Deputy Site Controller

Deputy Site Controller

Date: 7 Aug 2024

Company: Alstom

At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, more than 80,000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

Brings to Site Management, Country Management, Regional Management and Corporate a regular view of Site activity (monthly and yearly closing, budgets and forecasts), ensuring compliance with local accounting (IFRS) & tax regulations (statutory), Group accounting standards and Internal Control rules & principles. Supports Site MD, Head departments and Tender & Project Management for financial matters and performance monitoring of the site. Supports, implements and monitors the site objectives.

MAIN OFFICE LOCATION:

• Main daily location in Nigel (with expected travel between various sites)

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROLLING:

• Responsible for providing accurate transparent information, support and performance enablers to the site management team.
• Assist the Site Managing Director and Site Controller in all financial and ad-hoc matters for multiple legal entities.
• Monitor and forecast the financial indicators of multiple sites concerned.
• Ensures that major budget variances are identified and analysed. Recommend possible courses of action to remedy the situation.
• Set targets and control environment for the cost management within the sites in order to maximize performance.
• Monitor financial flows and validate the final reports.
• Control and validate the site specific financial data provided by the site functions for multiple sites and legal entities.
• Challenge and give insight for risks or variance analyses.
• Provide to business management financial support backed by consolidated data and analysis for multiple sites and legal entities.
• Provide all necessary analysis and assistance to the Cluster management, where required.
• Work at actual, forecast and budget levels.
• Develop Action plans in order to optimise performance and implement corrective actions.
• Follow and implement restructuring and capacity extension plans if any.
• Validate and assist in the preparations of site budget, forecast, monthly reporting.
• Review financial internal controls deliverables (Internal Audit) and ensure execution in line with the internal audit plans.
• Coordinate quarterly / annual external audits, and ensure no SADs are listed.
• Participate when needed in local reviews to ensure financials accurately reflect all known risks and opportunities.
• Monitor cash and coordinate cash requirements with Treasury.
• Manage the day-to-day activities of the direct reportees which would include as a minimum accounts receivables, accounts payables and accountants or as required based on the structure of the finance team.
• Coordinate monthly and annual accounting matters with the GFC (shared service) team, as required.
• Support the performance management system through the use of objectives, appraisals and 1:1 reviews for all direct reports.
• Provide advice on financial matters, ensuring compliance with statutory regulations and corporate standards.
• Monitor and review the balance sheet for multiple entities on a monthly basis in line with the deadlines.
• Review and provide cash forecast (Weekly, Internal, Budget) for multiple entities.
• Provide authorisation for transactions covered in the site Delegation of Authority.
• Provide sufficient bank account management for multiple legal entities by ensuring that all bank accounts are reported on the bank account database, all bank mandates contain a minimum of current managers, and all users conform with the SOD guidelines and are current permanent employees.
• Coordinate all reserve bank and other bank related matters for multiple entities.
• Where required, support the Business Development Team in the preparation financial information for tenders.
• Responsibility for the preparation of Internal and External Audits as required, including the preparation of annual financial statements for multiple legal entities and the coordination with the boards for approval.
• Ensure all external and internal audit matters are managed till conclusion as well as ensuring that any internal or external audit findings are logged and actioned in line with deadlines.
• Ensure that Finance departmental work instructions are written, communicated and stored in an accessible place and are updated regularly to reflect continuous improvements.
• Provide back up to any of the processes within the finance department, except where segregation of duties do not allow.
• Preparation, validation and submission of the VAT and corporate income taxation return (SARS efiling and/or other as required).
• Ensure all VAT and corporate income taxation matters and risks are addressed as required (for audits, SARS or other requirements).
• Other reasonable ad-hoc finance tasks, when required.
• Coordinate the monthly closing and reporting process with the assistance of the local and GFC (shared service) teams for multiple legal entities, including the monthly publications of the relevant packs and coordination of the monthly financial results review process.
• Prepare management accounts and board information as required by the Site Controller.

REPORTING AND COORDINATION:

• Set the environment to collect, consolidate, analyse and validate financial data in order to produce actual budget and forecasts, draw conclusions on variances of resource allocation and recommend corrective action.
• Validate the financial structure of the locations (processes and systems) in order to satisfy all internal and external requirements.
• Comply with the reporting definitions of Alstom guidelines in order to provide consistent and informative management information and ensure compliance with Internal Control.
• Interface with regional controller, country FD to report and cascade information.
• Provide consistent and accurate monthly financial reporting in line with Group deadlines.

MANAGEMENT:

• Coordinate the planning and budgeting scope, activities and schedule of the locations and set targets in order to produce reliable data, resource plans and budgets.
• Support the Site Controller with ad-hoc analyses.
• Together with the Site Controller, manage and provide guidance to the site controlling finance team.

KEY JOB AUTHORITIES AND DIMENSIONS:

• Team of 2 to 15 people depending on the site.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS:

• Forecasting accuracy financial information.
• Achievement of budget targets.
• Full compliance with accounting and reporting standards.

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE & BEHAVIOUR:

• CA(SA).
• Minimum 5 to 10 years of relevant finance experience.
• External Audit, Site cost management or Project Control experience.
• Fluent in English, additional language a plus.

COMPETENCIES & SKILLS:

• Demonstrate Honesty and Integrity, Courage and Conviction.
• Resilience, ability to work under pressure and exposure N+1, N+2 or other Finance Managers.
• Very good Communication Skills needed to face many actors in the organisation.
• Demonstrate Transparency and Reliability.
• Ability to Work in an International Environment.
• Leadership ability.
• Excellent analytic skills.
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation.
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to communicate and manage well at all levels of the organization and with staff at remote locations essential.
• Strong problem solving and creative skills and the ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions based on accurate and timely analyses.
• Ability to manage big data as a large part of business operations.
• Ability to work effectively and independent.
• Strategic thinker and planner.

You don’t need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you’ll be proud. If you’re up for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you!

Important to note:

As a global business, we’re an equal-opportunity employer that celebrates diversity across the 63 countries we operate in. We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace for everyone.