Financial Controller

British Council; Singapore; On-site; SGD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a qualified accountant for a finance role focused on financial reporting and stakeholder management in Singapore. The position involves ensuring compliance with statutory regulations and implementing financial best practices, making it ideal for individuals who thrive in a collaborative and dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with at least 5 years of post-qualification experience.
• Proficient in financial control processes and accounting standards.

Responsibilities

• Support financial accounting activities and ensure compliance with accounting standards.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and develop strong relationships with key internal stakeholders.

Skills

Financial reporting

Accounting

Compliance

Communication

Relationship management

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or Tax

Tools

Microsoft Excel

SAP

Job description

Contract Type: Indefinite Contract

Location: Singapore

Closing Date: 22 June 2025 at 11.59pm Singapore time

You must have the legal right to work in Singapore at the time of application.

There is no relocation or sponsorship support.

Role Purpose:

• This role supports the British Council’s financial accounting activities, working closely with the Managed Service Provider (MSP) to ensure timely, accurate reporting. It covers core financial processes (P2P, O2C, R2R, CLM), statutory reporting, tax filings, cashflow reporting, and audit support—including for sanctioned/embargoed countries.
• The postholder will liaise across operational teams and with the MSP to drive process improvement and ensure compliance with corporate policies and accounting standards. They will also provide professional financial accounting advice and must be confident engaging with senior stakeholders to ensure accuracy and consistency in financial results.

Accountabilities/Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management

• Role model British Council values and principles of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all daily interactions with colleagues at all levels.
• Ensure a high standard of professionalism is maintained and that client and customer needs are embedded in ways of working.
• Champion financial accounting, promoting strong financial insight and discipline across the team.
• Encourage a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing across the unit and the wider organisation.

Financial Management

• Collaborate closely with the Managed Service Provider (MSP) to ensure financial accounts are completed accurately and on time, and that reported figures are reliable.
• Deliver retained financial processes across P2P (Procure-to-Pay), O2C (Order-to-Cash), R2R (Record-to-Report), and CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management), ensuring consistency and compliance with accounting standards and internal policies.
• Manage retained in-country responsibilities including complex statutory and tax reporting, banking activities, liaising with local authorities, supporting sanctioned/embargoed countries, and handling escalations from in-country teams and the MSP.
• Contribute to statutory reporting, tax review and filing, cashflow reporting, and audit processes.
• Provide accurate cash flow information, manage payment runs and debt collection, and influence these processes across the global network. Work with the central Treasury team to enhance cash flow forecasting and management.
• Coordinate the provision of data and support to internal and external auditors. Track the implementation of audit recommendations and ensure issues are identified, challenged, and resolved in a timely manner.

Relationship and Stakeholder Management

• Lead stakeholder engagement and business partnering for retained financial processes, developing strong relationships with key internal stakeholders and the MSP.
• Ensure compliance with professional accounting standards and external reporting requirements, providing advice on technical accounting issues where required.

Sector / Subject Expertise

· Provide guidance and advice on professional accounting standards, technical accounting issues and other external reporting requirements in British Council. Liaise with other specialist finance functions such as Tax, Treasury, Finance Policy, and Global Process Owners as needed. Pro-actively identify unusual or complex transactions and recommend appropriate professional accounting treatments. Produce periodic reports relating to financial accounting.

Service Improvement

• Implement new and updated accounting and reporting standards in line with professional guidance, ensuring effective communication and training across relevant teams.
• Support transformation initiatives, including the transition of financial processes to the MSP. Establish and maintain effective financial procedures, policies, and systems to meet global reporting requirements.

Role specific knowledge and experience:

Minimum / Essential Requirements

• Strong skills in financial reporting, accounting, period-end closing, and compliance.
• Knowledge of financial control processes and professional accounting standards, including relevant local requirements for commercial and/or charitable organisations.
• Understanding of local tax regulations and ability to stay up to date with changes.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and other core IT tools.
• Effective communication and influencing skills, with the ability to simplify complex financial information.
• Highly organised, with strong time management skills and a focus on meeting deadlines.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships across all levels of the organisation.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience working in Shared Services environments.
• Background in international and multicultural organisations; experience leading change initiatives.
• Proficiency with SAP or other enterprise financial systems.

Education and Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree majoring in Accounting, Finance or Tax
• Qualified accountant with at least 5 years of post-qualification experience.

Language Requirement:

• The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.