Executive Director of Financial Control

Summary

Join Cerba Research as their Executive Director of Financial Control! This key leadership role, reporting to the CFO, involves overseeing financial governance, internal controls, and process transformation across multiple regions. You will lead financial transformation across a global business, driving standardization and process improvements. This position offers autonomy and influence, allowing you to shape financial strategy and strengthen financial oversight. You'll build and develop a high-performing global financial control and accounting team, playing a critical role in SAP implementation. The role is remote or hybrid, based in the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, or Ireland, with some initial travel to Amsterdam and Ghent.

Requirements

• An experienced finance leader with a strong background in financial control, accounting, and internal controls
• Proven ability to manage global finance teams, working across multiple geographies
• Strong technical expertise in GAAP, IFRS, and financial risk mitigation
• Background in a service-based or regulated industry (clinical research, healthcare, or professional services preferred)
• Comfortable leading finance transformation, system implementations, and process improvements
• A hands-on leader who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Fluent in English (Dutch or French would be an advantage)

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial control, ensuring compliance with GAAP (BE, NL, US) and IFRS
• Strengthen internal controls, financial governance, and monthly financial reporting
• Lead & develop a team of financial controllers and local accounting teams, ensuring alignment across all regions
• Drive finance transformation initiatives, optimizing workflows and implementing best practices
• Play a critical role in SAP implementation, ensuring seamless integration across global finance functions
• Provide strategic financial insights to leadership, supporting business decision-making
• Lead financial control across all global operations, ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulatory requirements
• Work closely with business controllers and FP&A to enhance budgeting, forecasting, and reporting capabilities
• Oversee country/regional finance leads, provide guidance on process efficiencies and consistency with global standards
• Assess and restructure teams where needed, aligning talent with future business needs
• Implement and refine internal control frameworks to improve financial governance and mitigate risk
• Lead ongoing SAP implementation efforts, ensuring seamless integration across global finance functions
• Drive transformation projects in finance, optimizing workflows and fostering a culture of continuous improvement
• Work in collaboration with senior leadership to provide financial insights and support business decision-making
• Challenge existing processes, encourage innovation and provide support through finance transformation across the team

Preferred Qualifications

Dutch or French

Benefits

• Remote or hybrid/office based in Netherlands or Belgium
• Remote in UK or Ireland