Finance and Accounting Manager

Since its founding in 1988, Frederique Constant has made it its mission to democratize access to luxury by designing, developing, and assembling high-quality timepieces at the fairest price. The Swiss watchmaking manufacturer, based in Geneva (Plan-les-Ouates), designs, develops, and assembles mechanical watches, including over 30 Manufacture calibers such as the Tourbillon, Perpetual Calendar, Flyback Chronograph, Monolithic, Big Date Power Reserve, Moonphase, as well as quartz watches.

Since 2016, the Frederique Constant Group (Frederique Constant, Alpina Watches, Ateliers deMonaco) has been part of the Japanese Citizen Group, continuing its international growth and fostering new synergies.

We offer our employees a dynamic working environment, valuing entrepreneurial mindsets within a human-sized structure. Join our talented team, driven by a constant pursuit of excellence, and become a key element of the company.

Joining our team means immersing yourself in exciting projects and contributing to the achievement of ambitious goals. Innovation is at the heart of our everyday work. Be ready to take on challenges and let's shape together the new horizons of the watchmaking industry.

We are looking for a talented and experienced Finance and Accounting Manager to join our team. Directly reporting to the CFO, this is a pivotal role in a fast-moving environment, with a real need to strengthen the organization, structure processes, optimize tools and implement a robust control environment.

The finance and accounting manager will oversee the full scope of finance, ensuring compliance with group policies, standards and best practices, managing the Financial Planning and Analysis process, leading treasury, reporting and tax operations. Ensuring that accounting closings are done on time and with no material adjustments (HQ entities, subs and consolidated accounts) will be one of the key responsibilities.

As the environment is in deep mutation, the person and/or the team will be strongly involved/lead key corporate projects (internal control framework, margin improvement, analytical accounting, manufacturing controlling, process mapping and optimization, ERP improvement, digitalization, etc.).

Key Responsibilities:

• Accounting:
  • Ensure monthly / yearly closings are managed on time and accurately both for the standalone entities and consolidated accounts
  • Perform monthly reviews of closing binders, improve control processes
  • Prepare financial statements, reports and other documentation for internal and external stakeholders (statutory in Swiss Gaap, Group reporting in IFRS, etc.)
  • Supervise and coach subsidiaries to improve their practices
  • Constantly monitor regulation changes to guarantee compliance
• Financial planning and analysis:
  
  • Strengthen and pilot the financial planning process (budget, forecast, reporting…) leading to improved visibility and deviations analyses
  • Conduct and implement financial analysis to identify trends, improve performance and support strategic decisions (inventories, margin, etc.)
• Cash and treasury management
  • Manage and optimize daily treasury flows and operations
  • Pilot cash forecast and reporting
  • Propose treasury / financing optimization measures, including FX
• Taxes
  • Manage tax declarations as per requirements (VAT notably)
  • Ensure link with tax consultant to manage other tax bookings and declarations
• Internal controls and compliance
  • Be a key stakeholder in internal control framework strengthening (process implementation, gate-keeper, J-SOX, etc.)
  • Ensure compliance with regulations and group policies in terms of accounting, taxes and practices
• Projects:
  
  • Be a guide for the implementation of analytical accounting and manufacturing controlling
  • Leverage and optimize tools and softwares (e.g., ProcConcept, Excel, Power BI, Tableau, or similar)
  • Help or lead process mapping, optimization and implementation of best practices
  • Be part of corporate project in order to ensure that finance and accounting implications are properly considered (entities merge, new businesses, changes in processes, new tools, etc.)

Qualifications:

Required:

• Master’s degree in Accounting or Finance
• 5-7 years of experience in a similar position, an audit firm or an accounting manager position in a manufacturing company
• Experience and ability to close the books (statutory and consolidation) in full autonomy, leading the team and managing bookings personally
• Good master and track records in margin analysis, manufacturing controlling and analytical accounting
• Team leader able to inspire and grow a medium sized team (<5 people)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Excel expert)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong track record in process mapping and tools implementation

Preferred:

• Knowledge of ERP system ProConcept or another ERP
• Project management experience
• Knowledge of Swiss GAAP and exposure to IFRS

Skills and Competencies:

• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Results driven, hands on and hard-worker
• Fluent in English (daily practice)
• Proficient in ERP / Accounting system management (key user role)
• Ability to evolve in a complex, moving and demanding environment
• Good inter-personal skills, ability to drive change