Business Controller MEA

Role overview

Business partnering and performance

• Partner with Commercial, Medical, Market Access, and Support Functions across the MEA region.
• Prepare and consolidate budgets, forecasts, and long-range plans.
• Analyze monthly financial results, business drivers, risks, and opportunities.
• Deliver management reporting and dashboards for regional and global decision-making.
• Challenge assumptions, investment proposals, and spending decisions.
• Develop financial models, scenario analyses, and business cases.
• Monitor operating expenses, investments, and financial and operational KPIs.

Operational finance and accounting

• Follow up on open purchase orders and outstanding commitments.
• Support procurement and business teams with finance and procurement process compliance.
• Ensure commitments, accruals, and actual expenditures are accurately reflected in reporting.
• Review accruals, provisions, and other accounting entries.
• Support timely and accurate month-end and year-end closing activities.
• Review partner, distributor, and third-party accounts.
• Perform analytical reviews and reconciliations and resolve outstanding balances.

Controls, systems, and tax

• Coordinate the Self-Assessment Questionnaire process and other internal control activities.
• Ensure compliance with Ipsen policies, delegation of authority requirements, and control standards.
• Drive improvements in reporting, forecasting, and finance processes.
• Support automation and simplification initiatives.
• Participate in regional and global finance projects.
• Support corporate tax, VAT, withholding tax, statutory filings, and tax audits as applicable.

Knowledge and experience

• Experience in finance controlling or FP&A, including budgeting, forecasting, and month-end performance management.
• Ability to manage multiple markets and stakeholders across a geographically diverse region.
• Strong understanding of financial reporting, internal controls, and governance.
• Good accounting skills using a balance-sheet approach.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with ERP systems and reporting tools such as IBM TM1 and Excel.
• Working experience in controlling or as a financial business partner.

Education and preferred experience

• Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or life sciences experience is a plus.
• Exposure to emerging markets across the Middle East and Africa is a plus.