FINANCIAL CONTROLLER - BANK EXPERIENCE (CEBU)

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and highly analytical Financial Controller to lead and oversee the organization's financial control, accounting, reporting, and compliance functions. The role is responsible for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of financial information, strengthening internal controls, supporting regulatory compliance, and providing management with timely financial insights for strategic decision-making.

The ideal candidate is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with 7–10 years of progressive experience in finance and accounting, preferably gained within the banking or financial services industry. The successful candidate should have strong expertise in financial reporting, accounting standards, financial controls, budgeting, forecasting, audit coordination, and regulatory requirements.

Key ResponsibilitiesFinancial Reporting & Accounting

• Lead and oversee the preparation, review, and consolidation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and management reports.
• Ensure that financial reports are accurate, complete, timely, and compliant with applicable accounting standards and regulatory requirements.
• Review general ledger accounts, journal entries, account balances, and supporting schedules to ensure proper recording and classification of transactions.
• Oversee month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing activities, ensuring that all financial accounts are properly reconciled and adjusted.
• Review and analyze balance sheet and income statement accounts and investigate significant fluctuations or unusual transactions.
• Ensure proper accounting treatment of financial transactions, provisions, accruals, and other complex accounting matters.
• Establish and maintain appropriate accounting policies, procedures, and documentation.
• Ensure consistency and integrity of financial data across accounting and reporting systems.

Financial Control & Internal Controls

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve financial control policies, procedures, and processes.
• Monitor the effectiveness of internal controls and identify potential financial, operational, and compliance risks.
• Conduct periodic reviews of financial processes to identify control weaknesses, process gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Recommend and implement corrective actions for identified control issues.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, authorization controls, reconciliation procedures, and financial approval processes.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to strengthen financial governance and minimize financial reporting risks.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and audit trails for significant financial transactions and processes.

Banking & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure finance and accounting activities comply with applicable banking regulations, regulatory reporting requirements, and accounting standards.
• Monitor changes in banking regulations, accounting standards, and other financial reporting requirements and assess their impact on the organization.
• Coordinate with relevant departments to ensure timely and accurate submission of regulatory and statutory reports.
• Review regulatory financial reports and supporting schedules for completeness and accuracy.
• Work closely with compliance, risk, internal audit, and other control functions on finance-related requirements.
• Assist in addressing regulatory findings and implementing appropriate remediation plans.
• Maintain strong documentation and controls to support regulatory examinations and audits.

Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead or support the preparation of annual budgets, financial plans, and periodic forecasts.
• Monitor actual financial performance against approved budgets and forecasts.
• Prepare detailed variance analysis and identify key drivers behind financial performance.
• Provide management with recommendations based on financial trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Develop financial models, projections, and scenario analyses to support business planning.
• Partner with business units to review financial performance and ensure alignment with approved financial plans.

Management Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare and present financial reports, dashboards, and analysis for senior management.
• Provide meaningful insights into revenue, expenses, profitability, cash flow, balance sheet movements, and other key financial indicators.
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities that may impact the organization's financial performance.
• Translate complex financial information into clear and actionable recommendations for management.
• Support management in evaluating business initiatives, investments, and other strategic decisions through financial analysis.
• Develop and monitor relevant financial KPIs and performance indicators.

Audit & Compliance

• Serve as a key finance contact for internal and external audits.
• Coordinate the preparation and submission of audit requirements, schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.
• Review audit findings and coordinate with concerned teams to address identified issues.
• Track agreed corrective actions and ensure timely resolution of audit observations.
• Support external auditors, regulators, and other authorized parties during financial reviews and examinations.
• Ensure proper maintenance of financial records and documentation for audit and regulatory purposes.

Process Improvement & Finance Operations

• Evaluate existing finance and accounting processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and control.
• Lead or participate in finance transformation, automation, and system enhancement initiatives.
• Review existing workflows and recommend improvements to reduce manual processes and reporting risks.
• Work with IT and business teams on finance system enhancements, integrations, and implementation projects.
• Establish standardized reporting and reconciliation procedures across finance functions.
• Promote the use of data-driven analysis and technology to improve financial management.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Provide leadership, direction, and technical guidance to finance and accounting personnel.
• Review team outputs and ensure compliance with established accounting and reporting standards.
• Coach and develop team members to strengthen technical accounting and financial analysis capabilities.
• Establish clear performance expectations and monitor team deliverables.
• Collaborate with senior management and cross-functional stakeholders on financial matters.
• Build strong working relationships with operations, risk, compliance, internal audit, treasury, and other business functions.
• Communicate financial issues, risks, and recommendations effectively to senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is required.
• Bachelor's degree in Accountancy, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 7–10 years of progressive experience in accounting, financial control, financial reporting, or finance management.
• Banking or financial services industry experience is required.
• Strong experience in financial reporting, month-end/year-end closing, account reconciliation, and financial analysis.
• Solid understanding of accounting principles and applicable financial reporting standards.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining internal financial controls.
• Working knowledge of banking regulations and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Experience coordinating internal and external audits.
• Strong background in budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and variance analysis.
• Experience in managing or supervising finance and accounting teams.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work with confidential financial information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and presentation skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial/accounting systems.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working directly with a bank, financial institution, lending company, fintech, or other regulated financial services organization.
• Experience handling regulatory or statutory financial reporting.
• Exposure to risk management, internal audit, compliance, and financial governance.
• Experience with ERP, core banking, accounting, or financial reporting systems.
• Experience leading finance transformation, automation, or process improvement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of financial controls within a highly regulated environment.