Financial Controller – Agricultural/ Farm Background – Al Qasim, KSA
Our client, one of the most reputed producers of Dates in Saudi Arabia is looking to hire a Financial Controller based in Al Qasim, KSA.
Budget: SAR 30K – 35K + Benefits
The Financial Controller will lead and oversee the company's financial control, accounting, reporting, budgeting, treasury, cash-flow management, and financial compliance activities. The position will provide accurate and timely financial information to management, strengthen financial controls, safeguard company assets, and support profitable and sustainable growth across farming, processing, packing, sales, and export operations
Key Responsibilities
Financial Reporting & Accounting
- Oversee accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial closing and reporting.
- Review the general ledger, journal entries, accruals, provisions, prepayments, fixed assets, and balance-sheet reconciliations.
- Prepare and review financial statements and management accounts in accordance with applicable accounting standards and company policies.
- Ensure the integrity, completeness, and accuracy of financial data across the company's operations.
- Monitor accounting transactions and ensure appropriate supporting documentation and approvals are maintained.
- Develop and maintain effective month-end and year-end closing procedures and reporting timelines.
Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning
- Lead the annual budgeting process and coordinate budget preparation with all departments.
- Prepare rolling forecasts and periodic financial projections based on operational and commercial performance.
- Monitor actual performance against budget and forecast and investigate significant variances.
- Provide management with financial analysis, scenario planning, and recommendations to improve profitability and cost efficiency.
- Support management in evaluating major investments, capital expenditure, projects, and business initiatives.
Cost Control & Profitability
- Monitor and analyze costs across farming, harvesting, processing, packing, storage, logistics, and other operational activities.
- Establish appropriate cost-control mechanisms and monitor departmental and operational spending.
- Analyze product, customer, channel, and market profitability where applicable.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities and provide recommendations while maintaining operational and product-quality requirements.
- Monitor inventory valuation, stock movements, wastage, write-offs, and other factors affecting gross margin and profitability.
Cash Flow, Treasury & Working Capital
- Oversee cash-flow planning, forecasting, and monitoring to ensure adequate liquidity.
- Monitor accounts receivable, collections, customer credit exposure, and overdue balances.
- Oversee accounts payable and supplier payment planning in line with approved terms and available cash flow.
- Monitor working-capital requirements and identify opportunities to improve cash conversion.
- Coordinate with banks and financial institutions on routine banking matters, facilities, guarantees, and other approved financial arrangements.
Internal Controls, Compliance & Audit
- Design, implement, monitor, and continuously improve financial policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, authorization controls, reconciliations, and documentation.
- Monitor compliance with applicable accounting, tax, statutory, and company requirements.
- Coordinate internal and external audits and ensure timely provision of accurate supporting information.
- Follow up on audit findings and ensure agreed corrective actions are implemented.
- Identify financial and operational control risks and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.
Inventory, Fixed Assets & Operational Controls
- Oversee financial controls relating to inventory, including raw materials, agricultural inputs, harvested dates, packaging materials, finished goods, and other stock.
- Ensure appropriate inventory valuation, reconciliation, and reporting procedures are maintained.
- Monitor fixed assets, capital expenditure, asset registers, depreciation, disposals, and physical verification.
- Work with Operations, Agriculture, Production, Procurement, and Supply Chain to improve financial visibility and control over operational resources.
Management Reporting & Business Support
- Provide management with accurate financial dashboards, KPIs, variance analysis, and periodic financial reports.
- Develop financial analysis to support pricing, procurement, production, inventory, sales, and investment decisions.
- Provide timely analysis of financial risks, business performance, and emerging cost or cash-flow issues.
- Support senior management in strategic planning and business-performance reviews.
Team Leadership
- Lead, coach, and develop the finance and accounting team and establish clear individual and team KPIs.
- Review team performance, workload, reporting quality, and adherence to financial procedures.
- Ensure appropriate training and development of finance personnel.
- Support recruitment and onboarding of finance professionals when required.
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Work closely with General Management, Sales, Production, Agriculture, Procurement, Supply Chain, Quality, HR, and Logistics.
- Coordinate financial information required for operational planning, commercial decisions, procurement, inventory management, and export activities.
- Provide Finance guidance on customer credit limits, collections, supplier terms, budgets, cost commitments, and financial risks.
- Ensure financial implications are considered in major operational and commercial decisions.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
- Professional accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA, CMA, or equivalent is strongly preferred.
- 20+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, with substantial experience in financial control or a similar senior finance role.
- Experience in agriculture, dates, food production, FMCG, manufacturing, or another operational business environment is strongly preferred.
- Strong experience in financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, cash flow, working capital, and internal controls.
- Experience managing and developing a finance/accounting team.
- Strong ERP/accounting-system experience and advanced Excel skills.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills.
- Fluent Arabic and English.
