Head of Finance

Schréder is the leading independent smart outdoor lighting solution provider worldwide. The company, founded in 1907, is present in over 70 countries on 5 continents. Our tradition of engineering means we have been at the forefront of innovation throughout our history. The latest wave of urbanism means that city centres are becoming more vital than ever: connectivity is crucial. Experts in Lightability, we propose lighting infrastructure that will play a pivotal role in building Smart Cities and future communication networks. Our purpose is to deliver an outstanding experience by accompanying our customers along every step of their journey, from design to after-sales service, including light, control systems, CCTV, WiFi, EV chargers and many more smart features. Environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable lighting has always been part of Schréder's DNA. We have already helped many cities, industries and sports venues worldwide to reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint by switching to LED technology. By integrating our control systems, they achieve further energy-savings and deliver a better people-centred experience. Our century-long experience has given us the clarity and insights to help cities transform their street lighting upgrades into the foundation for their smart city eco-systems. Our systems are open and interoperable to seamlessly interact with sensors and actuators deployed throughout public spaces and to solve existing and future needs. We are constantly pushing the limits of our technology to enable communities such as Valencia in Spain, Bad Hersfeld in Germany and Queensland in Australia to better manage their assets, reduce their expenditure and preserve their identity and their environment.

Reporting to the CEO, the Head of Finance for Australia and New Zealand is responsible for overseeing all financial activities including compliance, continuous improvement, risk management, managing investments, potential M&A, financial planning and analysis, financial strategies, forecasting, budgeting, and internal control. He/she also responsible for financial reporting locally to management and group management, as well as compliance with government regulations.

The Head of Finance is to ensure the financial health and profitability of the company, create forecasting models, assess risk in investments, and ensure all accounting activities comply with regulations. He/she is responsible for budget planning and supports the leadership teams by offering insights and financial advice that will allow them to make the best business decisions for the business. He/she should manage the business in such a manner to maximise return on investment while minimising risk and ensuring control over the business. He/she should be proactive and actively collaborates with the team to achieve financial goals, rather than solely observing from the sidelines.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Member of the senior leadership team and strategic partner to the CEO, providing financial, operational, and commercial support and guidance.
• Enhance/Develop, implement, and maintain an effective planning and analysis capability (to provide senior leadership with appropriate analytical tools to define strategies & processed to increase business profitability, monitor Price & Margin analysis/evolution and measure performance of the business.
• Develop and execute processes to allow for routine analytical reviews of company financial and operational performance.
• Risk management, identifying risk and risk mitigation factor to ensure business continuity.
• Accountable for all aspects of financial reporting, including budgeting, planning, and internal control measures.
• Responsible for overseeing the financial components of the 3-Year Strategic Plan, spearheading the Annual Operational Planning, and managing the business forecasting processes.
• Produce monthly forecasts and management reports, providing insightful recommendations for improvement initiatives. Collaborate closely with the leadership team to ensure achievement of financial commitments, while also suggesting trends, their implications, key actions, and strategic considerations.
• Coordinate the Continuous improvement projects, build up plans for improvement of gross margins, EBIT growth, product costs etc. and provide relevant financial inputs.
• Review the Capital Expenditure and Investment Projects at finance prospect, budget control for those spending and drive the return on investment.
• Ensure the costs/spending actions are in line with operating plan and advice/working with leadership team to address the issues identified.
• Ensure the business activities are carried out in compliance with IFRS, AASB and BEGAAP.
• Attend to all external/internal audit requirements including execution of the Australia statutory audit and all local stat account and taxation reporting requirements in a timely manner.
• Responsible the key finance projects, e.g., M&A, Business Integration, Working Capital improvement, ERP Projects, etc.
• Collaborate with the finance team at the headquarters to address improvement initiatives and meet local and global business requirements.
• Support business operations by acting as the main point of contact between the company and internal legal support at the head office.
• Develop leadership and management skills to create an effective finance team with providing professional service and valuable advice. Lead and develop a highly engaged finance team – listen and communicate constructively, build team members' confidence partnering with business through coaching and guidance, Grow a talent pool for succession plan.
• Be accountable for employee retention, satisfaction and focus on team members' performance improvement.
• Manage all treasury functions such as Cash Management (weekly, monthly & annual projection) and Forex Hedging.
• Personal Development through Self Learning and Development, utilising updated technologies to improve the business Performs other related duties and assignments as required.

• Minimum of 7+ years of proven experience in professional accounting with extensive stakeholder management
• Tertiary qualification in finance or accounting, or equivalent business experience.
• CA/CPA qualified for a minimum of 5 years.
• Demonstrated adeptness in strategic analysis and extensive expertise in crafting business and financial strategies to achieve both immediate and long-range goals.
• Possesses superb troubleshooting abilities, creative problem-solving skills, robust analytical prowess, and adept negotiation skills, capable of effectively resolving challenges even in high-pressure situations.
• Demonstrates outstanding communication skills when engaging with diverse stakeholders and management across all levels of the business with also the ability to communicate effectively and influence decisions
• Possess a keen eye for detail and the capacity to make prompt, well-informed decisions.
• A self-motivated, optimistic, and ethically exemplary role model, possessing professional integrity, responsibility, and the capability to excel in demanding situations.   
• Exceptional proficiency in enhancing customer experience and establishing positive relationships.
• Demonstrates the ability to adapt to changing environments and willingness to learn new processes and embrace new ideas.
• Excellent organisational skills with a demonstrated ability to prioritise across multiple areas of responsibility.
• Extensive sound knowledge of financial trends, financial statistics and accounting principles within the company and general market patterns.
• Able to manage and lead employees to ensure appropriate financial processes are implemented.
• Working knowledge of all statutory legislation and regulations.

Note: This job description is a general outline of the typical duties and responsibilities of the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Job responsibilities may be subject to change based on organisational needs.