Finance Director Europe Full Time

About the Opportunity

The Finance Director is responsible for the financial oversight, management, and performance of the region, partnering closely with the Regional Vice President and senior regional leadership. The role provides commercially focused insight, financial governance, and decision support to drive sustainable growth and operational effectiveness.

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the role works collaboratively with global finance functions to ensure consistency in financial reporting, controls, and processes, while supporting the unique needs of the regional business. The Finance Director also plays a key role in interactions with internal and external auditors and ensures compliance with applicable regulatory and statutory requirements

About the role

Regional Financial Leadership & Oversight

• Provide end‑to‑end financial oversight for the region, including P&L management, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.
• Act as the primary finance partner to the Regional VP, supporting strategic, commercial, and operational decision‑making.
• Translate global finance strategy into regional execution plans aligned to business objectives.
• Ensure financial discipline, transparency, and consistency across regional operations.
• Partner with regional leadership to evaluate commercial performance, pricing, margins, and cost drivers.
• Provide insight and analysis to support new business, pipeline growth, client profitability, and investment decisions.
• Prepare business cases to support new initiatives, investments, and strategic decisions.
• Provide objective and commercially relevant advice to support sustainable regional growth.
• Communicate underlying drivers of regional financial performance to senior management.

Governance, Controls & Audit

• Ensure compliance with global finance policies, internal controls, and delegated authority frameworks.
• Oversee regional month‑end and year‑end close processes in coordination with global accounting teams.
• Act as the key regional finance contact for internal and external auditors.
• Ensure audit readiness and timely resolution of audit findings.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, statutory, and reporting requirements.

Global Finance Collaboration

• Work closely with global finance functions, including FP&A, Accounting, Tax, and Treasury, to ensure alignment and standardisation

Support global finance initiatives, system enhancements, and process

• improvement programs.
• Ensure consistent application of financial processes while accommodating regional business needs.

Process Improvement & Continuous Improvement

• Review existing finance and operational processes and recommend improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead or support productivity, cost optimisation, and process improvement initiatives within the region.

People Leadership (where applicable)

• Lead, manage, and develop regional finance team members.
• Build capability within the finance function to support regional growth and complexity.
• Support recruitment and talent development within the regional finance team as required.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience:

• Fully qualified accountant: CPA, CA, or ACCA (essential)
• Significant senior finance leadership experience within a complex, multi‑country or matrix organisation
• Demonstrated experience in Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), including budgeting, forecasting, and performance analytics
• Strong commercial acumen with proven business partnering capability at senior leadership level
• Experience interacting with internal and external auditors and managing audit processes
• Experience in healthcare, life sciences, or CRO environments (preferred)
• Advanced analytical skillset, including use of BI, reporting, and financial modelling tools
• Strong quantitative and problem‑solving abilities
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder‑management skills