Financial Controller - Riyadh

Lazard; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial advisory firm is seeking a detail-oriented Financial Controller in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The successful candidate will manage daily and year-end financial operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and oversee accounting operations. This role requires a Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance, at least 7 years of experience, and proficiency in financial tools like SAP. Candidates must be native Arabic speakers with advanced English skills and strong attention to detail.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in financial controlling or accounting.
• Native Arabic speaker with Advanced English proficiency.
• Experience with multinational organizations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily, monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial operations.
• Manage accounting operations, tax filings, and payroll.
• Ensure compliance with USGAAP and local regulatory standards.
• Coordinate external audits and manage vendor onboarding.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Accounting knowledge

USGAAP knowledge

Vendor relationship management

Financial modeling

SAP experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

CPA or equivalent

Tools

SAP

Concur

Financial modeling tools

Job description

EMEA Financial Advisory Riyadh

Lazard is one of the world’s preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms. Our people and culture make the difference. While global in presence and reach, ours is a close, collaborative community of just over 3,000 professionals. Lazard is a place of continuous knowledge sharing, skill development and relationship building, where professionals grow and succeed together. Our entrepreneurial culture, flat structure and embrace of individual differences, allow creative ideas, original concepts, and unique perspectives to drive our business forward — and for careers to take flight.

Through our financial advisory business, Lazard advises clients around the world on strategic and financial matters including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, capital structure and capital raising. Our client relationships are built on trust and discretion. As the world’s largest advisory-focused firm, we have exceptional depth of expertise across industry sectors and geographies. We value the rich diversity that comes from blending local perspective with our global network.

Lazard has been present in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 2011. We focus on providing Financial Advisory services relating to complex cross-border M&A, financial restructurings, capital structure advisory, IPOs and the development of financing strategies.

We are seeking a highly detail‑oriented and organized Financial Controller to oversee and manage daily, monthly, quarterly, and year‑end financial operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and internal controls. This role will involve managing accounting operations, tax filings, payroll, cash flow forecasting, and audit processes, while also contributing to key financial reporting tasks. Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, the Financial Controller ensures the organization’s financial performance is accurately reflected and compliant with USGAAP and local regulatory standards.

We’ll trust you to:

• Record and post daily journal entries and manage vendor onboarding/approval through SAP.
• Issue and validate supplier/customer invoices and ensure accurate revenue booking.
• Review and approve employee expense reports (Concur), and process payments using SAP or bank systems.
• Prepare and submit monthly VAT and Withholding Tax filings, and address queries.
• Compile and submit reports for regulatory compliance, such as CMA monthly and quarterly reports.
• Manage payroll preparation, ensuring timely processing.
• Reconcile key accounts, including bank and payroll entries, and prepare control packs.
• Perform cash flow forecasting, USGAAP reconciliations, and support year‑end closing processes.
• Coordinate external audits, provide documentation, and respond to auditor queries.
• Ensure SOX compliance by reviewing financial variations and participating in quarterly certifications.

You’ll need to have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA or equivalent certification preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in financial controlling, accounting, or auditing roles.
• Experience with SAP would be appreciated
• Knowledge of USGAAP and local regulatory requirements.
• Native Arabic speaker with Advanced English proficiency (written and spoken).
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to reconcile complex accounts.
• Strong organizational and time management skills for meeting strict deadlines.
• Ability to manage vendor relationships and liaise across internal teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other financial modeling tools.
• Initiative, adaptability, and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Preference is for candidates with experience at multinational organizations

What we offer:

We strive to enhance the total health and well‑being of our employees through comprehensive, competitive benefits. Our goal is to offer a highly individualized employee experience that enables you to balance your commitments to career, family, and community. When you work for Lazard, you are working for an organization that cares about your unique talents and passions, and will continue to invest in the development of your career.

Does this sound like you?

Apply! We’ll get in touch on the next steps.

Representation at Lazard

Lazard is an intellectual capital business committed to delivering the best advice and solutions to clients. To achieve these objectives, we focus on attracting, developing and retaining the best talent. We believe that a workforce comprised of people who represent a wide array of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives creates a rich variety of thought that empowers us to challenge conventional wisdom, solve problems creatively and make better decisions.

Lazard was built on the premise that a multicultural firm can best serve a global clientele. As a global firm that has grown organically from local roots in different countries, we have a deep tradition of respecting and appreciating individual differences. Doing so has been core to our success for over 175 years. We are committed to sustaining an environment where every colleague is supported in their professional pursuits, can maximize their individual potential and contribute to our collective success.