Deputy Finance Controller

Key Responsibilities

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Deputy Finance Controller to join a newly established data centre company in Singapore. The FinanceController will play a key role in building and establishing the Company's finance function and will be responsible for financial reporting, accounting, financial controls, budgeting, forecasting, taxation, cash flow management and financial governance.

The role will work closely with senior management, shareholders, investors, project teams, operations, procurement, legal, tax advisers, auditors, banks and other external stakeholders.

Given the Company's development and growth stage, the successful candidate will be expected to take a hands-on approach and help establish appropriate financial processes, systems and controls from the ground up.

Responsibilities
1. Financial Reporting & Accounting

· Lead the Company's day-to-day accounting and financial reporting functions.

· Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting.

· Prepare management accounts, financial statements, cash flow statements and other financial reports for management and shareholders.

· Ensure compliance with applicable Singapore Financial Reporting Standards (SFRS) and relevant accounting requirements.

· Oversee general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets and other accounting functions.

· Establish and maintain appropriate accounting policies, procedures and internal controls.

· Coordinate year-end audits and work closely with external auditors and professional advisers.

2. Project Finance & Data Centre Development

· Support the financial management of data centre development and construction projects.

· Establish appropriate project accounting and cost-tracking mechanisms for development and construction expenditure.

· Monitor project CAPEX, commitments, variations, invoices and actual expenditure against approved budgets.

· Work closely with project and engineering teams to ensure accurate financial reporting of construction costs and project progress.

· Support accounting treatment for capital expenditure, construction-in-progress, fixed assets and commissioning of data centre facilities.

· Monitor project cost overruns and provide timely analysis and escalation to management.

3. Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

· Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting process.

· Prepare and maintain project and corporate financial models in collaboration with management and relevant stakeholders.

· Monitor actual performance against budget and provide variance analysis and recommendations.

· Develop financial forecasts covering CAPEX, OPEX, revenue, cash flow and funding requirements.

· Provide financial analysis to support strategic and operational decision-making.

4. Cash Flow & Treasury Management

· Manage the Company's cash flow and working capital requirements.

· Monitor cash balances, payment obligations, project funding requirements and liquidity.

· Coordinate with banks and financing partners on banking facilities, drawdowns and other financing matters.

· Establish appropriate controls over payments, banking activities and cash management.

· Support management in evaluating financing structures and funding requirements for data centre development and expansion.

5. Taxation & Statutory Compliance

· Oversee corporate tax, GST and other applicable tax compliance matters.

· Coordinate with external tax advisers on tax planning, tax filings and tax-related matters.

· Ensure timely submission of statutory filings and compliance with applicable Singapore regulatory requirements.

· Monitor tax implications relating to data centre development, construction, financing, operations and related-party transactions.

6. Internal Controls & Governance

· Establish and strengthen the Company's financial policies, processes and internal control framework.

· Implement appropriate approval authorities, segregation of duties and financial controls.

· Ensure effective controls over procurement, CAPEX, payments, expenses and contractual commitments.

· Identify financial and operational risks and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.

· Support internal and external audit processes and ensure timely resolution of audit findings.

7. Commercial & Business Support

· Provide financial and commercial analysis to support management decisions.

· Review major contracts, procurement arrangements and commercial proposals from a financial perspective.

· Support evaluation of customer contracts, power supply arrangements, construction contracts, service agreements and other material commercial arrangements.

· Analyse project returns, operating costs, margins and investment performance.

· Work closely with the commercial and operations teams to identify opportunities for cost optimisation and improved financial performance.

8. Finance Systems & Process Development

· Establish and implement appropriate accounting and finance systems for the new business.

· Develop finance processes, policies, reporting templates and controls appropriate for a growing data centre business.

· Identify opportunities to automate and improve financial reporting and processes.

· Ensure finance systems are scalable to support future expansion of the Company's data centre portfolio.

9. Team Leadership

· Build and develop the Company's finance team as the business grows.

· Define appropriate finance roles, responsibilities and reporting structures.

· Recruit, train and develop finance personnel.

· Provide leadership and ensure high standards of financial discipline and accountability.

Key Stakeholder Management

The Finance Controller will work closely with:

· ChiefFinancial Officer / Managing Director

· Shareholdersand investors

· Project development and engineering teams

· Data centre operations teams

· Procurement and commercial teams

· Legal and tax advisers

· External auditors

· External consultants

· Banks and financing institutions

· Government and regulatory authorities

Job Requirements:

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or a related discipline.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent is preferred.
• Typically 5 –10 years of relevant finance and accounting experience, with experience in a Finance Controller, Financial Controller, Finance Manager or similar senior finance role.
• Experience in data centres, infrastructure, real estate, construction, energy, telecommunications or other capital-intensive industries will be highly advantageous.
• Strong experience in financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management and internal controls.
• Experience managing significant CAPEX and project accounting is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with Singapore accounting, taxation and statutory requirements, IFRS and Chinese accounting standards.
• Experience working with external auditors, tax advisers, banks and other professional advisers.
• Experience establishing finance processes and systems in a new or growing organisation will be an advantage.
• Experience with ERP implementation.

• Full professional fluency in English and Mandarin Chinese in order to deal with Chinese vendors and Chinese shareholders.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong technical accounting and financial reporting skills.
• Strong understanding of CAPEX and project accounting.
• Commercially minded with strong business acumen.
• Excellent analytical and financial modelling skills.
• Strong attention to detail and financial discipline.
• Ability to establish processes and controls from the ground up.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality and professional judgement.