Head of Reporting and Controlling - Novo Holdings

Do you thrive where leadership, high-quality financial reporting and analytical insight go hand in hand? Join Novo Holdings’ Finance department as Head of Reporting and Controlling. In this newly established role, you will own management reporting, controlling and the Annual Report process and drive the delivery of 35 statutory financial statements (legal entities) as part of a complex global structure in a purpose-driven, international environment.

About Finance

Finance at Novo Holdings supports a purpose-driven holding and investment organisation with a complex legal entity setup and international footprint. The Reporting and Controlling functions sit within Finance, that also includes Accounting, Tax, Valuation, Investment Operations, Procurement and Facility Management and owns management reporting, controlling and key external reporting deliverables across the organisation including driving the Annual Report process for Novo Holdings and delivering consolidated financial statement services to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Group under a service level agreement (SLA). The Head of Reporting and Controlling reports to the Executive Director, Head of Finance.

The Role

As Head of Reporting and Controlling, you will lead and develop the Reporting and Controlling team and own the end-to-end delivery of management reporting, controlling and key external reporting deliverables. The team is lean and currently consists of two Senior Controllers. This is a hands-on leadership role in a deadline-driven environment meaning you take active ownership of deliverables, drive cross-functional processes and ensure high quality in both numbers and narratives. You will be a key sparring partner to management and investment teams, and a driver of standardisation, governance and digitalisation helping ensure robust reporting and insight as the organisation continues to grow and increase in complexity.

Your tasks will include:

• Lead, coach and develop the Reporting and Controlling team, ensuring a healthy and sustainable working environment and clear development paths
• Own and drive management reporting, controlling and analytical deliverables including reporting on the performance of the Investment Portfolio
• Provide high-quality financial reporting, insights and decision support to management, the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors
• Drive the Annual Report process for Novo Holdings and ensure quality of consolidated financial statements in close collaboration with accounting and relevant stakeholders
• Coordinate the external audit relationship for Novo Holdings and manage key audit deliverables and timelines
• Deliver consolidated financial statements and key reporting figures for the Novo Nordisk Foundation Group under a service level agreement (SLA), including audit coordination
• Act as a key accounting and reporting sparring partner for investment teams in M&A processes, including transaction structuring and acquisition accounting considerations
• Own and develop reporting guidelines, governance and accounting policies for entities in scope, collaborating with stakeholders across the Novo Group and portfolio companies
• Drive continuous improvement, digitisation and automation in reporting and controlling processes to increase quality, transparency and scalability

In this role, you will interact with a wide range of stakeholders, including external auditors, investment teams, portfolio company finance functions and key stakeholders across the Novo Group. You will work closely with colleagues across Novo Holdings and the broader group Finance organization to ensure consistent ways of working, timely delivery and clear ownership. You will also play a central role in ensuring smooth handovers and strong governance across reporting processes from underlying accounting inputs to consolidated reporting and external deliverables. Further, you will be part of the Finance People Manager management team.

Qualifications

We are ideally looking for a candidate who:

• Holds a relevant accounting qualification with a strong audit background (e.g., cand.merc.aud, CPA)
• Brings 10+ years of relevant experience from a similar role in an audit firm or finance function, ideally in a complex, international environment
• Has strong technical accounting foundations and solid experience with consolidated financial statements and group reporting including ownership of an annual report/external reporting process
• IFRS knowledge is a plus
• Has experience providing decision support through management reporting, controlling and analytical insights to senior stakeholders
• Has proven leadership experience and genuinely enjoys leading, coaching and developing specialists (including creating clarity, follow-up and performance management)
• Has experience managing key stakeholders across the Novo Group and/or portfolio companies, and coordinating external auditors and advisors
• Has strong systems understanding and an ownership mindset (Microsoft Office, Dynamics 365 Business Central, consolidation/reporting tools and BI tools; experience with Konsolidator is a plus)

Fluency in Danish and English is required (written and spoken).

Personal Qualifications

We are ideally looking for a candidate who:

• Has strong execution power and a calm, structured sense of urgency ensuring high-quality delivery in a deadline-driven reporting environment
• Maintains overview and prioritises effectively even during tight deadlines and high-volume periods
• Applies sound judgement and makes decisions confidently, even when information is incomplete
• Takes full ownership, removes bottlenecks, and creates clarity and follow-through on delivery
• Thrives in a lean setup with broad responsibilities, shifting priorities and a high degree of autonomy
• Can lead and motivate a team of specialists and create a stable, sustainable everyday working environment
• Brings a collaborative, service-minded approach to supporting stakeholders across the organisation
• Is comfortable handling stakeholder management across geographies and seniority levels
• Enjoys driving change and making improvements stick (governance, process optimisation, digitalisation and automation)

Working at Novo Holdings

Novo Holdings is a purpose-driven organisation where our working environment is guided by our purpose and values. We strive to create an inclusive, development-focused culture. With a team of over 230 professionals from various nationalities and diverse backgrounds, we are committed to fostering professional growth and delivering meaningful impact.

Application Process

Applications are open until 12 May. Please submit your CV and motivated cover letter via the “apply now” button as soon as possible, since we will review on a running basis.

About Novo Holdings

Novo Holdings is a holding and investment company responsible for managing the assets and wealth of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Our purpose is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet by generating attractive long-term returns on the Foundation’s assets.

Novo Holdings is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with additional offices in San Francisco, Boston, London, Singapore, Shanghai, and Mumbai. Novo Holdings is a leading global life sciences investor, investing in life science companies at all stages of development, with a portfolio of more than 170 companies. In addition to its life sciences activities, Novo Holdings manages a broad portfolio of public and private assets. As of year-end 2025, Novo Holdings had total assets of EUR 93 billion.