JOB SUMMARY Our Client is a well-established (+40 Years), fast-growing, and acquisitive global public company, looking for a strong, experienced, and technically sound Director, European Controller. The Director, European Controller is a senior finance leader responsible for the integrity, compliance, and performance of the accounting and financial reporting function across the European region. This role provides strategic and operational oversight of accounting activities for all legal entities in Europe, ensuring compliance with US and local GAAPs, maintaining a robust internal control environment, and driving finance transformation and process optimisation initiatives. This role leads and develops a high-performing regional controllership team and collaborates closely with corporate accounting, tax, treasury, legal, and audit teams. The Director acts as a key partner to regional business leaders, ensuring financial reporting is accurate, timely, and aligned with global standards and business objectives. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Regional Accounting Leadership: Lead all accounting operations across the European region, including general ledger, intercompany, fixed assets, revenue recognition, and period-end close activities. Ensuring financial statements for all European legal entities are prepared timely, accurately, and in compliance with US GAAP and applicable local GAAPs. Own the regional monthly, quarterly, and annual closing processes; ensure alignment with global finance calendars and reporting leadership, team-building, and interpersonal skills. Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities. Change management and process optimization expertise. High integrity and commitment to ethical accounting practices. Fluent requirements. Oversee regional statutory and regulatory reporting, including coordination with external auditors and regulatory bodies. Serve as a key liaison between country controllers, SSCs, and global accounting teams. Internal Controls & Compliance: Design, maintain, and continuously improve the internal control environment across Europe. Ensure compliance with SOX or equivalent internal control frameworks; lead internal and external audit engagements and remediation of any control gaps. Promote financial integrity and risk awareness throughout the region, act as a champion for ethics and compliance in financial reporting. Oversee entity governance and financial compliance across jurisdictions, including tax, legal, and regulatory interfaces. Strategic Projects & Process Improvement: Drive and lead finance transformation initiatives across the region to improve efficiency, standardization, and automation of accounting and reporting processes. Champion continuous improvement culture and develop KPI dashboards to monitor financial performance and compliance metrics. Support or lead ERP and financial system implementations or upgrades. Optimize organizational structures and workflows to support scalability and control effectiveness by partnering with cross-functional teams (Tax, Treasury, Legal, IT, Operations. Partner with business and functional leaders to align finance processes with broader strategic goals. Leadership & Team Development: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of controllers, accounting managers, senior accountants, and finance professionals across the region. Foster a high-performance culture with strong accountability and continuous improvement. Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across countries and departments. QUALIFICATIONS Education & Experience Bachelors or Masters degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA, ACCA, or equivalent certification preferred. 12+ years of relevant experience in accounting and finance, including regional or multinational experience. Strong knowledge of US GAAP, IFRS and local GAAPs within Europe. Solid understanding of internal controls (e.g., SOX, COSO framework) and risk management. Demonstrated success in leading cross-border finance projects and transformations. Experience working with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or similar) and finance reporting tools. Licensure & Certification CPA, ACCA, or equivalent certification preferred. Skill and Competencies Strategic thinking with strong execution capabilities. Exceptional in English; proficiency in other European languages is advantageous. Willingness to travel as required across the region For a confidential conversation please contact Damien McCleane for more details. Skills: Finance GAAP Benefits: Work From Home