Finance Reporting & Compliance Lead

Role Purpose

• Statutory Financial reporting for Malaysian entities. Coordinate and meet the requirements of all relevant government authorities which includes, but is not limited to external audit filling, tax reporting, company secretary management, and compliance, Securities & Exchange reporting, local government reporting, and so on.
• Group reporting. Coordinates with Finance Operation (“FO”) on the group and external reporting requirements.
• Liaise with stakeholders like internal and external auditors, tax agents, company secretary, corporate consultants, tax authorities, and other authorities.
• Internal controls, observed controls, increase the standards from time to time and also meet the global standard process (GSM). Yearly ICF control review, management and ensure compliance. Support internal audit process which in scope for finance. Fraud risk assessment.
• Treasury. Support regional treasury and manage the relationship with the banks, core, and non-core banks.
• Play a key role as Account Receivable Manager in Order to Cash (“OTC”) processes including managing the execution of all Accounts Receivable activities (systems and off-systems).
• Lead/support projects related to AP/AR/Treasury processes and statutory requirements.
• Support operations with FO team if required for P2P/Assets Management/ A2R.
• Support Transfer price activities.
• Controlling, Management account controlling i.e. analyzing, reviewing, and reporting (FP&A commercial)
• Business Partnering through credit management as account receivable manager role, support budget exercise
• Lead team

Accountabilities

Accounting and reporting:-

• Sustain high standards on verification of assets and liabilities in the balance sheet, review and approve financial tax & statutory accounting schedules, ensure compliance to standardized accounting, reporting, and financial systems as well as policies and procedures
• Ensure compliance to Global Service Model (GSM) in terms of processes and reporting and that any deviation from the GSM has been approved by Global

• Ensures cooperation with Finance Operation for timely and accurate recording of all business transactions in ERP system according to the IFRS accounting rules used for Group reporting and local GAAP rules for statutory reporting in the local ERP system.
• Working closely with FO A2R team to coordinate month-end closing activities with respective process owners, to ensure closing is accurately and timely completed by the global guideline. Ensures that deadlines and targets are met within agreed key performance indicators (KPIs). The same results should be the requirement for statutory reporting
• Review and sign off financial reports such as GL recon, balance sheet recon, etc prepared by GFO

Statutory Reporting:-

• Ensures compliance with reporting requirements to all relevant government offices which includes, but is not limited to, audited report filing, tax reporting, Securities and Exchange reporting, local government reporting.
• To ensure local statutory and tax books are complete and accurate updated on a timely basis and get submitted to appropriate authorities on time and according to the valid standards as part of the compliance too.
• Reviews prepared financial reporting requirements including income tax, VAT (if applicable), and withholding taxes as well as other statutory reporting requirements
• Establish financial compliance and ensure good internal controls within the GL function to ensure that information entered into the financial reporting system is accurate and reliable.
• Ensure ICF, SOX (if applicable) internal control, i.e TFCM Policy, and Revenue Recognition Policy is properly implemented. It also includes ensuring controls within other functions and implemented to safeguard company assets
• Key contact for DoA.
• Ability to support and responsiveness to stakeholders like internal and external auditors, tax agents, company secretaries, corporate consultants, tax authorities, and other authorities. in the course of their examination of the Company’s records and reports.
• Work together with FO A2R team to ensure Implementing of group/regional treasury policy/guideline, covering but not limited to cash liquidity, borrowing, and investing
• Provide support for Treasury reports submitted to Regional Treasury
• Provide support to ensure AR cycle is operated smooth and highly adhere to GSM. That included credit management, debts recovery through liaising with sales representatives.
• To act as the second level of escalation from GPO for AR and asset management related issues
• Work closely with FO team to ensure operation smoothness and responsive with a solution or advise to the business changes required
• Lead and provide support to project in areas of AR (including credit management), Treasury (including Cash Flow), Assets Management, Reporting (group and statutory), ERP system, New statutory, and Corporate requirement.
• Leading the annual TP exercise including, review, reasonable check, challenge, and proposal for sign off

Controlling: -

• Responsible for assets management to ensure a good system to record the assets and that enabler to track and safeguard the assets with a routine physical sighting program.
• Cash Forecasting and proposal for optimization of the sufficient cash to run the business and cost incurred.
• FP&A role for commercial including: -
o Month-end closing controlling collaborate with FO ATR lead; that leads to quality
o Monthly and timely writing of management report
o Analyzing, commenting and sharing, or reporting
• Year-end closing management

Business Partnering: -

• FSCM, taking a key role of Account Receivable Manager which support the credit committee to ensure smooth credit operation management, credit analytic, review, reporting, and proposal for business decision
• Lead the discussion on Quarterly Credit Committee meeting
• Review the Global credit policies that aligned with between region and local credit committee and ensure compliance with the policies
• Support the budget exercise including challenging the drivers, risks, and opportunities of the functions
• Involve in functions’ business case for project, initiative, and plan to improve business quality

Lead team: -

• Guide finance reporting and compliance assistant with the task being assigned and ensure the work is completed before the deadline
• Supervise/Support other departments to solve operation issues

Critical success factors & key challenges

• Understanding of statutory requirements and latest update;
• Tax and company laws
• Ability to plan and work under a tight timeline to meet the filling dateline
• Resourceful and strong accounting background including the ability to handle full set that enables meeting the dateline
• Good understanding of control and ability to propose and align with stakeholder requirements (i.e. external and internal audit)
• Well verse with company policies to ensure or advise right controls to comply with the policies
• Business understanding to ensure good quality of reporting in respect of full set and management reporting
• Ability to present the data analyzed, thought processes to have effective and efficient business case discussion

Critical knowledge

• External audit experiences
• Authorities management
• Controlling: Management accounts reporting
• People Management Skill

• Strong understanding and experience of finance processes and systems
• Knowledge of tax laws and local statutory reporting requirements
• Knowledge and understanding of basic internal controls
• Able to handle full set of account
• Good analytical skills
• Strong influencing and communication skills
• Planning, organizing, and coordination abilities

Critical experience

• Certified Public Accountant
• Working knowledge of SAP (advantage), Hyperion (advantage)
• Knowledge of IFRS and local GAAPs
• Knowledge of taxes and other related laws and rulings
• Knowledge of Company Act, and Central Bank rules
• Financial compliance and/or audit experience

Critical technical, professional, and personal capabilities

• Sound knowledge of IFRS and local Generally Accepted Accounting Policies
• Good understanding of business end-to-end processes and internal controls necessary to safeguard the Company’s assets.
• Local tax rules
• Knowledge of general ledger process
• Knowledge of relevant Syngenta policies and procedures (e.g. Syngenta Accounting Manual, Reporting, capital sanctioning process, etc).
• Ability to be accurate while meeting deadlines
• Good communication skills
• Good organization skills

Critical leadership capabilities

• Should have an understanding of the Country’s business and strategies
• Lead self and others: Skilfully plans, organizes, and monitors performance to meet deadlines
• Senses and adapts to the changing environment to achieve excellence in delivery
• Be able to communicate effectively internal control issues and able to gain the commitment of process owners, their functional leads, and other stakeholders
• Coaches people to excel by giving clear, direct, and skillful feedback and at the same time providing opportunities for learning, development, and growth
• Able to work across boundaries

• Finance operation team
• Department Heads for designed areas of responsibility
• Regional for like treasury, audit, tax, insurance matters, and so on
• Internal and external auditors
• Partner bank officers
• Outsourced service provider
• Vendors
• Employees (for their T & E claims)
• All business function team for controlling and business partnering roles

Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities.