Group Finance Director

About the Role and Company

A leading FMCG manufacturing group with over 500 employees spanning operations throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, is seeking an accomplished and commercially focused Group Finance Director. This leadership role requires overseeing the finance function across multiple countries and group entities, driving consistent financial governance and strategic oversight.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct and manage the Group Finance operations across various countries, companies, and entities to ensure unified financial policies, controls, reporting, and governance.
• Coordinate and finalize year-end audits for individual and group companies, ensuring timely completion and resolution of issues.
• Handle financial consolidation processes, including statement consolidation, intercompany reconciliations, eliminations, and preparation of group financial reports.
• Develop and implement the group's financial strategies, budgets, forecasts, and business plans.
• Provide the Board and senior management with strategic financial advice supporting growth, investment decisions, and overall business strategy.
• Maintain robust financial controls, governance, compliance, and risk management across all group entities.
• Oversee all financial reporting aspects, including consolidation, cash flow, treasury, taxation, and working capital management.
• Lead corporate tax management and compliance—covering corporate tax, VAT, and other relevant direct and indirect taxes—in accordance with UAE and international tax laws.
• Ensure timely processing of tax registrations, returns, payments, reconciliations, assessments, and statutory filings.
• Develop and execute tax planning and risk management strategies to optimize tax positions while ensuring full regulatory compliance.
• Monitor company performance via financial analysis, KPIs, and management reports presented to leadership.
• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-term financial planning for all companies and the group as a whole.
• Manage relationships with banks, external auditors, tax consultants, regulators, insurers, and other financial institutions.
• Ensure compliance with all accounting, taxation, corporate governance, regulatory, and statutory requirements.
• Establish and maintain a strong group-wide compliance framework ensuring timely statutory, regulatory, tax, and financial reporting.
• Coordinate audits and interactions with tax authorities and advisors, ensuring observations and findings are addressed timely.
• Drive continuous improvements in finance processes, ERP systems, internal controls, tax and compliance frameworks, reporting, and financial consolidation.
• Oversee intercompany accounting, reconciliations, transfer pricing documentation, and reporting procedures.
• Support strategic business initiatives such as expansion, acquisitions, restructuring, financial due diligence, and evaluation of tax implications.
• Ensure timely completion and submission of statutory financial statements, management accounts, tax returns, and consolidated group reports.
• Lead, nurture, and mentor the Group Finance team, fostering effective collaboration across finance departments within group companies.

Candidate Profile

• Over 15 years of progressive finance experience, ideally in FMCG, manufacturing, or multinational/group organizations with exposure to the UAE market.
• Prior senior roles such as Group Finance Director, Finance Director, or CFO.
• Experience managing financial operations across multiple countries, consolidation, and international financial reporting standards.
• Proficient knowledge of IFRS, financial controls, budgeting, taxation, treasury, and working capital management.
• Established experience collaborating with banks, auditors, investors, and senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial and strategic thinking ability to translate financial data into actionable business decisions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and analytical capabilities.
• Experience in UAE/GCC and international markets is advantageous.
• Professional qualifications such as CA, ACCA, CPA, or CIMA with a relevant degree or equivalent are preferred.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and finance transformation or digitalization initiatives is a plus.

What We Offer

• A senior leadership opportunity within a rapidly expanding global FMCG manufacturing organization.
• The chance to shape group strategy, financial performance, and global growth initiatives.
• Exposure to operations spanning the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
• A competitive salary and benefits package aligned with experience.

Additional Information

Location: Dubai – Jebel Ali, UAE

Industry: FMCG Manufacturing

Group Size: 500+ Employees

Geographical Scope: Middle East, Europe, Africa