ARC Lead Castrol & Aviation at BP Southern Africa (BPSA)

• This role offers a unique opportunity to play a pivotal Finance role in one of bp’s key strategic growth areas. There is the opportunity to shape the way in which ARC support is delivered and how the team works most effectively with the central and embedded PPM and Business Finance resources, setting a solid control and reporting framework to support the future growth. The ARC Lead will also play an important role in providing ARC input to early stage organic and inorganic transactions, working closely with Technical Accounting and the new business controller.
• The role will work as part of a regional ARC – Africa team designing and implementing standard policies and processes for bp’s growing businesses, including for example the management of non integrated acquired entities and significant JV’s.

Education & Experience Required:
Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Economics, Auditing, technical discipline or any other equivalent degree;
• Recognised professional accountancy qualificiation (eg CA, CIMA, ACCA) is preferable.

Experience

• 8-10 years experience
• Demonstrated process expertise in accounting, reporting and control areas esp. Group close, contract management, additional and supplementary information.
• Experience in statutory accounting, with accounts payable, accounts receivable
• Proven track record demonstrating ability to interact with and influence people at all levels within the organization, building strong relationship quickly.
• Experience of internal control and accounting policy frameworks
• Ability to manage multiple/conflicting priorities with a strong track record of delivery
• Strong technical accounting skills
• Well developed knowledge of internal control framework
• Working effectively with ambiguity and fast paced change
• Effective integration skills across Finance and non Finance teams

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Key Accountabilities:

• The ARC Lead ensures up-to-date, reliable, accurate and transparent financial, accounting, management and statutory reports. Elaborate assets and transactions, carrying out the month-end close processes and data integrity, statutory financial reports, general finance and accounting, controlling, intercompany accounting, performance reporting. This role is accountable for the integrity of accounting across the end to end process.
• The role works closely with business stakeholders, GSC, GBS to ensure matters of control, financial system requirements, capability and integrity are properly considered and applied, and provide the main interface with audit/tax.
• The role will lead and facilitate the commercial Risk Management process in the local entity, to ensure risks are identified and managed.
• Provides high quality and effective ARC support to the C&P business activities, ensuring timely delivery of financial information and effective integration with regional and central ARC, PPM and Business Finance teams
• Ensures that the Group reporting manual is properly applied at the local entity level and all accounting judgments are consulted, evidenced, documented and approved within Accounting Policy requirements and Delegation of Authority.
• Acts as finance SME to the business, applying detailed understanding of how appropriate application of accounting policy can ensure the best results within policy and compliance remit.
• Lead and support the control agenda across the local entity, working with GBS to assure a robust control environment; co-ordinate business control reviews, health checks and audits in local entity and follow up on the recommendations and findings.
• Provides input to DD process for C&P business activities and ensuring all relevant requirements are met.
• Lead the Risk Management process, ensuring it is truly embedded in local entity and appropriate mitigations are in place.
• Drive continuous improvement projects (e.g. via the accounting, reporting & control network).
• Maintain and monitor of effective and efficient controls over fraud and ethics issues through responsibility to speak up, ask questions, raise concerns and report any breaches or potential breaches of our Code or other legal requirements.
• Fosters an environment where accounting issues can be easily raised and discussed.
• Coaches direct reports, when appropriate, and the finance and business teams, to build capabilities and develop competencies and professional qualifications.
• Supports ARC aspects of M&A transactions including input to agreements, functional assurance of ATN’s/FM’s, workstream activities to manage integration, defining plan for handover to regional teams for business as usual activities
• Works effectively with regional ARC teams to understand variance analysis
• Supports standardisation of process and controls across business in the Africa region
• Documenting and determining, in conjunction with Technical Accounting team applicable accounting policy considerations for new transactions
• Supports in the development and deployment of the framework for ongoing financial assurance (ARC) of non integrated acquired businesses
• Accountable for statutory accounts delivery for identified entities, where appropriate
• Identifies need for, builds and develops reporting to support new business activity, where appropriate.