Financial Controller Head Operations
Job Summary
Reporting to the COO, this high-impact role oversees finance, accounting, and trade finance functions for a rapidly growing commodity trading platform. The successful candidate will lead end-to-end financial control, manage trade finance operations, and provide strategic investment governance. This position requires a hands-on leader to drive ERP optimization and provide reporting support to senior leadership.
Responsibilities
- Lead end-to-end finance, accounting, and trade finance operations
- Oversee financial controls, P&L analysis, and risk management for trading desks
- Manage group consolidation, statutory reporting, and tax compliance
- Direct fund finance activities including NAV, IRR, and capital distributions
- Drive ERP implementation and financial systems optimization
Required Skills
- 10-15 years experience in commodity trading finance
- Professional accounting certification (CA/CPA/ACCA)
- Expertise in trade finance and fund accounting
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and ERP systems
- Proven leadership in lean/fast-paced environments
Job Details
### The Role
Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, this is a high impact role managing a lean finance and trade finance team, with end to end responsibility over financial control, reporting, trade finance, and fund related finance activities across trading, structured finance, and investment vehicles. You will have oversight of trading operations, trade finance execution, and investment governance, working closely with senior management, trading desks, and deal teams.
### Key Responsibilities
- Lead end to end finance and accounting across commodity trading, trade finance, and investment entities
- Implement and maintain robust financial controls over trading activities, including contracts, settlements, hedging, inventory, and mark to market reporting
- Monitor and analyse P&L performance of trading desks, pricing basis, exposures, and risk metrics
- Oversee trade finance operations, including covenant compliance, warehouse receipts, and funding utilisation
- Design and enhance group wide internal controls, accounting policies, and finance governance frameworks
- Drive ERP / finance systems implementation and optimisation and improve reporting and data visibility
- Prepare management reports, dashboards, and board level packs for senior leadership
- Lead group consolidation and statutory reporting under SFRS; manage audits, tax compliance, and external advisors across jurisdictions
- Manage cash flow, liquidity planning, and intercompany funding across trading, GP, SPV, and fund structures
- Oversee fund finance and investment reporting, including NAV, IRR/TVPI, capital calls, distributions, carried interest, and fee structures
- Partner deal teams on investment structuring, SPV setup, waterfall models, and exit scenarios
- Manage, mentor, and develop a lean finance and trade finance team
### Qualifications and Profile
- Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline; professional qualification (CA, CPA, ACCA) preferred
- 10 to 15 years of relevant experience in accounting and finance within a commodity trading environment
- Proven experience managing the full spectrum of finance and accounting, including financial and management reporting, internal controls and governance, treasury, cash flow, and funding, tax and statutory compliance and trade finance operations
- Prior Big 4 audit experience is advantageous but not mandatory
- Exposure to private equity, venture capital, structured trade finance, or fund finance will be highly regarded
- Strong systems capability with advanced proficiency in Excel and Power BI and ERP / accounting systems such as SAP B1, Microsoft Dynamics, Xero, NetSuite, or similar
- Demonstrated people management experience within lean or fast paced environments
- Strong commercial acumen, hands on mindset, and ability to partner effectively with trading and investment teams