Job Title
Senior Controllership Specialist, Process Excellence
Job Description Summary
The Senior Controllership Specialist supports statutory processes, financial reporting, and controllership needs within the commercial real estate sector. Responsibilities include collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, such as outsourced service providers and consultants, to deliver accurate and timely financial information. The role reports into the EMEA Controllership CoE and ensures the integrity of reported results.
The ideal candidate is not only a strong controllership professional but also someone who has hands-on experience implementing process improvements and is motivated to continuously enhance efficiency, reporting quality, and data usability.
Job Description
Key responsibilities:
Stakeholder Management
- Partner closely with Country Controllers and relevant business stakeholders to develop solid working relationships.
- Actively participate in the transition of activities from local controllers or external providers into the COE.
- Prioritize and plan personal workload to ensure timely and consistent delivery of close and reporting activities.
Close & Controllership Activities
Ensure quality delivery of core controllership processes, including:
- Review and post revenue and cost accruals, including oversight of AR, AP balances.
- Fixed asset and lease accounting review and subledger management.
- Intercompany recharge accruals, billings, and mismatch resolutions.
- Uploads from non-ERP-managed entities into the central ERP.
- Bad debt and legal provision of calculations and postings.
- VAT preparation and/or review of externally prepared returns.
- Support for monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting, including variance analysis.
Governance & Compliance
- Maintain strong balance sheet integrity and internal controls by reviewing or preparing balance sheet reconciliations.
- Ensure adherence to group accounting policies and local statutory requirements.
- Support internal and external statutory and tax audits.
Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement
- Proactively identify and implement process improvement opportunities, including simplification, standardization, and automation.
- Apply practical experience in process improvement projects (e.g. Lean or similar methodologies).
- Leverage tools such as Excel, automation solutions, and AI-driven approaches to improve efficiency, data quality, and reporting.
- Redesign and optimize reporting processes to enhance business insights and reduce manual work.
- Document processes and ensure scalability and sustainability of improvements.
- Act as a change agent within the team, promoting a mindset of continuous improvement.
Regional Projects
- Participate in CoE and regional initiatives (e.g. balance sheet clean-up, entity rationalization, system or reporting enhancements).
- Share and implement best practices across countries.
- Contribute to transformation and optimization projects impacting controllership.
Requirements:
- 3-5 years of experience, ideally in outsourced finance environments or at a commercial real estate company
- Degree in Finance & Accounting or another related subject. A qualified CPA / ACCA / CIMA is an advantage.
- Strong Excel skills (advanced formulas, pivot tables; automation skills are a plus).
- Experience with automation, digital tools, or AI applications in finance is highly desirable.
- Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies is an advantage.
- Experience with USGAAP or IFRS is nice to have but not obligatory.
- Experience with ERP systems (Workday, Hyperion knowledge is a plus).
- Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
- Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail
- Ability to manage deadlines in a structured and disciplined manner.
Cushman & Wakefield is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic. Cushman & Wakefield is committed to equity in employment, and our goal is to have a diverse, inclusive and barrier-free workplace. If you are a person with a disability and need any other accessible accommodations during the hiring process, you are invited to bring this to the Talent Acquisition Advisor’s attention once they have made contact.
INCO: “Cushman & Wakefield”