Africa Controller at Cipla

The incumbent of this position will be:

• Responsible for Financial Controllership spanning the full Africa business (including Cipla Global Access);
• A member of the Africa Finance Leadership Team (FLT);
• The owner of balance sheet, statutory P&L reporting, accounting / taxation functions and internal control.
• The Africa business has been evolving continuously over the decade with new geographies being added. Recently, the North Africa business has been included wherein there are multiple countries/regions across various legal entities as well as numerous 3rd party partnerships / minority shareholdings. The added complexity requires the incumbent to manage these relationships and partnerships with the necessary maturity and EQ, while balancing the needs of the business.

Partner with diverse business functions while driving impeccable governance and compliance frameworks to drive critical decision making and achieve organizational objectives.

• Financial Oversight – Responsible for statutory P&L (FY25: Revenue ~$500m), balance sheet and financial performance, ensuring accurate reporting in accordance with Cipla Standard Operating Procedures and appropriate Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.  Marketing and Data Fees are the most significant business expense, and this role will have independent oversite of the process (accruals, payment and expense).
• Collaborate with the FP&A finance function - Provide decision analysis support, play a key role in finalizing budget and resources allocation, monitor and report actual performance against KPIs.
• Collaborate with the SA manufacturing finance function - by overseeing effective reporting, forecasting, planning, budgeting and managing of financial resources / systems of internal control to deliver on key financial metrics.
• Strategic Finance Lead for Brandmed (Cipla Investment) partnering closely with Brandmed senior management team and external stakeholders such as potential partners and investors.  Establishing and managing business performance targets, and sales, profits, costs, staffing levels and whilst governing controls and procedures.
• Market Intelligence: The incumbent has to assist in market and competitive analysis to ensure alignment with current market trends and profitability opportunities.
• Accounting, Controlling & Tax: The candidate (working closely with the Lead Africa Corporate Accounting, Tax and Internal Control Manager) is responsible to ensure adherence to accounting standards across the Africa business to consistently achieve desired level of financial performance. Major activities involved here are:
• Drive all activities for maintaining a robust balance sheet and clean profit and loss accounts and consolidate across Africa entities.
• Develop and institutionalize a sound Cash Flow Model to deliver improvement in cash position.
• Manage working capital requirements and metrics along with monitoring and resolving non-compliance, taxation and audit issues.
• Define and govern implementation of policies, procedures and standards, as per the local and Cipla global requirements and also oversee compliance with Government pricing, Transfer pricing, Tax laws, Audits etc.
• Assume responsibility as (or appoint) a Public Officer for all South African entities.

Financial Shared Services:

• Manage relationship with Global Financial Shared Services (FSS) within (primarily) Order to Cash (OTC), Procure to Pay (P2P) and inventory functions. 
• Define scope between Off-shore activities provided by the FSS and any local functions.
• Ensure processes are streamlined and working effectively. Track and share performance metrics and drive process improvement.

Governance: 

• The candidate has to implement all governance and compliance related activities in order to ensure – drive best in class governance. Major activities involved here are:
• Propose critical audits and ensure audits are carried out as per requirements and timely resolution of issues and act as key interface between finance and various functions.
• Standardize all finance practices assuring alignment with group finance practices, processes and systems and ensure effective and efficient delivery of financial processes, ensuring  control risk is mitigated with sound controls.
• Promote ethical and responsible decision-making and safeguard integrity in financial / non-financial reporting whilst ensuring timely and balanced disclosures and recognising and manage risk.

Relevant experience:

• 10 years’ experience of displayed performance.  Senior / complex role experience is an advantage.
• The role holder must also possess strong Business foresight and acumen, Leadership capability Collaboration, cross culture management, external orientation, people management capability, leading with purpose, Accounting, Tax, Audit.
• Ability to manage cross functional team of finance professionals, manage relationships with Senior Leaders and ability to communicate in order to drive, understand requirements and ensure alignment, Ability of forecasting, to review and hands on approach for resolution of issues.
• The candidate should be ambitious and willing to take up additional responsibilities in future.

Educational qualifications:

• Chartered Accountant (or MBA) with strong business acumen and good understanding of accounting, taxation and controllership.