Commercial Finance Manager

A leading global consulting firm in Dubai is seeking a Commercial Finance Manager to guide and nurture their Commercial Finance team, ensuring exceptional financial governance and commercial performance across the entire project and client lifecycle. This role offers you the opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and key internal functions, including HR, Staffing, Legal, Collections, and the wider Finance team, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Commercial Finance team by creating an environment where knowledge sharing and stakeholder focus are at the heart of daily operations.
• Provide oversight and direction across day-to-day activities while empowering your team to deliver results; escalate key risks as needed to maintain strong financial governance.
• Develop team capability through structured feedback sessions, ongoing coaching initiatives, and continuous upskilling opportunities that foster accountability and improvement.
• Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement by simplifying processes, strengthening controls, and embedding best practices throughout the Commercial Finance function.
• Oversee delivery of commercial finance business partnering to Partners and Practice Leaders; act as an escalation point for complex commercial matters requiring expert insight.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders by providing commercial insight that supports decision-making and enhances practice performance.
• Direct production of financial reporting dashboards and management information to ensure accurate reporting on profitability, pipeline status, working capital trends, and revenue outlook.
• Guide project mobilisation efforts where governance requirements or client documentation present increased risk or policy exceptions; ensure compliance with relevant standards.
• Provide oversight of project financial performance including WIP management, accounts receivable tracking, cost-to-complete analysis, reserves handling, write-offs resolution, and material risk escalation.
• Champion adoption of AI-enabled tools and automation to improve efficiency in reporting quality and decision-making while maintaining appropriate governance.

Candidate Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting or related field is essential for this position along with completion of a recognised professional qualification such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA.
• Minimum five years’ experience within a project-based consulting firm or professional services environment (Big 4 experience highly valued) is required for success in this role.
• Management experience within sizeable global organisations operating in the Middle East region demonstrates your ability to navigate complex business landscapes.
• Proven skills in commercial finance business partnering combined with advanced financial analysis capabilities enable you to provide valuable insights for decision-makers.
• Comprehensive understanding of project accounting principles including revenue recognition practices and IFRS compliance ensures accuracy in financial reporting.
• Familiarity with SAP systems as well as reporting tools like Anaplan or Power BI is desirable for streamlining data analysis processes.
• Exposure to AI-driven automation or digital transformation initiatives (such as Power Automate, Alteryx, Copilot or Claude) adds value by enhancing operational efficiency.
• Exceptional communication skills paired with stakeholder management abilities allow you to influence senior leaders effectively while maintaining positive relationships.
• Excellent organisational skills empower you to manage competing priorities efficiently even under pressure without compromising attention to detail.
• Team-oriented mindset coupled with confidence working independently ensures seamless collaboration across functions while delivering individual contributions.

If you are ready to make an impact within a collaborative finance team in Dubai’s thriving consulting sector- apply today!