Regional Financial Controller

About the Role

Elevate is seeking a Regional Financial Controller to lead financial control, reporting, and daily finance operations across its MENA entities. This full-time position is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and reports to the Regional Finance Director. The role involves managing a team of three and ensuring the integrity of financial information, a disciplined month-end close, effective controls, and compliance throughout the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes for MENA entities, ensuring accurate results and timely reporting.
• Prepare and review management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and cash flow reports with clear commentary.
• Maintain the integrity of the general ledger, chart of accounts, master data, and intercompany balances.
• Ensure consistent application of Group accounting policies and IFRS requirements across all MENA entities.
• Lead regional statutory audits and coordinate the completion of financial statements and external reporting.
• Support the resolution of accounting issues affecting project reporting, including revenue recognition and contract arrangements.
• Maintain short and medium-term cash flow forecasts and support funding and liquidity decisions.
• Review accounts receivable, collections, billing, and accounts payable, focusing on reducing unbilled revenue and overdue receivables.
• Oversee payments, bank reconciliations, bank mandates, and treasury controls.
• Ensure compliance with accounting, tax, and regulatory requirements across MENA.
• Maintain and improve controls over purchasing, supplier onboarding, expenses, payroll inputs, and balance sheet accounts.
• Manage the effective use and development of NetSuite within the MENA finance function.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of three, setting clear responsibilities and performance expectations.

Required Experience and Capabilities

• 5-10 years of experience in financial control and reporting.
• Hands-on approach, comfortable with detailed accounting matters and wider regional business priorities.
• Commercially aware, with the ability to challenge assumptions and recommend practical solutions.
• Highly organised, capable of managing competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
• Clear communicator, able to translate financial issues into actionable steps for non-finance colleagues.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and a strong sense of ownership.
• Resilient, collaborative, and comfortable working across different cultures, entities, and locations.

Team Leadership and Stakeholder Management

This role involves leading, coaching, and developing a team of three finance professionals, ensuring they have the necessary knowledge and cross-cover for all key finance activities. The Regional Financial Controller will build a collaborative finance function that supports the business while maintaining appropriate challenge, accountability, and control. Effective relationships must be developed with regional leadership, business unit heads, project teams, Group Finance, HR, Operations, banks, auditors, and advisers.

Systems and Process Improvement

The Regional Financial Controller will own the effective use and ongoing development of NetSuite across the MENA finance function. This includes automating finance processes to reduce manual work, allowing the team to focus on review, analysis, and decision support. Establishing clear documentation for key finance processes, controls, and system procedures is also a core responsibility.