South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.

Our Corporate Functions team is the “enablement engine” of South Pole. Behind the scenes, we provide the business with world-class solutions and best practices that sustain business growth and success. We cover key areas such as Finance, HR, Office Management, Legal, IT, Operations, etc. If you are a smart, ambitious and dynamic professional with a strong passion to make a real difference in the fight against climate change, the below position may be right for you!

Job summary:

We are looking for a Senior Lead, Financial Controller, Finance, EMEA to support the EMEA Regional Finance Associate Director in strengthening the quality, consistency and efficiency of financial reporting across the region.

The role will act as a senior reference point for the EMEA Financial Controllers, supporting them in monthly closing, reporting, data quality, reconciliations and issue resolution. The person will help ensure that numbers are accurate, well explained, submitted on time and aligned with group reporting requirements.

This is a senior hands-on controlling role. The successful candidate will bring strong technical finance experience, support the local controllers, improve the efficiency of financial data and reporting processes, and help the Regional Finance Director maintain strong control over the region’s financial performance.

Main tasks & responsibilities:

• Support the EMEA Regional Finance Associate Director in reviewing and controlling the financial numbers submitted by the EMEA entities.

• Act as a senior support and escalation point for Financial Controllers across the region.

• Review monthly closing submissions, ensuring accuracy, completeness, consistency and timely reporting.

• Support Financial Controllers in resolving accounting, reporting, reconciliation and data quality issues.

• Review balance sheet reconciliations, P&L movements, accruals, prepayments, intercompany balances, working capital items and other key accounts.

• Help improve the quality and efficiency of financial data, reporting files, closing templates and recurring controls.

• Identify inconsistencies, unusual movements, missing explanations or process gaps in the numbers submitted by local teams.

• Support the standardisation of accounting and reporting practices across EMEA entities.

• Work with Financial Controllers to improve month-end close discipline, documentation, ownership and issue follow-up.

• Support the preparation of clear explanations for material variances, accounting issues and reporting movements.

• Help ensure alignment between local accounting outputs and group reporting requirements.

• Support process improvements, system usage, automation opportunities and simplification of manual reporting activities.

• Liaise with Group Finance, FP&A, Tax, Treasury and external auditors where required.

• Provide technical guidance and practical support to less experienced controllers.

• Support ad hoc finance analysis and regional reporting requests from the EMEA Regional Finance Associate Director.

Requirements:

• Strong experience in financial controlling, accounting, audit, reporting or regional finance roles.

• Solid understanding of monthly close, balance sheet review, P&L analysis, reconciliations, accruals, prepayments, intercompany and working capital.

• Ability to review numbers critically and identify errors, inconsistencies or weak explanations.

• Experience supporting or coordinating Financial Controllers across multiple entities or countries.

• Strong technical accounting knowledge and ability to translate it into practical guidance.

• Strong Excel / Google Sheets skills and confidence working with financial data.

• Good understanding of internal controls, audit requirements and financial reporting discipline.

• Ability to improve processes, templates and data quality without overcomplicating them.

• Strong stakeholder management skills and ability to support, challenge and guide local finance teams.

• Demonstrated expertise in coaching and mentoring team members to drive professional development and performance, including guiding the creation and execution of Performance Development Plans, and providing counsel on complex employee relations issues

• Fluent English, both written and spoken.

Nice to have

• Experience in an international or multi-entity group.

• Previous audit experience of minimum 3 years

• Experience with group reporting or consolidation tools such as Tagetik.

• Experience with ERP or accounting systems and reporting automation.

• Knowledge of IFRS or group reporting standards.

• Experience working with external auditors.

• Additional European languages would be a plus.

Profile:

The ideal candidate is an experienced financial controller who can act as a senior reference point for other controllers.

They should be hands-on, technically strong and comfortable reviewing detailed financial data, while also being able to step back and identify recurring issues, inefficient processes and areas where regional reporting can be improved.

The person should bring experience, structure and judgment to the EMEA finance team, supporting the Financial Controllers in their day-to-day work and helping the EMEA Regional Finance Associate Director maintain a clear, reliable and well-controlled view of the region’s financial numbers.

What we offer:

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation.

We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make and South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.

Department

Corporate Services

Locations

Cape Town

Remote status

Hybrid