Executive recruitment company Monroe Consulting Group Philippines is recruiting on behalf on one of the world's renounced Academic Research Institute that provides learning and Education to people. Our respective client is looking for Head of Finance - Shared Services who will play a pivotal role in leading a growing team, developing the working culture and continuously striving to improve finance delivery to enable a best-in-class shared services organization. This senior leadership position is responsible for driving operational efficiency, ensuring high levels of service delivery, and aligning shared service finance processes with the overall business strategy. This role is based in Makati and requires a hybrid work setup.
About the role:
The role requires expertise in financial management, transformation, and leadership of teams supporting multiple geographies for a globally recognized institution. The role will be a key link between United Kingdom & Manila as part of a wider finance team, as well as between local leaders within partnering across other divisions. By delivering timely and accurate data, reports and insights about the performance of each team and the division, the Head of Finance - Shared Services will play a vital role in ensuring effective decision making by key stakeholders both in Manila and UK.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Management & Leadership
- Identify and help drive key finance initiatives to ensure the SSC is a centre of excellence, providing value-added services that support the broader organization in line with the global Fnance strategy.
- Support the long-term plans for the Finance SSC, ensuring alignment with the organization's overall business goals and finance transformation initiatives.
- Collaborate with global finance leadership in both Manila and the UK to standardize processes and implement best practices
Transformation and Change Management
- Develop the finance shared services capability to support future transformation strategies.
- Support finance transformation initiatives as a key stakeholder in areas including continuous improvement, system implementations, ERP implementation and organizational restructuring to drive agility and scalability
Accountabilities
- Accountable for the end-to-end delivery of finance shared service teams & operations in Manila, including Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), General Ledger (GL), payroll and R2R.
- Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant financial processes while continuously identifying opportunities for improvement in efficiency and service quality and that financial controls are operating effectively.
- Leverage automation and digital technologies (RPA, AI, etc.) to streamline processes and enhance productivity.
Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management
- Ensure the SSC operates in full compliance with internal policies, external regulations, and statutory requirements across all serviced jurisdictions.
- Ensure robust controls are in place and audit processes that safeguard the organization's assets and integrity of financial data.
- Act as a key local point of contact for internal and external audits and ensure successful audit outcomes.
Performance Management
- Deliver, track, and report with commentary and insight on key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) to ensure high-quality service delivery to internal and external stakeholders.
- Continuously review SSC performance, identifying trends, inefficiencies, and areas for innovation to improve service and cost-effectiveness.
Financial Planning and Analysis
- Support the SSC's budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and efficient use of resources.
- Provide senior management with actionable insights derived from financial analysis to support decision-making
Team Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing finance team alongside UK Management, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Drive employee engagement initiatives, ensuring a positive work environment and opportunities for professional growth and development within the SSC.
Stakeholder Management
- Act as the key interface between the Finance SSC and the organization's business units and UK Finance Management, maintaining strong relationships with global stakeholders and ensuring alignment of services with business needs.
- Work closely with other functional leaders (HR, IT, Procurement) to ensure cross functional collaboration and seamless service delivery in the SSC and markets.
- Champion change management efforts within the SSC, ensuring smooth transitions and strong adoption of new processes, tools, and structures.
- Member of local Manila Senior leadership management team.
Key Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field. MBA or advanced degree preferred.
- Certifications: Professional accounting/finance qualification (e.g., CPA, ACCA, CIMA) is required.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in finance, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within a Finance SSC or shared services environment. Experience in a multinational company is essential.
- Deep understanding of finance operations and the shared services model.
- Proven track record of leading large teams and driving operational improvements.
- Strong knowledge of financial systems, ERPs, and automation technologies.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage change and lead transformation projects.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data to drive decision making.
