The Role
Reporting to the Head of Finance in the UK, this role is focused on:
- Leading day-to-day finance operations in the Middle East region – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, an area of significant growth for the business
- Preparation of accurate and timely local financial and commercial reporting
- Effective coordination with external audit and tax partners to ensure all statutory reporting deadlines are met
- Building strong relationships with clients, vendors and partners within the wider Emperor Group includes working closely and effectively with the London finance team
- Providing commercial support to the local Middle East management team
Responsibilities
- Oversee day to day accounting across the Middle East region – including client invoicing, vendor payments and reconciliations
- Prepare accurate and timely monthly management accounts and supporting analysis, working alongside an external bookkeeper for local records
- Oversee intercompany recharges within the region and wider group in line with transfer pricing regulations
- Support on commercial finance matters, analysis as required
- Maintain excellent relationships with account management teams and client procurement teams to ensure smooth submission and payment of client invoices
- Coordinate external audits, tax filings, and regulatory reporting in cooperation with external advisors and auditors
- Work effectively with external advisors to obtain ICV certifications and identify score improvements where possible
- Preparation and submission of monthly payroll filings and end-of-service processing
- Completion of accurate and timely VAT and withholding tax submissions in line with local regulations
- Assist in effective cashflow management across the region and wider group
Key skills
- Engaging and able to build effective working relationships with all stakeholders
- Sound judgement and unquestionable business ethics
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- A can-do attitude and a collaborative approach to working in a close-knit team
- Hands-on and able to self-manage
- Flexible, adaptable in style and approach
- An eye for detail, strong organisational skills and the ability to consistently meet all deadlines
Requirements for the role:
- Professional qualification: CMA, ACCA, CA, or equivalent (required)
- Minimum 5 years of experience in the finance field (required)
- Fluency in written and spoken English and (business) Arabic languages (required)
- Experience in both the UAE and Saudi markets (required)
- Prior experience in a similar industry (communications agency or service-based industry) is an advantage
- Previous experience in audit (strongly preferred)
- Excellent knowledge of accounting and tax principles (IFRS) and ability to apply them (required)
- Proficiency in financial software (Zoho Books, Power BI, Paprika), as well as Microsoft Office (required)
- Hybrid role, minimum 3 days in the office
- The role may be based in the UAE or Saudi Arabia, depending on the candidate and must be willing to travel
Next Steps
If you are successfully shortlisted for the role, the recruitment team will be in touch via email, and the process will begin from there. We endeavour to contact you within 5 working days of your application, however, this may vary depending on the volume of applications we receive. Good Luck!
As an employer, we are committed to ensuring the representation of people from all backgrounds regardless of their gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply and would encourage you to let us know if there are steps we can take to ensure that your recruitment process enables you to present yourself in a way that makes you comfortable.
