Planet Philippines , Inc.; Makati; On-site; PHP 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Flat Planet Philippines, Inc. is seeking a hands-on Financial Controller to act as the CFO’s second-in-charge and lead the finance function. You will manage day-to-day operations, oversee AP/AR/payroll, and collaborate with auditors and tax agents.

The role emphasizes process improvement, automation, and robust reporting for the board and investors. You will supervise local and outsourced teams, ensuring accurate monthly closes and strong internal controls.

Qualifications

• CPA or equivalent certification (Philippines or international)
• 7–10 years of post-qualification experience
• Experience supporting Australian or NZ entities (onshore or offshore)
• Hands-on in AP/AR/payroll and month-end close
• Strong working knowledge of Xero
• Proficient in Excel and Google Sheets
• Experience with external auditors and tax agents
• Proven track record leading meetings and managing people (including remote staff)
• Designing financial controls and driving process improvements
• Excellent written and spoken English, reporting to an Australian CFO

Responsibilities

• Organise the finance function day to day as the CFO's second-in-charge.
• Lead internal finance meetings and manage Melbourne-based junior accounting staff.
• Manage outsourced bookkeepers and credit control specialists with clear service expectations.
• Lead process improvement work: legacy clean-up, bank account consolidation, automation and AI adoption.
• Design and maintain financial controls suited to the company's size.
• Run the monthly close calendar across all entities and deliver closed accounts on time.
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations, accruals, prepayments, deferred revenue and intercompany entries.
• Prepare management accounts and budget variance analysis for board and investor reporting.
• Maintain the chart of accounts and its mapping to the budget model.
• Own AP end to end: supplier setup, invoice coding and approval, and weekly payment runs.
• Reconcile supplier statements and manage aged payables.
• Oversee invoicing, cash application and collections, including outsourced team.
• Report aged receivables and elevate overdue accounts.
• Coordinate monthly payroll with HR, including new hires, exits and changes.
• Reconcile payroll and PAYG, and work with external advisors on UK payroll.
• Work with tax agents on Australian GST/BAS and other statutory returns.
• Document finance policies and SOPs, including AP and AR.
• Manage the annual external audit and year-end financial statements as auditors' main contact.

Skills

Leadership

Financial reporting

Month-end close

AP/AR/payroll

Audits

Intercompany accounting

Education

CPA Philippines or equivalent

Tools

Xero

Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

About the role

As Financial Controller, you are the CFO's second-in-charge. You will run finance operations day to day so the CFO can focus on the board, investors and the company's next stage of growth. This is a hands-on role: you will manage people and service providers from day one while also doing the work yourself.

You will also help the CFO lead a finance process improvement program. That means designing better systems and controls, automating work with AI tools (Claude in particular), and improving reporting for the CFO, board and investors.

What you will do

Leadership and process improvement

• Organise the finance function day to day as the CFO's second-in-charge.
• Lead internal finance meetings and manage Melbourne-based junior accounting staff.
• Manage outsourced bookkeepers and credit control specialists against clear service expectations.
• Lead process improvement work: legacy clean-up, bank account consolidation, and automation and AI adoption.
• Design and maintain financial controls suited to the company's size.

Month-end close and reporting

• Run the monthly close calendar across all entities and deliver closed accounts on time.
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations, accruals, prepayments, deferred revenue and intercompany entries.
• Prepare management accounts and budget variance analysis for board and investor reporting.
• Maintain the chart of accounts and its mapping to the budget model.

Accounts payable and receivable

• Own AP end to end: supplier set-up, invoice coding and approval, and weekly payment runs.
• Reconcile supplier statements and manage aged payables.
• Oversee invoicing, cash application and collections, including the outsourced bookkeeping team's work.
• Report aged receivables and elevate overdue accounts.

Payroll

• Coordinate monthly payroll with HR, including new hires, exits and changes.
• Reconcile payroll, Australian superannuation (retirement contributions) and PAYG withholding tax.
• Work with external advisors on UK payroll.

Compliance and audit

• Work with tax agents to prepare and lodge Australian GST/BAS and other statutory returns.
• Document finance policies and SOPs, including for AP and AR.
• Manage the annual external audit and year-end financial statements as the auditors' main contact.

What we are looking for

Must have

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA, Philippines) or equivalent (CPA Australia, CA ANZ, ACCA).
• 7 to 10 years of experience after passing the board or getting qualified.
• Experience working for, or supporting, Australian or New Zealand companies (onshore or offshore).
• Strong hands-on experience in AP, AR, payroll and month-end close.
• Deep working knowledge of Xero.
• Confident in Excel and Google Sheets.
• Experience working with external auditors and tax agents.
• Proven experience leading meetings and managing people, including remote staff and outsourced providers.
• Track record of designing financial controls and improving processes.
• Excellent written and spoken English, and comfortable reporting directly to an Australian CFO.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of Australian GST, superannuation and PAYG.
• Multi-entity and multi-currency accounting, including UK entities.
• Hands-on use of AI or automation tools in finance, such as Claude.
• Experience in a SaaS or technology company.
• Experience preparing a business for due diligence or an acquisition.