Title: Financial Controller

Location: Abu Dhabi

Department: Finance

Reporting to: General Manager

Brand Video: Time Out Market_Brand Video_MAR2022.mp4

Time Out Market is a global food and cultural market leveraging the editorial curation of Time Out Media to bring the best of the city together under one roof: its best chefs, restaurants, bars, and cultural experiences.

Role overview

The Market financial controller will oversee the BAU transactional accounting responsibilities for the Market and of our multi-unit, high-volume food and beverage operations. You will provide key business partnering support to the General Manager and other senior members of the team. This role requires a keen attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in the preparation of the monthly management packs, documenting business processes and accounting policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls and a “hands-on”, problem solving approach to managing the markets’ finances.

The candidate will have the tenacity to provide key reporting insights by creating financial projections, budgets and forecasts to enable the Financial Director to make informed decisions about the business.

This role will be critical in ensuring financial integrity, driving efficiency, and supporting strategic growth. The successful candidate will combine strong technical finance skills with commercial insight, industry knowledge, and proven leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Reporting

• Providing regular cost and control updates as well as responding to ad-hoc queries.

• Working closely with the GM to produce financial projections & budgets in a structured way.

• Ensure compliance with IFRS/GAAP and all regulatory requirements.

• Deliver accurate, timely management accounts and board reports.

• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes.

• Build, update and maintain financial models and reports to be used for operational purposes and decision making

• Manage a rolling cash flow projection for the market and work with the Finance & Admin support the market to ensure accurate projections.

• Lead the Accounts Payable process for the market working with the local Finance & Admin support to ensure that invoices are processed, paid and recorded in a timely manner whilst helping to drive improvements in AP processes.

• Presentation of monthly management information

• Full Balance Sheet Reconciliations at Month End

• Payroll & Pension submission for staff, monthly analysis and reconciliations

• Sales Commission calculation and reporting

Business Partnering

• Working closely with the GM to produce financial projections & budgets in a structured way.

• Partner with operations and commercial teams to optimize margins.

• Provide financial insights to support pricing, promotions, and investment decisions.

• Drive performance KPIs across the business

• Cost Control & Operational Finance

• Drive performance KPIs across the business Manage inventory and cost accounting processes, ensuring accurate product costing.

• Implement financial controls across procurement, logistics, and sales.

• Lead working capital management (cash flow, receivables, payables).

• Lead the Accounts Payable process for the market working with the local Finance & Admin support to ensure that invoices are processed, paid and recorded in a timely manner whilst helping to drive improvements in AP processes.

• Ensure Cost of Sales & Operating Expenses are accurate and accrual levels are set correctly on a monthly basis.

• Drive processes, control and governance for the Finance & Administration support the market to determine best practice.

Leadership & Team Development

• Foster a culture of accountability, accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Systems & Processes

• Optimize ERP, reporting tools, and financial workflows for efficiency.

• Drive digital transformation and automation of reporting where possible.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified Accountant (CPA, ACA, ACCA, or equivalent).

• Experience in food & beverage, FMCG, retail, or manufacturing

• Strong knowledge of cost accounting and inventory control.

• ERP system expertise, experience in SAP Business One, Vision, Concur and Ad Point (optional)

• Multi-site international exposure is a plus.

About our culture

At Time Out Group we believe in diversity and equal opportunity for all people. We do not discriminate against external or internal candidates on the basis of age; disability; gender, gender reassignment; race; religion or belief; sexual orientation; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity. We believe that diversity develops creativity and enables personal and professional growth where we all learn from each other. We believe in an open culture where ideas are shared candidly and where there is no fear of failure, but rather an understanding that we must experiment and have the freedom to succeed. We believe that everyone has the right to express themselves as they are as this enriches us all. We believe in an open world, social justice, and the pursuit of happiness, after all, we are in the happiness business.