Global Controller

Job Summary:

The Engineering and IT Controllership plays a crucial role in ensuring financial discipline and accountability within engineering and IT functions, ultimately contributing to the overall financial performance and success of the organization.

Given the sensitive nature of financial information, maintaining confidentiality is crucial. This role must adhere to strict ethical standards and ensure the security of financial data.

Job Responsibilities:

Your supervisor may from time to time ask you to perform other related duties not specifically included in this job description. This job's key responsibilities include:

• Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A): Partner with IT & Engineering leadership teams to define, develop and execute global consolidated financial reporting tools and best in class metrics aligned with key strategic initiatives. Lead the development of financial plans for global IT and Engineering teams including annual operating plan, long-range plan & monthly/quarterly forecasts.
• Develop and maintain financial plans, budgets, and forecasts for engineering and IT projects. This involves working closely with project managers, engineers, and IT professionals to estimate costs accurately.
• Cost Control: Monitor and control costs associated with engineering projects and IT initiatives. This includes tracking expenses, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and ensuring that projects stay within budget constraints.
• Financial Reporting: Prepare regular financial reports and analyses for engineering and IT functions. Develop & present monthly results scorecard/dashboard explaining actual results vs forecast/budget & prior year. Provide insights into project profitability and financial health of the functions.
• Compliance and Governance: Partner with finance leadership team to evaluate and implement appropriate and consistent internal controls & guidelines. Collaborate with Operations Finance and Accounting team to ensure regional teams follow consistent processes and procedures per agreed upon standards. Ensure compliance with financial regulations and company policies related to engineering and IT expenditures. This may involve implementing controls to mitigate financial risks and conducting audits to ensure adherence to financial standards.
• Investment Analysis: Evaluate the financial viability of proposed engineering projects and IT investments. This includes conducting cost-benefit analyses, assessing return on investment (ROI), and making recommendations regarding resource allocation.
• Business Partnering: Collaborate with engineering and IT teams to align financial objectives with business goals. This involves providing financial guidance and support to help achieve strategic objectives while managing costs effectively
• Process Improvement: Develop integration playbook to ensure recently acquired companies are successfully integrated into IT & Engineering global reporting requirements. Identify opportunities to streamline financial processes and improve efficiency within engineering and IT departments. This may involve implementing new financial tools or systems to enhance reporting capabilities and optimize resource allocation.
• Risk Management: Assess financial risks associated with engineering and IT projects and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. This includes identifying potential financial exposures and implementing measures to safeguard the company's financial interests.

Job Qualifications:

• Education
  • A bachelor's degree in finance, accounting is required.
  • Professional CPA or CMA designation is preferred.
• Skills and Experience
  • Technical Experience: 3-5 years in a relevant technical field. Experience in financial management, accounting, or controlling roles is essential, preferably in a manufacturing or automotive industry setting. Specific experience in IT or Engineering finance and controlling is highly valuable. This may include roles such as IT Financial Analyst, Engineering Project Controller, or similar positions.
  • Experience in a global environment with exposure to international markets, currencies, and regulatory frameworks is beneficial.
  • Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of financial principles, including budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and cost control.
  • Strategic Thinking: Aligns work and recommendations to broader organizational goals and priorities and how it contributes to achieving strategic objectives.
  • Technical Knowledge: Familiarity with IT systems, engineering processes, and automotive manufacturing operations. This includes understanding technical terminology and concepts relevant to IT infrastructure, software development, engineering design, and manufacturing processes.
  • Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze complex financial data, identify trends, and draw meaningful insights to support decision-making.
  • Communication Skills: Effective communication skills are essential for collaborating with cross-functional teams, presenting financial information to stakeholders, and conveying complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. Being able to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively is crucial. This includes active listening, empathizing with others' perspectives, and tailoring your message to resonate with your audience.
  • Stakeholder Management & Networking: Establishes rapport and trust with colleagues, stakeholders, and team members is essential for gaining influence. Builds trust with colleagues, stakeholders, and team members. Invests time in building genuine relationships, understanding others' motivations, and demonstrating integrity and reliability. Actively participates in professional networks, both within and outside your organization to connect with key influencers, share insights, and build alliances that can amplify your influence.
  • Problem-Solving Abilities: Proven ability to identify financial challenges, propose solutions, and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Knowledge of financial regulations, accounting standards (such as GAAP or IFRS), and compliance requirements relevant to the manufacturing and automotive industries.
  • IT Proficiency: Familiarity with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, financial software (e.g., SAP, Oracle), and productivity tools (e.g., PowerBI, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint) is required.

Behavioural Expectations:

• Safety-First - A safety-first mindset is a proactive approach to safety, where all employees keep an eye out for safety issues and avoid potentially dangerous situation which could likely cause danger, risk, or injury. This also means that everyone has responsibility for safety regardless of role, level, title, or job.
• Continuous Improvements - Suggest every employee, everywhere is always looking for ways we can improve and standardize our work even when everything is going well. By doing so, it will drive consistent progress toward improved business performance and will tap into people's desire to be the best at what they do.
• Compliance - Employee compliance is achieved when workers are familiar with all the laws that govern their industry or job and know how to conduct business in an ethical manner. It often requires procedural training and encouragement to learn from mistakes.
• Driving Results - Everyone knows their role and is accountable for driving their work to achieve a common goal.
• ONE Team - being part of a group that shares strong relationships, trust, respect, and a common vision for what "good" looks like. One team means supporting and relying on one another to achieve to drive the overall business priorities and meet our customer commitments.

Working Conditions:

• Office Environment: Typically, work is conducted in an office setting.
• Fast-Paced Environment: The automotive industry is known for its fast-paced and dynamic nature, with tight production schedules, evolving technologies, and changing market demands. As a result, individuals in Controllership roles must be adaptable, responsive, and able to work effectively under pressure.
• Regulatory Compliance: The automotive industry is subject to various regulatory requirements related to financial reporting, environmental standards, safety regulations, and trade compliance. Controllership professionals must stay abreast of relevant regulations and ensure that the company's operations comply with applicable laws and standards.