Finance Business Services Controller - Dublin, Ireland - Applegreen

Description

Role Introduction:

Established in 1992, Applegreen is a leading convenience roadside retailer in the Republic of Ireland, the UK and the US in both large-scale Motorway Service Areas and Travel Plazas, as well as smaller petrol stations. The business has grown to over €3BN in annual revenue, operating 600 Motorway Service Plazas and forecourt sites internationally and employing over 16,000 people.

Finance Business Services Controller is responsible for leading finance engagement with SAP process improvements across finance workstreams and also manage finance shared services function within Applegreen. This role involves managing a team responsible for delivering efficient and effective financial service to internal stakeholders, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and driving continuous improvement initiatives in SAP to optimize processes within onshore and offshore teams and enhance service delivery. This role will form part of the ROI Finance Leadership Team and reports to the Finance Director ROI.

The role will lead the effective delivery of SAP enhancements as they impact the wider finance team and our business processes working collaboratively with the wider finance teams and Group SAP and Divisional IT.

This is very much a hand's on leadership role and will cover all aspects of the processes within Finance Operations. As such candidates need to be comfortable working with multiple stakeholders over all aspects of the business. The role will have 1 direct report and an overall team of 6 including working closely with our SSC partners in India.

Key Responsibilities:

As Applegreen expands, the responsibilities will evolve and change over time. The core responsibilities will centre around the following areas and will be subject to change as the team and processes evolve:

Process Optimization Projects:

· Lead finance engagement and working with functional teams to drive process improvements with SAP COE Team and Group IT across all the finance workstreams.

· Work closely with Financial Controllers, Accounts Payable Manager and Finance Director in reviewing P2P processes and improvements and aligning deliverables to support project with SAP COE Team.

· Support Projects on reporting improvements and compliance that require support from SAP COE and Finance Teams.

· Manage Risks and Issues as they arise on projects ensuring regular updates are delivered to stakeholders and steering groups.

· Business lead on driving continuous improvement across business processes in finance and EXL our offshore SSC provider.

· Identify opportunities to streamline and standardize finance processes across the organization both within ROI and also UK, NI and associated entities on SAP.

· Drive efficiency and process improvement, monitor service levels in service provider, focus on P2P and reporting.

Leadership and Management:

· Provide strategic direction and leadership to the finance shared services team covering Procure to pay (P2P) for all jurisdictions on SAP and our SSC in India.

· Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within both the P2P team and wider business.

· Set clear goals and objectives for the team and ensure alignment with organizational priorities.

· Develop and mentor team members to enhance their skills and capabilities.

· Management and coordination of Monthly P2P close tasks on supporting systems and SAP4 HANA for ROI and UK business.

Financial Operations:

· Oversee day-to-day financial operations focused initially on P2P and accounts payable and associated general ledger activities.

· Ensure timely and accurate processing of financial transactions in accordance with established policies and procedures.

· Monitor financial performance metrics and KPIs to identify areas for improvement and drive operational efficiencies.

Compliance and Risk Management:

· Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, accounting standards, and internal controls working closely with Financial Controllers ensuring control environment is maintained.

· Support internal and external audit teams in completion of audits and reviews and put in place plans to address any internal control weaknesses and observations arsing.

· Develop and implement robust risk management processes to mitigate financial risks.

· Conduct periodic reviews to assess compliance and identify areas for improvement.

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Stakeholder Engagement:

· Lead manager and relationship holder with our outsourced provider in EXL ensuring alignment between the wider finance teams and EXL.

· Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including wider finance, management accounting, operational and distribution procurement, and business units, to understand their requirements and priorities.

· Act as a trusted advisor to senior management on financial matters and shared services strategy.

· Build strong relationships with external partners, such as vendors and service providers.

· Working as part of the Irish Finance Leadership team to ensure an aligned approach across all Finance Deliverables.

Performance Management and Reporting:

· Develop and maintain financial performance metrics and reporting frameworks.

· Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of shared services operations.

· Prepare and present regular reports to senior management on financial performance, operational efficiency, and compliance.

Projects and Ad hoc:

· The role will evolve to align transaction processing and excellence of execution in one team and as such will extend in future to wider areas impacting finance teams and wider business.

· Adhoc project support as it impacts the wider business and finance systems and processes.

The Candidate should have the following:

Qualifications, experience & skills

An accountancy qualification (ACA, CIMA or ACCA) with significant PQE in a similar role. The candidate should have project management experience and experience in the use of a large ERP system ideally SAP.

Additional key skills & attributes:

· A dynamic individual who adapts well to change and can thrive in a rapidly growing organisation that continues to evolve.

· Proven track record of delivering to tight deadlines.

· A highly organised individual with ability to plan and prioritise workloads effectively for maximum impact and adapt around changing priorities as required.

· Ability to execute directly at high quality and pace.

· Excellent drive, enthusiasm and commitment and a keen interest in developing a career in Applegreen.

· A 'can do' attitude and a positive solution focused mindset.

· Demonstrate strong analytical capability to interpret and challenge data and to interrogate financial systems.

· Has strong commercial acumen and a focus on delivering value to the business.

· Exceptional interpersonal skills, and ability to engage and develop relationships with individuals at all levels of the organisation.

· Be a self-starter, and also be able to work collaboratively as a member of a highly interdependent team across many parts of Applegreen.

· Is resilient and calm under pressure.

· Has sound judgement and objective logical decision-making skills.

· Has strong leadership potential and management skills, who will be a role model for the people and culture at Applegreen.

· Willing to travel ad hoc if required.

Illustrative Application & Screening Process (subject to change):

· Application Process:

o Please submit an up to date tailored CV (max 2 pages) and cover letter.

· Interview & Selection Process:

o Two interview rounds will be required for this role