Senior Finance & Accounting Specialist - General Ledger Expert
Location: Manila Shared Service Center | Mid / Night Shift
About the Opportunity:
We are seeking a highly experienced and results-driven finance professional to join our Shared Services team. In this role, you will be responsible for driving operational excellence and financial integrity across assigned entities. You will move beyond routine execution to own complex accounting treatments, lead month-end close orchestrations, ensure strict compliance with local and Group policies, and serve as a key business partner to local entity finance teams. You will also mentor junior accountants and act as a catalyst for continuous process improvement.
Key Responsibilities:
Financial Ownership & Reporting
- Lead and orchestrate the Month-End Close (MEC) process for complex assigned entities, ensuring accuracy and strict deadline adherence.
- Prepare, review, and analyze high-quality financial statements and management reports for local entity finance and Group Accounting.
- Conduct deep-dive process analyses, variance commentaries, and balance sheet reviews to deliver actionable financial insights.
Complex Accounting & Master Data Governance
- Manage high-complexity general ledger activities, including specialized accruals, complex payroll/benefits accounting, and sensitive journal entries.
- Oversee and approve reconciliation of critical, high-risk accounts, ensuring timely resolution of open items.
- Act as gatekeeper for GL master data integrity in compliance with global charting and reporting standards.
Audit, Compliance & Risk Management
- Serve as primary liaison for internal and external audit engagements; prepare comprehensive audit schedules and resolve complex audit queries.
- Ensure strict adherence to internal controls (SOX/ICFR), Group accounting policies, and local statutory regulations.
Process Optimization & Technology
- Identify, design, and implement process excellence initiatives (automation, standardization, workflow simplification) to reduce MEC cycle times.
- Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for ERP upgrades, migrations, or GL-related system implementations.
- Track, analyze, and report on team operational metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Stakeholder Management & Escalation Resolution
- Act as first point of escalation for complex operational issues, collaborating with local entity finance leadership to drive swift resolutions.
- Foster strong, consultative partnerships with cross-functional teams (AP/AR, Subledger, P2P, I2C, Treasury) to ensure end-to-end process alignment.
Leadership & Capability Building
- Provide guidance, mentorship, and technical support to junior accountants, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
- Develop and maintain up-to-date Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training documentation.
Candidate Profile:
Education & Credentials
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field (required).
- Master's degree in Finance/Accounting or CPA accreditation (highly preferred).
Experience & Technical Skills
- Minimum 8 years of experience in General Ledger Accounting Operations.
- Profound accounting knowledge across IFRS, GAAP, and Tax regulations.
- Experience within a Shared Services Center environment (preferred).
- Hands-on experience with SAP and non-SAP ERP systems.
- Automation experience (VBA or equivalent automation tools).
- Expert-level MS Excel proficiency.
- Fluent in English (written and spoken).
Work Arrangement
- Amenable to be based in BGC, Taguig.
- Open to varying mid-shift and night-shift schedules, particularly during MEC and non-MEC periods.
