Finance Lead - Controller

Lean OPS; Islamabad; On-site; PKR 1,200,000 - 2,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Direct relationship with Founder/CEO

Ownership of finance function

Growth into broader leadership role

Competitive salary

Job summary

LeanOps is seeking a Finance Lead — Controller to own the end-to-end accounting function for a multi-brand portfolio. This is a senior, hands-on role responsible for the full books, month-end close, financial reporting, cash forecasting, payroll, reconciliations, and internal controls.

The successful candidate will establish a reliable close calendar, produce consolidated and brand-level profitability, and help leadership identify cost savings or restructurings.

Qualifications

• Six+ years of accounting or finance experience with full books ownership.
• Qualified or finalist ACCA/CA/ICMA/CMA or equivalent practical experience.
• Proven ability preparing accrual-basis financial statements and cash flows to deadlines.
• Experience reconciling high transaction volumes from multiple source systems.

Responsibilities

• Maintain complete accounting records across all brands and entities.
• Own and maintain a chart of accounts linked to brands, channels, and departments.
• Manage payables/receivables, banking, and audit-ready documentation.
• Deliver accrual-basis P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statements monthly.

Skills

Accounting ownership

Financial reporting

Multi-currency accounting

Advanced Excel

Communication with non-finance

Education

ACCA/CA finalist or equivalent

Tools

QuickBooks

Xero

Zoho Books

SAP/Odoo

Job description

About LeanOps

LeanOps partners with businesses across global markets by providing highly skilled remote professionals who become an extension of our clients’ teams. We recruit exceptional talent, provide comprehensive training, and deliver reliable operational support while maintaining high standards of security, compliance, and operational excellence.

Position Overview

LeanOps is seeking a Finance Lead — Controller to take complete ownership of the accounting function across a multi-brand portfolio. This is a senior, hands‑on role responsible for the full set of books, month‑end close, financial reporting, cash forecasting, payroll, reconciliations, and financial controls.

The successful candidate will not simply maintain an existing finance function. You will bring historical records into order, establish a reliable close calendar, produce trusted consolidated and brand‑level profitability, and help leadership identify where costs can be reduced or restructured. The role reports directly to the Founder / Chief Executive and is the sole owner of the finance and accounting function.

Key Responsibilities

Books, Records & Accounting Operations

• Maintain complete and accurate accounting records across all brands and entities.
• Own and maintain a chart of accounts that makes every cost traceable to the relevant brand, channel, and department.
• Manage accounts payable and receivable, supplier payment schedules, creditor relationships, and supporting documentation.
• Keep invoices, receipts, contracts, bank records, and other financial documents audit-ready.

Month-End Close & Financial Reporting

• Deliver a complete accrual‑basis profit and loss statement within the agreed number of working days after month end.
• Produce consolidated and per‑brand profit and loss statements, together with the balance sheet and cash flow position.
• Apply accruals, prepayments, and period cut‑off consistently to ensure comparable month‑on‑month results.
• Report against prior month and prior year, explain material variances in clear commercial language, and maintain a rolling cash forecast.
• Escalate anticipated cash shortfalls and material financial risks well before they become urgent.

Marketplace, Payment Gateway & Multi-Currency Reconciliation

• Reconcile settlement reports from sales channels and payment gateways against amounts actually received in the bank.
• Separate and correctly book commissions, fulfilment fees, advertising deductions, refunds, chargebacks, held reserves, and other platform deductions.
• Investigate discrepancies to root cause and pursue resolution with platforms or gateways where funds are unaccounted for.
• Identify and consistently account for realised and unrealised foreign exchange differences.

Payroll, Budgeting & Cost Control

• Process monthly payroll for employees, contractors, and freelancers accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain salary records, deductions, advances, bonuses, leave encashment, and final settlements.
• Allocate payroll and operating costs correctly across brands and departments.
• Build and maintain an operating budget, track actual performance against budget, and explain variances.
• Review spending continuously and present specific, quantified recommendations to reduce, renegotiate, or restructure costs.
• Assess recurring costs, subscriptions, and vendor agreements for savings opportunities.
• Advise on pricing, margin, and cost implications for new products and brands.

Systems, Controls & Process Improvement

• Improve finance systems and workflows to reduce manual steps, accelerate close, and strengthen data integrity.
• Design and document practical internal controls appropriate to the size and complexity of the business.
• Document the finance function end to end so that critical knowledge does not reside with one person.
• Create a repeatable process for onboarding additional brands into the finance function.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum six years of accounting or finance experience, including at least two years personally owning a full set of books through the complete close cycle.
• ACCA, CA, ICMA/CMA, or ACMA qualified or finalist, or demonstrably equivalent practical experience.
• Proven experience independently preparing accrual‑basis profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to a deadline.
• Experience reconciling high transaction volumes from multiple, non‑matching source systems.
• Exposure to multi‑entity, multi‑currency, or multi‑cost‑centre accounting.
• Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills, including pivot tables, lookup and reference functions, and large data extracts.
• Working proficiency in a recognised accounting platform such as QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books, SAP, Odoo, or comparable software.
• Ability to explain financial outcomes clearly to non‑finance stakeholders.
• Evidence of ownership, such as a process designed, records corrected, or close cycle shortened.

Preferred

• Experience in e-commerce, retail, consumer products, or an import‑led business.
• Familiarity with marketplace settlement reporting and payment gateway payout structures.
• Working knowledge of inventory accounting and landed cost, including goods, freight, duty, and inbound handling.
• Experience migrating a business onto a new accounting platform or ERP.
• Prior experience building a finance team or function from a standing start.

Key Competencies

• Accounting ownership and technical judgment
• Commercial and analytical thinking
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis
• Planning, organization, and deadline management
• Process improvement and systems thinking
• Clear communication with non‑finance stakeholders
• Professionalism, accountability, and discretion

What We Offer

• Competitive salary benchmarked to experience and the seniority of the mandate
• Direct working relationship with the Founder / Chief Executive
• Full ownership of the finance function with an explicit mandate to rebuild it properly
• Opportunity to influence how a growing multi‑brand business is operated
• Clear path into a broader finance leadership role as the portfolio expands