Finance Manager

Position Purpose

The Finance Manager France acts as the key financial leader for the French entity — overseeing all aspects of financial management, reporting, and compliance, while supporting business decision-making and operational excellence.

The Finance Manager oversees the work of the Senior Accountant and ensures accurate reporting, strong internal controls, and compliance with both corporate and local regulations.

The role partners closely with local General Managers, the South Europe Finance team, and the Shared Service Center (SSC), providing financial insights, coordinating planning cycles, and contributing to overall business performance improvement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Leadership & Business Partnering

• Act as the primary finance business partner for the French management team, providing financial insights and recommendations;
• Participate in management meetings, presenting financial performance and supporting decision-making;
• Develop and maintain strong collaboration with regional FP&A, Tax, and HQ finance teams;
• Support strategic planning, investments, and cost optimization initiatives;
• Ensure alignment between local operations and regional/corporate financial goals.

2. Financial Planning, Budgeting & Reporting

• Lead the budgeting, forecasting, and monthly reporting process for the French entity;
• Consolidate financial results, monitor performance against targets, and identify improvement levers;
• Prepare monthly/quarterly presentations and variance analyses for General Management;
• Provide accurate and insightful management reporting to local and regional leadership;
• Ensure consistency of reporting methodologies and continuous improvement of tools and processes in collaboration with FP&A HQ.

3. Accounting Oversight & Compliance

• Supervise the Senior Accountant and oversee all accounting, tax, and statutory activities performed locally and by the SSC;
• Ensure timely and accurate statutory and management reporting in compliance with local GAAP and corporate standards;
• Review and validate the financial statements before submission;
• Maintain oversight of all local tax matters (CIT, VAT, WHT, etc.) and ensure proper coordination with external tax advisors — without directly performing returns;
• Ensure compliance with local regulations and internal controls;
• Liaise with external auditors and oversee audit processes to ensure successful completion.

5. People Management

• Directly manage and develop the Senior Accountant, ensuring clear delegation, training, and continuous growth;
• Promote a collaborative, high-performance culture within the finance team;
• Coordinate closely with SSC teams to ensure smooth process execution and effective communication.

6. Office & Administrative Oversight

• Supervise local office administration and facilities management through the Office Manager.
• Oversee compliance with occupational safety, travel, and general office policies.
• Support local General Manager and HR in financial and administrative matters when required.

Payroll:

• Check and approve monthly payroll
• Upload/approve monthly payroll in local bank
• Support SCC for payroll budgeting
• Liaise with payroll provider on any issues/assistance/open items

Requirements:

• 5+ years of finance experience;
• Fluent in French and English (minimum B2–C1 level) — required for daily communication with local and regional stakeholders;
• Strong background in financial reporting, budgeting, and business partnering;
• Solid understanding of French statutory and tax environment;
• Experience working in an international or matrix organization with shared service structures is highly desirable;
• Excellent command of Excel and strong financial modelling skills;
• Experience with ERP and reporting systems — Microsoft Dynamics (Axapta), Concur, Egencia;
• Familiarity with BI tools and data visualization is an advantage;
• Strong leadership and people management skills;
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities;
• Strategic thinker with analytical rigor and attention to detail;
• Business-oriented mindset with the ability to translate financial data into actionable insights.