Flowers Accounting Lead at Syngenta

Description

Role purpose

• Manage Pollen & Cuttings Flowers finance team in Kenya/Ethiopia to ensure efficient and effective delivery of accounting, statutory & tax activities
• Manage statutory and tax accounting processes and related compliance activities
• Implement effective governance model in countries driving full compliance of activities and processes for group and local purposes.
• Ensure implementation of and alignment with global and regional finance initiatives
• Active member of local Flowers leadership team

Accountabilities

• Ensure local statutory and tax books are complete and accurate on a real time basis and get submitted to appropriate authorities on time and according the valid standards. This relates to all statutory and tax filings (corporate income tax, local statistics, local taxes, VAT related taxes, etc.).
• Ensure assets and liabilities in the balance sheet represent a true and fair value in compliance with local statutory and tax principles and guidelines.
• Ensure governance model is executed and related processes are fully compliant with group and local policies / regulations.
• Ensure a good internal control framework & be accountable for following through on all relevant compliance issues.
• Ensure effective stakeholder communication towards Board of Directors regarding finance matters of the legal entity.
• Be a sound and responsive face to local legal, tax and external audit bodies.
• Represent Syngenta to tax authorities & external auditors. 
• Manage Finance Operation Processes and ensure they follow Group compliance standards.
• Lead/participate in projects either from a license to operate or operational excellence perspective.
• Ensure all legal entities have strong and effective internal controls framework including Delegated Authorities and Segregation of Duties.
• Ensure data and output provided by outsourced partners are reliable and meeting defined performance indicators.
• Ensure that assets are safeguarded in accordance with Corporate Policies and Procedures.
• Ensure all documents comply with tax requirements and related compliances and are authorized

according to the formalised authority levels in the organization.

• Ensure Group Transfer Pricing framework is implemented and follow country specific regulations regarding Transfer Prices as agreed with Group Tax team.
• Manage weekly cash forecasting, bank mandates, foreign exchange hedging with Group Treasury.
• Sustain high standards on verification of assets and liabilities in the balance sheet, review and approve financial accounting schedules.
• Ensure compliance to standardised accounting, reporting and financials systems as well as policies and procedures.

Critical success factors

• Strong communication and relationships with local management and other stakeholders
• Effective team managament & coaching mindset
• Strong risk management mindset
• Strong prioritisation skills
• Collaboration and agility mindset
• Strong business acumen and understanding of end-to-end implications of commercial decisions
• Effective decision-making ability
• Strong continuous improvement mindset

Qualifications

Critical knowledge

• University degree in commerce, accounting or finance or its equivalent
• Excellent knowledge of SAP.
• Excellent knowledge of relevant local tax legislations.
• Excellent understanding of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) and Generally

Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

• Strong understanding of business end to end processes and internal controls necessary to safeguard the Company’s assets.
• Strong understanding of legal entity governance framework (roles / accountabilities of BOD, LELT)

Critical Experience

• 6+ years of professional experience in Finance operations
• Ability to work independently, to take informed decisions and determine priorities
• Demonstrated strengths in unquestionable integrity and trustworthiness.
• Experience in working in multinational organizations with emphasis on communicating and decision making & awareness of cultural differences.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams in a virtual environment.