Senior Finance Manager FP&A | Al Futtaim Automotive | Finance

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview of the role:

This role will support the GM Finance – Automotive FP&A with respect to divisional FP&A strategy, system developments, budgeting, forecasting & reporting.

What you will do:

Strategy and Enablement

• Lead the Divisional FP&A team in supporting the GM Finance and CFO with regards to:
• Driving the overall FP&A strategy
• Owning all C-Suite management reporting including requirements for Exec Board meetings, Group CFO reviews, Business Review Meetings with the VC.
• Driving system / solution development and roll-out
• Engaging with Finance Leader within the entities
• Determining and rolling our best-practice methodologies w.r.t. planning and reporting
• Driving reporting quality and standardization across the Automotive Division

Budgeting and Forecasting

• Support in the preparation of budgets for GDA in conjunction with the commercial business department to ensure reliability of the key assumptions. Control and monitoring of operating budget, investigating variances where necessary. Support the re-forecasting the budget during quarterly financial reviews recommending upward or downward adjustments considering market conditions and business requirements.
• Support with the budgeting and forecasting calendar, and process
• Support with the budgeting and forecasting templates and requirements
• Support with the budgeting guidelines and assumptions (e.g. Manpower Planning)
• Review budgets by LE (P&L, BS, and Cash Flow) and Profit Centre (P&L, WC, CapEx) for:
• Group Functions and Group Consolidation
• Division Functions and Divisional Consolidation
• BUs within existing Divisions
• Incubated Businesses – New Sectors

Support budget challenge reviews (review outputs, scrutinize assumptions and drivers, assess sensitivity of drivers) for:

• Division
• BUs within existing Divisions
• Incubated Businesses – New Sectors

Support in defining the budget cost recharges and allocation framework for:

• Group services provided to business
• Division services provided to business
• Shared services provided to business

Support in ensuring the true-up is completed two times per year and reflected correctly in business forecast.

Management Reporting & Controlling

Leading management reporting process, cadence, and overall framework.

Determine KPIs and Metrics to be reported on a periodic basis at the level of:

• Divisions

Perform analysis; prepare standalone and aggregated periodic management rep. packs:

• Group and Incubated Businesses - New Sectors
• Division

Conduct periodic business performance review for performance at the level of:

• Incubated Businesses - New Sectors
• Division

Support the controlling functions for GDA 2060

• Validity of Census Headcount Report
• Review of Total Rewards posting every payroll processing
• Verification of balance sheet schedules (e.g. prepayment, accruals etc.)
• Oversee ICM review, acceptance, and escalation
• True-up activities (AAA, Group Housing, GDA allocable cost and Group Cost)
• Review of open PO’s to ensure appropriate accruals

Support on Group Finance Year-End Requirements

• Automotive Like-for-Like Analysis
• Credit Card transaction Analysis
• Automotive Balance Scorecard
• Automotive EBIT Adjustment Review Analysis
• Automotive Bonus / Incentive Pay-out Analysis

Strategic Planning and Capital Allocation

Support the development of strategic plan & its financial implications.

Support to Identify and drive cross business synergies as an input to strategic planning process:

• Across Divisions
• Across BUs within a Division

Support strategic plan challenge sessions, at the level of:

• Division

Periodically analyse country wise performance / exposure of the business:

• Division wise within a country

Periodically analyse and categorise portfolio into the portfolio segments, as per the framework (e.g., performing – stable, growth; non-performing – turnaround, exit).

Perform divestment impact / feasibility analysis for businesses:

• Within Country
• Within Division

Commercial Finance and Business Support Analysis

Support in analysis of Investments and Capex.

Support in Principal analysis e.g., yen impact, payment terms.

Analysis of Inventory, Sales (Pricing) and GM by channel.

Prepare analysis by Showroom / Facility using dashboards.

PCP and lease analysis.

Support in Strategic sourcing and cost optimization opportunities.

Understand the full end to end process of Group SAP BPC system, resolving reconciliation differences to VC’s BIW, IFRP and advise on enhancements.

Understand the full end to end process of Auto SAP BPC system (IFRP), resolving reconciliation differences to VC’s BIW, Group BPC and advise on enhancements.

Understand the full end to end process of Group VC’s BI system, resolving reconciliation differences to IFRP, Group BPC and advise on enhancements.

Provide training to end users on all FP&A systems mentioned above.

Understand the full end to end process of IFRP dashboards using tableau and Alteryx, resolving data reconciliation differences and advise on enhancements.

Understand the full end to end process of IFRP dashboards using Power BI, resolving data reconciliation differences and advise on enhancements.

Required Skills to be successful:

• Automotive or Big 4 experience
• Certified / qualified accountant
• System Savvy (SAP)
• Commercial background

About the Team:

You will be reporting to GM - Finance.

What equips you for the role:

• Qualified in Finance (CIMA), Accounting (CA), MBA or equivalent.
• Automotive experience preferable.
• More than 10 years relevant experience.
• Excellent communication, analytical, written, and interpersonal skills, and proven ability to work with global finance teams.
• Established record in managing multiple and competing priorities. Ability to meet deadlines and work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of SAP ERP, SAP BPC.
• Individual Accountability.
• Strong Communication & interpersonal skills.
• Personal Integrity.
• Strong analytical skills & problem-solving skills.
• Ability to follow-up on outstanding issues.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to manage time & work under pressure.
• Readiness to persevere with difficult tasks.
• Ability to be assertive without being aggressive.
• Able to focus and drive tasks to completion.