Regional Head of Finance

Overview:

The Regional Head of Finance is responsible for leading and overseeing all financial operations across the region, ensuring accurate, transparent, and timely financial reporting, as well as strong financial governance across multiple countries or business entities. This role provides strategic and operational financial leadership, drives performance, and ensures alignment with corporate objectives. The Regional Head of Finance partners closely with regional leadership teams to support business growth, optimise financial structures, enhance operational efficiency, and enable data-driven decision-making. This role also acts as a key liaison between local country finance teams, senior management, and global finance.

Job Descriptions

1. Regional Financial Reporting & Performance Management

• Oversee the preparation and consolidation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial results across multiple countries.
• Prepare high-quality management reports and board-level presentations for regional and corporate stakeholders.
• Develop regional dashboards, KPIs, and performance metrics to provide actionable insights to senior management.
• Strengthen reporting governance to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and consistency across entities.
• Lead financial performance reviews with regional and corporate leadership.

2. Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

• Lead the annual budgeting process, working closely with country finance teams and business leads.
• Drive robust forecasting cycles and provide variance analysis with clear recommendations.
• Align financial planning to regional strategic objectives and long-term business goals.
• Lead scenario planning, sensitivity analyses, and stress-testing for strategic decision support.
• Evaluate business cases and capital allocation proposals to ensure alignment with group objectives.

3. Financial Operations & Controls (Multi-Country)

• Establish and maintain strong internal controls to safeguard assets and ensure compliance with regional and corporate policies.
• Oversee accounting operations across the region, including revenue recognition, AP/AR, payroll, GL, and cash management.
• Standardise processes and drive operational excellence across finance teams in different countries.

4. Strategic Financial Advisory & Business Partnering

• Partner with regional leadership to analyse capital allocation, major investments, pricing decisions, and ROI on key initiatives.
• Provide insights into cost structures, operational efficiency opportunities, and profitability enhancement.
• Support regional expansion, post-acquisition integration, market entry analysis, restructuring, and strategic projects.
• Contribute financial expertise to commercial decisions and bid/tender evaluations (if applicable).

5. Compliance, Audit & Risk Management

• Manage and lead multi-country statutory audits, ensuring timely completion and resolution of audit findings.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, tax, audit, and regulatory requirements across all countries within the region.
• Monitor regional financial risks (currency, liquidity, operational), recommending mitigation strategies.
• Maintain strong governance and alignment with corporate finance policies.

6. Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary regional finance contact for internal and external stakeholders, including auditors, tax advisors and regulatory bodies.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure financial alignment with operational and business goals.
• Communicate financial insights and regional performance clearly and effectively to senior leaders.

7. Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop regional and country-level finance teams to ensure high capability and performance.
• Foster a culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Drive knowledge sharing, standardisation, and best practices adoption across the region

Requirements

1. Education & Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or related field (Master's degree/MBA preferred).
• Professional qualifications such as CPA, ACCA, CFA, or equivalent are highly desirable.

2. Experience

• 10+ years of progressive finance experience, with at least 35 years in a regional leadership role.
• Strong audit experience (external audit, internal audit, or governance roles) is highly preferable.
• Proven experience managing multi-country finance operations.
• Strong background in financial controls, reporting, compliance, and operational finance.
• Experience partnering with senior leadership and supporting complex business environments.

3. Skills

• Strong understanding of accounting standards (IFRS/SFRS), statutory requirements, and financial control frameworks
• Advanced expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and financial modelling.
• Strong knowledge of financial reporting frameworks (IFRS/GAAP).
• Proficiency in ERP systems, finance software, and Excel.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with experience engaging senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver under tight deadlines.
• Cultural adaptability and experience working across different countries and teams.