This role will lead the delivery of all regular financial control and compliance activities for markets in South East Asia (SEA) cluster. Working closely with the cluster CFO, market CFOs, and Controllers, the role will own the Balance Sheet and apply Dentsu s financial control framework by developing policies and guidance, providing training and resources, and monitoring compliance.
Job Description:
1. Oversight & Review of Financial Reporting:
- Ensure the completeness and accuracy of financial results for the SEA cluster and explain key drivers of movements across:
- Balance sheet reporting and analytics
- Cash and Net Working Capital
- Reporting and recoverability of red flag balances (including ECL provisions)
- Intercompany payable and receivable reporting
- Attend monthly performance and balance sheet calls with SEA countries.
- Oversee the external audit and statutory filing process, including audit fee coordination, tracking statutory accounts completion, letters of support, and GTAS completion for SEA.
- Handle acquisition accounting and review the quarterly deferred consideration/earn-out process for SEA countries as required.
- Serve as the key point of contact for SEA country finance teams regarding technical accounting matters and the implementation of new accounting standards in line with group guidance.
2. Internal Control and Compliance:
- Implement a robust environment of internal controls for the SEA cluster and monitor their effectiveness in line with the group Internal Control Framework / Delegation of Authority.
- Ensure efficient operation and identify improvement opportunities across key control cycles:
- Balance sheet reconciliations, including high-risk reconciliation review and account reconciliation matrix (ARM) submissions
- JSOX control requirements
- Monthly country CFO sign-off process
- Annual Control Self-Assessment process and delivery of action plans
- Cash management (including relationship banks, cash pooling, cash targets)
- Treasury approvals and funding requirements (including FX and hedging)
- Credit Insurance compliance
- Lead the monthly SEA MFCC call with the Regional FC and team.
- Work with SEA countries to deliver timely closure of remediation items raised on Risk and Audit internal reviews.
- Support compliance matters, including any compliance-related investigations, and ensure appropriate reporting to relevant stakeholders.
3. Development of SEA Control Pillar:
- Support the SEA cluster Target Operating Model implementation in relation to controllership areas by driving proactive action-planning at the market level, seeking alignment across the cluster where appropriate, and monitoring delivery against these plans.
- Provide appropriate training and guidance to improve and develop the quality of the FC team and share best practices through the team. Support the cluster CFO and market CFOs in assessing the quality and competence of market Financial Controllers.
- For relevant system deployments, provide support during the kick-off and implementation stage for the cluster, particularly where controls change as a result of the system change.
4. Regional HQ Support:
- Own the financial control environment for all Regional HQ entities, including approval of balance sheet reconciliations and regular review of balance sheet movements.
- Oversee the completion of all compliance activities, including external audit and financial statements.
5. People Leadership:
- Ensure team members are appropriately managed within a Performance Management framework, including objective setting, monitoring, feedback, and performance reviews.
- Support building capabilities, tools, and skills to increase efficiency and the value add of the Regional Controllership, Control Centre of Excellence, and SEA country Control teams.
- Implement and maintain the dual reporting line model for Market FCs in the SEA cluster through both the Market CFO and SEA Financial Controller.
6. Vision and Values & Personal Development:
- Actively demonstrate Dentsu Vision and Values.
- Support all staff in understanding the Dentsu Vision and Values and actively recognize/commend behaviors consistent with Dentsu Vision and Values.
- Recognize personal development needs and take personal responsibility for continuous learning.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Significant financial control experience, preferably in the advertising, technology, or related industry.
- Deep technical knowledge in the application of international accounting standards and best practice internal control policies.
- Experience operating in a regional, cluster, or head office setting, ensuring successful collaboration across multiple finance teams and implementing group policies locally.
- Demonstrable track record in implementing new policy requirements and driving sustained process improvements for control and compliance matters.
- Previous staff management experience and comfort operating with a mixed onshore and offshore resource model, incorporating shared services/centres of excellence.
- Evidence of working in a complex matrix environment, building effective relationships across a geographically spread business, and engaging a wide range of senior stakeholders.
- Fluency in English.
- Internationally recognized finance/accounting qualification (i.e., CA/CPA) with 14+ years of experience.
Core Competencies:
- Advanced oral and written communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills; ability to quickly form working relationships and gain credibility with senior management.
- Strong influencing skills and judgment to balance challenging business management to ensure robust financial control outcomes and working in partnership with the business to drive a compliance culture.
- Strong skills in developing team members through coaching, constructive feedback, and developmental opportunities.
- Ability to challenge existing thinking.
- Confident in dealing with confrontation and making decisions under pressure.
- Ability to work to challenging deadlines and deliver quality work in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
- Ability to juggle multiple priorities to deliver strategic objectives.
- Proactive in identifying and solving complex problems/issues.
- Ability to think innovatively in developing and implementing solutions.
