Assistant Finance Manager (KL-MY)

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Assistant Finance Manager who reports to Finance Manager and assist with details and support leading the finance function in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia & Singapore, in all aspects of financial management, compliance, and reporting. This role requires strong technical expertise in both finance and taxation, with the ability to provide strategic insights that support business growth while ensuring compliance with local regulatory requirements. Skills, knowledge, experience, and exposure Finance and Accounting • Lead the overall financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and financial reporting. • Ensure accurate and timely preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and management reports. • Ensure the closing processes in compliance with local and corporate accounting policies, analyze financial data and provide strategic recommendations to senior leadership. • Coordinate and manage relationships with auditors, banks, and other external stakeholders. • Monitor and control working capital, costs, and financial risks. Tax Compliance & Strategy • Oversee all local tax matters, including CIT, VAT/GST, WHT, and other statutory filings. • Ensure full compliance with local tax regulations and statutory requirements. • Lead and coordinate responses to tax audits and tax assessments. • Liaise with external tax advisors, auditors, and government authorities during audits, tax assessments, and appeals. • Manage transfer pricing compliance and documentation. • Provide tax planning strategies to optimize the company’s tax position while ensuring compliance. Business Partnering & Leadership • Partner with Senior Management to provide financial insights for business decisions. • Collaborate with Finance Controllership Team, Finance Shared Service Team, Commercial Finance Team, and cross-functional teams (e.g., Operations, Supply Chain, HR, Legal etc.) to support business initiatives. • Lead and mentor the local finance team, ensuring strong financial controls, accountability and adherence to policies. • Be able to manage internal and external stakeholders’ expectations. • Work closely with regional finance teams to ensure alignment on intercompany transactions, transfer pricing, and global policies. Finance Projects & Process Improvement • Drive process improvements, best practices in finance and tax operations and work on implementation of such initiatives. • Assist in APAC/Global inquiries and requirements as local contact window on all matters relating to the tax, financial control environment, Group Audit and compliance with GAAP accounting. • Any ad-hoc duties or projects assigned by the senior leadership are necessary to improve the processes or controls within the company. Mindset and Temperament to navigate the role To succeed as an Assistant Finance Manager, especially in a complex and dynamic regulatory environment, the following mindset and qualities are essential: Mindset to navigate the role • Strategic mindset with hands-on operational capability. Ability to see the big picture while still being comfortable diving into details. • Business Partnership orientation, translate complexity into clarity, be able to communicate tax risk and financial impact into clear recommendations for operations, investments, and strategy. • Problem-solving under pressure. • Mitigate risk by being proactive, not reactive. • Improvement mindset with encouraging best practices that align local operations with regional/global standards. • Leadership with integrity, ethics and compliance-first thinking. • See beyond the surface – understand the commercial implications of tax and financial data. • Learn from past audits, feedback, and even disputes. Temperament for the role • High integrity and strong ethical standards. • Forward-Thinking & Adaptive. • Collaborative, decisive and accountable. • Resilient and calm under pressure. • Proactive and solutions-oriented. • Diplomatic and professional. • Rational and disciplined. • Firm with the facts, soft with people. • Patient and Diligent. Role Requirements Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance; CPA/ ACCA is strongly preferred. • Minimum of 10 years of progressive finance and tax experience, ideally within a multinational company. • Minimum 5 years in a leadership or managerial role. • Strong working knowledge of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia & Singapore, tax regulations, processes, and compliance requirements. • Solid understanding of IFRS and local accounting standards. • Experience in transfer pricing, tax audits, and regulatory dealings with BIR. • Proven leadership skills with the ability to manage teams and stakeholders. • Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. • Familiarity with SAP, NAV, or other ERP systems is an advantage. Preferred Experience: • Experience in Big4 will be an advantage. • Experience working with external tax consultants (e.g., KPMG, PwC, Romulo). • Exposure to cross-border tax matters, transfer pricing and intercompany transactions. • Understanding of non-OPEX classification and tax dispute resolution process (e.g., CTA proceedings). #JR-1 #LI-JR1 #Hybrid