Project & General Expenses Controller

Job Description:

We are looking for a Project & General Expenses Controller to join the AXA Partners Financial Direction.

You are accountable for finance follow-up of IT and NON IT business cases management from ideation to full speed BAU benefits.

Role is to review consistency of the Business Case, actuals and budget forecast to give to decision makers financial inputs to validate project budget. And focus on specific process related to Strategic Program Committee (SPC).

For each finance cycle (Actual, Forecast & Budget), you are responsible for the monitoring of AXA Partners Group Project budget, for the review, pre-approval and control of IT and non-IT investments and the follow-up of expected benefits.

You are the finance representative in all projects' governance for projects under your responsibility.

Project controlling

• Consolidate and present Project reporting (Budget, Forecast 1, Forecast 2, Pre-Closing Full Year, Quarterly Closing) for total AXA Partners IT Project scope based on Owner and Contributor views, reconciliating figures, ensuring data quality and providing explanations for variances
• Be able to propose initiatives to improve processes, reporting format, and data quality
• Define the schemes (e.g., dedicated cost centers, FTE reports…) to capitalize/amortize project costs and ensure compliance with accounting standards
• Calculate capitalization and amortization for IT and NON IT projects

Investment governance:

• Review and approve business cases and project quotation
• Define and update templates, policies and procedures to be used for business cases
• Provide detailed guidance and training to ensure the consistency and quality of business cases
• Monitor monthly that project costs and net recurring savings are consistent with business cases. Inform timely COO and IT stakeholders of any material deviation
• Contribute to the Project Portfolio Quarterly review

Control and steering of AXA Partners staff costs and FTE.

• Design and monitor the financial calendar related to staff costs for all reporting phases (actuals, forecasts, budget, strat plan)
• Set a strict discipline on the recognition and liquidation of staff costs accruals (paid holidays, bonuses, pensions, shared-based payments)
• In coordination with HR, perform the reconciliation between YES and the accounting and payroll systems for actual FTE/staff costs
• Prepare and maintain the global staff costs projections involving the main stakeholders considering the salary review assumptions, hiring plans and FTE reductions
• Challenge the budget, strat plan and forecasts reported by countries and ensure periodic reporting and monitoring of actuals to achieve targets
• Prepare timely and accurate personnel cost reports (including bridge data analysis), providing structured feedback on main topics and trends
• Manage the reporting related to quarterly headcount/FTE monitoring
• Perform ad-hoc studies (e.g., inflation impact)

This list is not exhaustive, additional reasonable duties may be required from time to time.

What you'll bring:

The ideal candidate will combine deep knowledge and proven experience of expenses controlling techniques and tools

Education

• Master's degree in accounting, Controlling or similar – mandatory. Professional Certification (such as CA or CPA) preferred
• Trained in Effective Process Excellence/Business Process Management including process mapping – preferred. Lean Training

Key Experiences

• 5+ years of experience in expenses management and/or budget controlling with a proven professional track record in a large finance organization, preferably in finance and insurance companies
• Experience with expenses process and expenses system design, testing, implementation, and end user support/training
• Experience in analytical techniques (BI, data modelling, statistics)
• In depth understanding and interest in the management and reengineering of end-to-end finance processes and systems (notably accounting and reporting, budgeting, databases)
• Experience in coordinating a network of stakeholders from various backgrounds (business, IT etc.)
• Experience in a multi-cultural environment would be an advantage. Fluent English is required.

Key Competencies

• Excellent quantitative and analytical skills. Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong reporting and presentation skills
• Strong leadership skills with an ability to influence both a cross-functional team and senior business management and stakeholders
• Ability to balance multiple projects and competing priorities
• Excellent communication, relationship skills, and a strong team player
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to multi-task; an independent / flexible problem solver who can cope positively with changes in the work environment
• Ability to respond and prioritize effectively while meeting deadlines
• Customer focus and Perspective

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We're AXA Partners, experts at designing and delivering assistance solutions and specialised insurance, credit, and lifestyle protection – with and for our partners worldwide. What sets us apart? The expertise and passion of our 8,500+ people, and a strong network of over 55,000 professionals all over the world. Powered by them and our sector-leading technology, we continuously evolve, adapt and thrive – offering solutions and services that make sure we're always at people's side, no matter what. Helping others is our passion. Combining the best digital technology with our warm, human touch, we're always looking at new ways to offer seamless and reassuring experiences when it really matters.

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