Finance Manager

Location:Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)

Reporting To:Head of Finance, Asia, and Middle East Finance Manager

• The Riyadh Finance Manager will be responsible for comprehensive financial management, adherence to statutory requirements, strategic planning, and effective communication within the firm and with external partners.
• The finance function is also supported by two shared service centres based in Poland and Singapore.

• Act as single point of contact for Riyadh Matter Management processes/queries for throughout the matter cycle, which includes but is not limited to:
• Having regular meetings with partners and matter managers to go through WIP and debtor status, to identify issues, highlight the debt provision and exposure with the impact on profitability.
• Supporting the partner and matter managers to manage certain matters by providing regular fee update.
• Supervising the billing process, responding to billing related queries (which will also cover tax, ebilling etc.) raised by partners, lawyers, or the clients, supporting the coordination between the billing shared service centre and the local office to ensure the bill is issued smoothly and being consistent to firm policies, SRA rules, client fee deals and tax compliance.
• Producing draft and final bills when required (Sundays and late afternoons).
• Responsible for cash collection process by conducting direct communication with Clients at the finance level.
• Monitoring financial performance proactively (through key financial key drivers and financial hygiene indicators) and proposing changes when necessary to improve business profitability.
• Review payment to local vendors before releasing the payment.
• Ensure sufficient cash balance in the bank account for upcoming payment obligation.

• Managing monthly and annual WHT returns submission, ensuring correct tax is withheld on cross border vendor payments.
• VAT return submission on monthly basis, including reviewing monthly reports and ensuring payments are done on time.
• Assisting in annual Corporate Tax return and ZAKAT submission, including CBCR and drafting the local Transfer Pricing report.
• Monitor and provide update to the business on general changes and clarifications issued by ZATCA on tax legislation.
• Working with our tax advisors and providing TB and GL for Arabic translation of our ledgers
• Coordinating translation of invoices into Arabic to ensure VAT compliant invoices are shared with clients.
• Managing annual KSA statutory audit
• Participating in the design and implementation of the e-invoicing process an policy as per ZATCA requirements

• Preparation of month-end and year-end closing. This includes reviewing the financial statements and schedules to confirm that results for Riyadh office are correct
• Act as the local office finance contact with regional finance and Group Reporting team.
• Assisting with internal and external auditors’ requirements.
• Weekly Cashflow to Global Treasury.
• Monthly payroll process.
• Improve internal control and compliance by developing and enforcing policies and procedures.
• Monitor financial related process to ensure the compliance to SRA rules and local statutory requirements.
• Lead and manage the annual budgeting process.
• Provide and interpret financial management information, variance, and profitability analyses
• Educate and promote financial discipline within the office.

• Internal: ME Finance Manager, ME Finance Team, Asia finance team, Warsaw and Asia Shared Services Centres, London Finance Teams, ME Partners, Matter Managers, Secretaries, Business Teams.
• External: Clients, suppliers, auditors, and tax advisors.

• Mature, confident, culturally sensitive, and open-minded.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related major preferred.
• Formal professional qualification (CPA, ACCA) or equivalent experience and knowledge.
• 3 to 5 years’ experience in professional services (law, accounting, consulting).
• Experience of working directly with senior management in a commercial organisation.
• Knowledge of KSA VAT, WHT & CIT application and reporting.
• Experience with statutory and management accounting.
• Knowledge of financial accounting systems and SAP preferred.

• Fluent in written and spoken Arabic and English.

• Excellent communication and organisational skills, proficiency in Excel and MS products, and good analytical skills.
• Ability to manage conflict, identify and address commercial issues, and think strategically.

Characteristics, Skills & Experience required:

Location: Riyadh, ad hoc travel to the UAE

Character

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Extremely organised self-starter who can prioritise and manage workloads to often tight deadlines
• Confident in dealing directly with Partners and clients with an assertive yet professional manner
• Ability to build own network of contacts within and outside of the firm
• Ability to challenge existing procedures with a view to improve efficiency and effectiveness
• Approachable attitude
• Diligent and accurate
• Total integrity in dealing with highly sensitive information
• Flexible with ability to cope with changing priorities
• Mature and confident personality (desriable)
• Culturally sensitive and experience (desriable)
• Curiosity and open mind (desriable)

Education / Qualification

• Degree, preferably 2:1
• Knowledge of SAP (desriable)

Languages

• Fluent in written and spoken Arabic
• Fluent in written and spoken English

Practical experience

• 5 years experience within finance with professional services environment
• KSA VAT & CIT application and reporting
• Preferably will have worked in a commercial environment with some experience of statutory and management accounting. (desriable)

Office skills

• Excellent excel skills.
• Good working knowledge of MS products
• Strong analytical skills
• Experience of financial accounting systems. (desriable)

Commercial Skills

• Commercially aware and able to think strategically.

Technical Skills:

This list of duties and responsibilities above is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for, the performance of this job. As such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.