Senior Finance Manager - Dubai

This role sits within the Finance function of a global consulting firm, accountable for the delivery and governance of IFRS reporting across HBME and its branches. The position carries a strong focus on financial accounting, period-end close, and high-quality, well-controlled submissions. The role holder also provides expertise and delivery support to other MENAT regional entities.

The role partners closely with in-country and regional senior management, country Finance teams across MENAT, Global Financial Reporting, Global Finance Operations, lines of business, Risk, and internal and external audit teams. It is an individual contributor position supported by an offshore team managed offshore.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and govern the accounting-to-reporting process, ensuring IFRS-compliant accounting outcomes and a robust, well-controlled period-end close cycle (monthly, quarterly, and annual).
• Drive consistent application of Group accounting policies and provide technical accounting advice on new products, asset transfers, and emerging requirements.
• Ensure operational and transactional accounting requirements are appropriately executed and evidenced with a clear audit trail.
• Oversee key accounting activities performed onshore and offshore, including accruals, prepayments, provisions, recharges, intercompany and inter-branch entries, suspense and clearing accounts, and manual journals.
• Ensure correct mapping to the chart of accounts and reporting lines.
• Ensure timely reconciliation of key accounts — nostro, suspense, intercompany, and control accounts — and that reconciling items are investigated, aged, resolved, and evidenced.
• Identify recurring breaks such as posting errors, late feeds, and mapping issues; drive root-cause fixes with upstream teams, Finance Operations, and IT; and track remediation to closure.
• Deliver hands-on work alongside coaching to build a resilient, high-performing team.
• Drive collaboration across Finance and wider functions to deliver shared outcomes, deploying resources effectively across onshore and offshore models.
• Foster an inclusive growth culture focused on continuous learning, future skills, and a clear succession pipeline, encouraging early escalation and constructive challenge.
• Maintain a strong control culture across accounting-to-reporting activities, ensuring compliance with applicable accounting policies, reporting standards, and control requirements.
• Shape and implement an efficient operating model across onshore and offshore support, balancing cost, capacity, and control, and embedding standardised ways of working.
• Drive continuous improvement through standardisation, automation, and process simplification, ensuring changes are controlled, documented, and sustainable.
• Work with country Finance teams, Global Finance Operations, and MENAT functions to improve upstream data quality, reduce manual interventions, and strengthen end-to-end process ownership.
• Identify, manage, and mitigate accounting and financial reporting risks within acceptable thresholds through strict adherence to Group policies and required standards.
• Ensure key risks are assessed, documented, and escalated appropriately, including emerging external risk trends impacting accounting and reporting.
• Maintain an effective control framework over accounting-to-reporting activities, including SoX control ownership for relevant UAE processes.
  
  

Skills & Experience

• Graduate degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline is preferred. A graduation degree is essential for obtaining a UAE visa and work permit.
• If your university certificate was issued outside the UAE, up-to-date attestations and equivalency documentation are mandatory in line with UAE recognition requirements for higher education qualifications issued abroad.
• Membership of a professional accounting body such as ACA or CPA is required.
• Deep subject matter expertise in financial accounting and reporting, including IFRS, with a strong understanding of controls and governance frameworks.
• Proven leadership experience building, developing, and motivating teams, with the ability to operate effectively as a hands-on leader.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to influence without authority at senior levels across country, regional, and Group structures.
• Experience working with regulators and maintaining effective relationships; confident communicator able to explain accounting and risk matters in clear business language.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and deliver change across process improvement, operating model evolution, and system or reporting enhancements.
• Strong analytical capability with a track record of improving data quality and reporting insight through review and challenge.
  
  

About Senna

Senna is a careers platform focused on career guidance, planning, and stronger positioning for finance candidates. The platform helps professionals refine their profile, strengthen their CV and resume, and present their experience more clearly so they stand out more effectively in the Dubai finance market. For more information, visit joinsenna.com.

About Senna

Senna is a careers platform focused on career guidance, planning, and stronger positioning for private equity and finance candidates. The platform helps professionals refine their profile, strengthen their CV and resume, and present their experience more clearly so they stand out more effectively in a competitive market. For more information, visit joinsenna.com.

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