Finance Director

Financial Controller, Director

The Financial Controller will partner with the CFO and their leadership team to support the company’s continued enterprise transformation, having a productivity and efficiency mindset and inspiring others to drive change. They will provide strategic and operational leadership to the Japan Finance organization, working across divisional and regional boundaries to support the overall mission of the company.

The Financial Controller Japan is responsible for leading the Financial Controller team, which includes the Accounting, Tax & Treasury team and Financial Services team, in the execution of the company’s fiduciary duties including strong financial stewardship over the company’s assets, maintaining accurate and timely books and records, delivery of financial statements for US and local statutory reporting, managing a strong financial control environment and supporting the company’s tax obligations in partnership with internal & external stakeholders.

The Financial Controller will lead a team of approximately 22 people.

The position reports to the Chief Financial Officer in Japan and is a member of the Japan Services Leadership Team

Major Responsibilities

The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited, to the following

• Lead enterprise-wide Risk Assurance governance processes and maintain a strong control environment, which ensures that financial processes and company operations are effective and compliant with company and local policy requirements.
• Ensure quality control over financial transactions and financial reporting including Order to Cash, Source to Settle, Account to Report, Tax, and Treasury.
• The local leaders of entity accounting (dividend planning, legal entity integration/separation) working closely with a global team
• Provide support and guidance on business development activities from revenue recognition, tax, and financial controls perspectives.
• Drive financial end-to-end process simplification/standardization with global and local initiatives (OtC, StS, and AtR).
• Optimize Treasury activities (Cash Management, Days of Sales Outstanding (DSO), Pension management, etc.).
• Identify opportunities to drive further collaboration with Global Business Services; delivery of value-creating finance support.
• Develop talent, including developing internal talent to take on increasing responsibilities, coaching talent to improve performance, attracting high caliber external diverse talent, and creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

Required Knowledge & Core Competencies

• Demonstrates strategic and financial stewardship to partner with the CFO and leadership team to deliver the department’s short- and long-term goals.
• Demonstrates motivation, commitment, and accountability to support the finance department’s objectives.
• Ability to handle competing priorities, approach and solve challenges with a positive attitude and commit to a decision
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with internal and external stakeholders; high business proficiency in English and Japanese
• Team player with strong leadership/influencing skills and commitment to talent development
• Ability to multi-task, work under pressure, meet deadlines, and able to thrive in a fast-paced work environment.

Experience

Strong working US and Japanese GAAP, Company law, Tax, and financial reporting knowledge and experience.

• Working experience with dividend and legal entity structure planning
• Demonstrated SOX & internal control knowledge. Experience working with internal and external audit teams
• Experience working with financial systems (e.g. SAP), Concur, and Ariba is preferable. Being able to grasp the systems as a whole and understanding their linkages
• Minimum 5 years of experience leading and developing teams with diverse backgrounds

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Accounting or Finance. CPA or equivalent qualification
• Pharmaceutical and Multinational experience preferred. Minimum of 10 years of relevant controlling experience