Group Financial Controller – Statutory Compliance

Your tasks

We are seeking an experienced and hands-on Group Financial Controller to lead the financial reporting, accounting recovery, and statutory compliance functions across a portfolio of Singapore-based companies.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in reviewing and resolving historical accounting and statutory compliance matters, coordinating outstanding audits, restoring accurate financial records, and implementing effective financial reporting processes.

The role will initially focus on resolving outstanding financial reporting and statutory compliance matters before transitioning into ongoing group financial management and oversight.

1. Historical Accounting Review & Recovery

• Conduct a comprehensive review of historical accounting records, financial statements, and outstanding reporting obligations across multiple entities.
• Identify gaps, discrepancies, missing documentation, and unresolved accounting issues from prior financial years.
• Lead the reconstruction and reconciliation of incomplete accounting records, including general ledgers, bank statements, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and intercompany transactions.
• Review historical management accounts and ensure completeness and accuracy of financial information.
• Assess existing accounting systems, including Xero and legacy accounting software, and recommend appropriate recovery or migration solutions.
• Develop and execute a structured accounting recovery plan with clear priorities, timelines, and deliverables.

2. Statutory Audit & Financial Reporting

• Lead the preparation and coordination of outstanding statutory audits for multiple financial years.
• Liaise with external auditors to resolve historical audit queries, outstanding adjustments, and documentation requirements.
• Prepare and review financial statements in accordance with Singapore Financial Reporting Standards (SFRS).
• Oversee the preparation of annual financial statements, supporting schedules, and audit working papers.
• Review the financial position of each entity, including solvency considerations and applicable reporting requirements.
• Support group consolidation and intercompany reconciliation where applicable.

3. Regulatory Compliance & Taxation

• Review outstanding statutory reporting obligations and establish a remediation plan for overdue submissions.
• Coordinate with corporate secretaries on outstanding Annual Returns, AGM requirements, and related ACRA compliance matters.
• Oversee the preparation of financial information required for XBRL filings, where applicable.
• Work with tax agents to review outstanding corporate income tax computations and filing requirements.
• Monitor statutory deadlines and implement controls to prevent future non-compliance.
• Identify potential compliance risks and escalate significant issues to management.

4. Group Financial Management & Controls

• Oversee accounting and financial reporting activities across multiple Singapore entities.
• Establish consistent accounting policies, reporting standards, and internal financial controls.
• Review monthly and annual management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and financial reporting packages.
• Develop effective processes for document retention, financial approvals, and record management.
• Manage and review intercompany balances, transactions, and reconciliations.
• Provide management with regular progress reports, financial insights, and recommendations.

5. Team & Stakeholder Management

• Assess the existing accounting function and recommend appropriate staffing and resource requirements.
• Supervise internal accounting personnel and coordinate with outsourced accounting service providers where necessary.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for auditors, tax agents, corporate secretaries, and relevant professional advisers.
• Establish a structured work plan to clear historical accounting and compliance backlogs.
• Provide regular updates to senior management on progress, risks, outstanding requirements, and completion timelines.

Requirements

This position requires a technically strong accounting professional who is comfortable working independently, investigating historical financial discrepancies, coordinating with external auditors and professional advisers, and managing multiple entities with different financial reporting requirements.

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accountancy, Finance, or a related discipline.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CA (Singapore), ACCA, CPA, or equivalent.
• Minimum 5–7 years of relevant accounting and finance experience, including at least 3 years in a senior accounting or financial management role.
• Strong knowledge of Singapore Financial Reporting Standards (SFRS), statutory audit requirements, and financial statement preparation.
• Demonstrated experience managing statutory audits, preferably across multiple entities and financial years.
• Experience resolving historical accounting discrepancies, reconstructing incomplete financial records, or managing accounting remediation projects.
• Good understanding of ACRA statutory reporting requirements, XBRL filings, and Singapore corporate tax compliance.
• Proficiency in Xero and Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and communicate effectively with senior management and external advisers.

Highly Preferred

• Prior experience in an audit firm, particularly in external audit or accounting advisory.
• Experience managing overdue statutory audits or historical compliance backlogs.
• Experience with group consolidation, investment holding companies, or multi-entity accounting structures.
• Familiarity with accounting system recovery, migration, and financial process improvement.
• Experience supervising accounting teams or managing outsourced accounting service providers.

Ideal Candidate Profile We are looking for a practical, resourceful, and detail-oriented accounting professional who enjoys solving complex financial problems.

The ideal candidate is someone who can move beyond identifying accounting issues to developing and executing solutions. They should be comfortable taking ownership of challenging assignments, investigating incomplete historical records, working closely with auditors, and establishing sustainable financial reporting processes.

Strong technical accounting knowledge, sound professional judgment, and the ability to work independently are essential.