Syntys is a leading data center provider specializing in the design, construction, and management of data centers, catering to hyperscalers, AI infrastructure, and colocation wholesale providers across the MENA region. With a presence in more countries than any other provider in the region, Syntys is committed to delivering scalable, secure, and efficient digital infrastructure solutions. Our offerings include colocation and built-to-suit facilities, meticulously tailored to meet the growing demands of the industry. In this capacity, Syntys plays a pivotal role in supporting the region’s economic growth by fostering innovation and attracting investment in the digital economy.
The Financial Controller is responsible for the integrity, control and timely reporting of Syntys’ financial information across the Group and its project entities. The role leads and develops the accounting team and oversees core accounting and controllership activities, including month-end close, consolidation, statutory reporting, project and fixed-asset accounting, customer billing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, audit, tax and financial-control governance.
Working closely with the Senior Vice President Finance and business leaders, the role establishes scalable finance processes for a growing regional data-center platform. It provides clear insight and constructive challenge on capital-intensive development projects, operating process, commercial arrangements and risk, while ensuring compliance with IFRS, local statutory requirements and approved delegations of authority.
ROLE ACCOUNTABILITIES
Financial reporting and close
- Own the monthly, quarterly and annual close calendar and ensure complete, accurate and timely reporting for the Group, subsidiaries, branches and project entities.
- Lead consolidation, intercompany reconciliation and elimination, foreign-currency accounting and preparation of management and statutory financial statements in accordance with IFRS.
- Maintain robust balance-sheet reconciliations, accounting schedules and review controls, with clear ownership and timely resolution of aged items.
- Prepare high-quality analysis and commentary that explains performance, cash movements, key estimates, risks and emerging issues to senior management.
Accounting policy, control and compliance
- Develop, maintain and consistently apply the Group accounting manual, chart of accounts, close procedures and financial-control framework like ICOFR.
- Assess the accounting implications of new contracts, financing arrangements, leases, acquisitions, joint ventures and other complex transactions, documenting conclusions and coordinating specialist advice where required.
- Ensure compliance with delegations of authority, procurement and payment controls, revenue recognition requirements, anti-fraud controls and record-retention standards.
- Lead remediation of control deficiencies and promote a strong culture of ownership, integrity and continuous improvement across Finance and the wider business.
Project, capital and asset accounting
- Oversee accounting for data center development projects, including project-cost capture, capitalisation, construction work in progress, borrowing costs, transfers to fixed assets, depreciation, impairment indicators and disposals.
- Partner with Engineering, Commercial, Procurement and Operations to validate committed costs, accruals, variations, claims, completion status and asset handover.
- Maintain accurate fixed-asset registers and ensure periodic physical verification, useful-life reviews and impairment assessments are completed and documented.
- Provide financial control and reporting for project SPVs, joint arrangements and built-to-suit or colocation contracts, as applicable.
Accounting operation, Treasury, working capital, tax and statutory matters
- Own the end-to-end customer billing process, ensuring invoices and credit notes are complete, accurate, contractually compliant and issued within agreed billing cycles, with appropriate supporting documentation and approvals.
- Lead accounts receivable management, including customer-account reconciliations, ageing analysis, collection follow-up, dispute resolution, expected-credit-loss assessment and escalation of overdue or high-risk balances in partnership with Commercial and Operations.
- Oversee cash accounting, bank reconciliations, payment governance, accounts payable, customer deposits and wider working-capital controls, coordinating with Treasury and commercial owners.
- Ensure accurate and timely tax filings and statutory submissions in relevant jurisdictions, working with internal tax resources and external advisers.
- Own or coordinate controllership inputs to covenant, investor, shareholder, lender and institutional reporting, ensuring complete audit-ready support and consistency with statutory and management reporting.
Audit and stakeholder management
- Act as the principal day-to-day contact for external audit and coordinate internal-audit requests, statutory audits and agreed corrective actions across entities and functions.
- Maintain effective working relationships with banks, auditors, tax advisers, regulators, joint-venture partners and other external stakeholders within delegated authority.
- Provide clear finance guidance to business teams and support investment appraisals, budgets, forecasts and decision-making with reliable actuals and accounting insight.
Systems, processes and leadership
- Own the controllership design and data integrity of the ERP, consolidation and reporting environment, partnering with IT to strengthen automation, access controls and master-data governance.
- Standardise and simplify finance processes across countries and entities, using measurable service levels and a disciplined continuous-improvement pipeline.
- Build, lead and develop a high-performing controllership team through clear objectives, coaching, succession planning and professional development.
- Perform other finance responsibilities reasonably assigned in line with the role’s purpose and level of authority.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
- 10+ years of progressive finance and controllership experience, including at least 5 years in team leadership or senior supervisory roles, preferably within a multi-entity, capital-intensive or project-based organisation in sectors such as construction, infrastructure, real estate, telecoms, utilities or data centres.
- Demonstrated ownership of group financial close, consolidation, statutory reporting, external audit and internal controls.
- Strong practical experience with IFRS, including fixed assets, leases, impairment, revenue recognition, foreign currency and consolidation.
- Experience implementing or improving ERP, consolidation and financial reporting systems, with a proven ability to automate and standardise processes.
- Effective engagement with senior leaders, auditors, advisers and geographically distributed teams.
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or a related discipline.
- Professional accounting qualification such as ACCA, ACA, CPA, CIMA, CA or equivalent.
- Advanced knowledge of IFRS and financial-control principles, including ICOFR.
- Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex financial matters clearly and commercially.
- High proficiency in ERP systems, preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365, consolidation tools, Power BI, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with modern reporting and analytics tools is advantageous.
- Fluent in English; Arabic language capability preferred.