Financial Controller

About Syntys

Syntys is a prominent provider of data center solutions focused on design, construction, and management. We serve hyperscalers, AI infrastructure, and colocation wholesale clients throughout the MENA region. Operating in more countries than any other local provider, we offer scalable, secure, and efficient digital infrastructure, including colocation and built-to-suit facilities tailored to meet expanding industry demands. Our efforts contribute significantly to regional economic growth by driving innovation and attracting digital economy investments.

Role Overview

The Financial Controller is tasked with ensuring integrity, control, and punctual reporting of Syntys’ financial data across the Group and its projects. Leading and developing the accounting team, the role manages key accounting operations including monthly close, consolidation, statutory reports, project accounting, billing, receivables, payables, audits, tax, and financial controls.

Reporting directly to the Senior Vice President Finance and collaborating with business leaders, the role establishes scalable finance processes for our growing regional data-center platform, offering clear insights and challenges on capital projects, operations, commercial arrangements, and risk. It also ensures compliance with IFRS, local regulations, and approved authority levels.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close and reporting for the Group and subsidiaries, including consolidation and currency accounting per IFRS standards.
• Maintain thorough balance sheet reconciliations, accounting schedules, and controls with prompt resolution of aged items.
• Produce insightful analyses and commentary on performance, cash flow, estimates, risks, and emerging issues for senior management.
• Develop and enforce the Group accounting manual, chart of accounts, close procedures, and financial-control frameworks such as ICOFR.
• Evaluate accounting impacts of contracts, financing, leases, acquisitions, joint ventures, and complex transactions; coordinate specialist advice as necessary.
• Ensure adherence to authority delegations, procurement/payment controls, revenue recognition, anti-fraud measures, and document retention standards.
• Lead correction of control deficiencies and foster a culture of accountability, integrity, and ongoing improvement.
• Oversee project accounting for data center developments, including cost capture, capitalisation, depreciation, impairments, and disposals.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Commercial, Procurement, and Operations teams to validate project costs, accruals, claims, and asset status.
• Maintain accurate fixed-asset registers and ensure regular physical verification, useful-life reviews, and impairment assessments.
• Manage billing processes ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant invoicing and credit notes.
• Lead accounts receivable management including reconciliations, ageing analysis, collections, dispute resolution, and escalation of high-risk receivables.
• Supervise cash accounting, bank reconciliations, payment governance, accounts payable, customer deposits, and working-capital controls.
• Ensure prompt and accurate tax filing and statutory reporting by coordinating with internal tax teams and external advisors.
• Provide audit-ready support for covenant, investor, shareholder, lender, and institutional reporting, ensuring consistency with statutory and management accounts.
• Serve as primary contact for external audit and coordinate internal audit requests and corrective actions.
• Maintain productive relationships with banks, auditors, tax advisers, regulators, joint-venture partners, and other external stakeholders.
• Deliver clear financial guidance to business units and assist with investment appraisals, budgeting, forecasting, and decision-making using reliable data.
• Oversee ERP, consolidation, and reporting systems’ controllership design and data integrity, partnering with IT to enhance automation, access controls, and data governance.
• Standardize and optimize finance processes across entities with measurable service levels and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing controllership team through clear objectives, coaching, succession planning, and professional growth.
• Perform additional finance tasks aligned with role responsibilities and authority.

Qualifications and Experience

• Over ten years of progressive finance and controllership experience, including a minimum of five years in senior supervisory or team leadership roles.
• Experience preferably gained within multi-entity, capital-intensive or project-driven companies across sectors such as construction, infrastructure, real estate, telecoms, utilities, or data centers.
• Proven management of group financial close, consolidation, statutory reporting, external audit, and internal control processes.
• In-depth practical knowledge of IFRS including treatment of fixed assets, leases, impairments, revenue recognition, foreign currency, and consolidation.
• Solid track record implementing or enhancing ERP, consolidation, and financial reporting tools with a focus on process automation and standardization.
• Ability to effectively engage senior leaders, auditors, advisors, and geographically diverse teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field.
• Professional accounting certification such as ACCA, ACA, CPA, CIMA, CA or equivalent.
• Advanced expertise in IFRS and financial-control frameworks including ICOFR.
• Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills able to simplify complex finance concepts.
• High proficiency in ERP platforms ideally Microsoft Dynamics 365, consolidation software, Power BI, Microsoft Excel, and PowerPoint; familiarity with modern reporting and analytics tools is a plus.
• Fluency in English with Arabic language skills preferred.