Manager – Finance & Accounting | Container Shipping | Pakistan

Sea and Beyond; Karachi Division; On-site; PKR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Sea & Beyond is seeking an experienced Manager – Finance & Accounting to lead the finance function for its Pakistan operations. You will own P&L, drive financial strategy, ensure regulatory compliance, and provide strategic insights to senior management while guiding a high-performing team.

The role requires strong expertise in budgeting, forecasting, treasury, and commercial finance within container shipping.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in finance and accounting with 5+ years in management.
• Experience managing complete finance function incl. reporting, taxation, treasury, statutory accounts.
• Container shipping industry experience preferred.
• CA/CMA/ACCA/CPA/CIMA qualification recommended.
• Bachelor's in finance, accounting, commerce, or business admin.
• MBA in Finance or professional certifications beneficial.
• Knowledge of GST, TDS, FEMA and transfer pricing.
• ERP proficiency: SAP FICO or Oracle Financials; strong Excel; Power BI desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall finance function and manage P&L performance.
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and group reporting.
• Manage month-end and year-end closing processes and financial reporting.
• Provide variance analysis and actionable insights to senior management.
• Drive revenue assurance, margin analysis, and cost optimization.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, cash flow projections, and financial modelling.
• Ensure statutory/regulatory compliance including taxation and GST.
• Manage auditors, banking partners, and regulatory authorities.
• Oversee treasury operations and working capital management.
• Develop internal controls and governance frameworks.
• Mentor and develop the Finance & Accounting team.
• Collaborate with Commercial/Operations to integrate financial insights.
• Oversee ERP upgrades and digital finance transformation initiatives.

Skills

P&L ownership

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Forecasting

Treasury management

Internal controls

Leadership

Stakeholder management

ERP proficiency

Regulatory compliance

Cost optimization

Education

CA or CMA

ACCA / CPA / CIMA

Bachelor's in Finance/Accounting/Commerce/Business Admin

MBA in Finance

Tools

SAP FICO

Oracle Financials

Power BI

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Manager – Finance & Accounting to lead the finance and accounting function for a shipping organisation's Pakistan operations. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in financial management, P&L ownership, statutory compliance, taxation, treasury, and commercial finance within the container shipping industry. The role involves driving financial strategy, strengthening governance, managing regulatory requirements, and providing strategic financial insights to senior management while leading a high-performing finance team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the overall finance function and manage P&L performance, ensuring alignment with business objectives and financial targets.
• Oversee the preparation and presentation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with applicable accounting standards and group reporting requirements.
• Manage month-end and year-end closing processes, ensuring accuracy and timely financial reporting.
• Monitor financial performance against budgets and forecasts, providing variance analysis and actionable insights to senior management.
• Drive revenue assurance, margin analysis, cost optimisation, and profitability across freight, agency, and port operations.
• Lead annual budgeting, financial planning, rolling forecasts, cash flow projections, and financial modelling.
• Ensure statutory and regulatory compliance, including taxation, GST, TDS, transfer pricing, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Manage relationships with statutory auditors, tax auditors, internal auditors, banking partners, and regulatory authorities.
• Oversee treasury operations, banking relationships, credit facilities, foreign exchange exposure, and working capital management.
• Manage accounts receivable, accounts payable, disbursement accounts, intercompany settlements, and principal reconciliations.
• Establish and strengthen internal financial controls, SOPs, governance frameworks, and risk management processes.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Finance & Accounting team, ensuring effective performance management and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Commercial, Operations, and Customer Service teams to integrate financial insights into business decisions.
• Oversee ERP systems and drive automation and digitalization of financial reporting, reconciliation, and compliance processes.
• Support ERP upgrades, business intelligence implementations, and digital finance transformation initiatives.

Key Requirements

• Minimum 10+ years of experience in finance and accounting, including at least 5 years in a managerial capacity.
• Proven experience managing the complete finance function of a business entity, including financial reporting, taxation, treasury, statutory accounts, and management reporting.
• Strong experience in the container shipping industry, preferably with a shipping line, shipping agent, or joint venture.
• Relevant professional qualification such as Chartered Accountant (CA) or Cost Accountant (CMA).
• Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Commerce, or Business Administration.
• MBA in Finance or professional certifications such as ACCA, CPA, or CIMA would be an added advantage.
• Deep knowledge of statutory and regulatory frameworks, including taxation, GST, TDS, FEMA, and transfer pricing.
• Strong understanding of container shipping economics, freight revenue accounting, disbursement account management, agency fee structures, and port cost accounting.
• Proficiency in ERP platforms such as SAP FICO, Oracle Financials, or equivalent systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, with experience in financial modelling and reporting; Power BI knowledge is desirable.
• Hands-on experience with taxation portals, regulatory filings, and XBRL submissions.
• Excellent analytical and commercial skills, with the ability to translate financial data into strategic business recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to improve financial processes, optimize costs, and enhance profitability.
• Strong leadership, team management, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
• High integrity, accountability, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced shipping environment.